The Bay Area Discovery Museum is walking as the Tykes on Bikes contingent this Sunday, and we'll be in the family-friendly front of the parade (no naked people nearby!) near other schools and family groups.
We are celebrating families of all compositions, whether 2 moms, 2 dads, mom/dad, single parents, grandparents etc. It is SO MUCH FUN - the generosity of spirit from the crowds is really energizing. You can see some pictures from our contingent last year here on Flickr.
We'll meet by 10 a.m. on Spear St between Mission & Howard - we're contingent #26. We will have pinwheels and streamers to wave at the crowds, decorations for your bikes & strollers, plus stickers to hand out. Feel free to come with your own decorated stroller / bike as well. It is likely to be quite warm - bring water and sunscreen, and most importantly, comfortable shoes! We will be marching from Spear up to Market Street, then down Market street to 8th Street. Following the parade is a celebration at Civic Center .
Families coming from Marin might consider taking the ferry, since it will be extremely difficult to park downtown. There is a special ferry trip just for Pride leaving at 8:45 am from Larkspur. Return trips are at 12:40 pm, 2:40 pm, 4:40 pm and 7:15 pm - last year we made it onto the 12:40 ferry back, but it depends on how long the parade takes, which can vary.
Some time ago, we asked for your comments regarding our Cafe - and got a great response. So we're pleased to announce a few changes which will hopefully make the Cafe experience even better.
On weekends and busy days, you'll be able to pick up your food from the side window, which should reduce the crowding in the Cafe.
We've installed a second register to make the line move a bit more quickly.
And the Cafe has added tasty new specials to the menu. On Fridays, look for favorite hometown recipes from the Cafe staff - from pupusas to tamales to soy & ginger chicken over brown rice. And on Saturdays, the special will be Philly cheesesteak!
Stop by and let us know what you think. We'll continue to work on improvements - stay tuned for more coming soon. As always, we welcome your feedback, whether in the comments here, by email to contact(at)badm.org or on a paper comment form at the Museum.
We just found out we're a top write-in pick for Best Enviro-friendly Place for Little Kids in the Bay Area, from Parents Connect! If you haven't voted in this category yet, please write us in and join dozens of other parents who appreciate our award-winning eco-friendly atmosphere.
There are six days left to vote - we're nominated for Best Museum for Little Kids and Big Kids and you can write us in for any category you like.
Did you know that the Museum has a 180-seat theater located in the entry building? On most Saturday mornings, there are live performances ranging from music, and dance to plays and puppet shows. These performances are thoughtfully chosen to stimulate a child’s curiosity and imagination as well as appeal to parents and caregivers.
This is not a theater where kids are expected to sit in their seats and quietly watch. Instead, the shows are highly interactive and the audience is encouraged to sing, clap and dance along. Audience members are often invited on stage to assist a performer by doing everything from laying down a track of music to being encased in a giant bubble. There are many great photo opportunities, too.
This summer, in addition to a CD release party for Frances England, you can travel to Iran, New Orleans and Australia through music and theater. Check out the Performances section of our Web site for details about all our theatrical offerings. We believe that early exposure to the visual and performing arts helps children to develop a lifelong connection to both creating and supporting the arts. In our increasingly digital world, this connection is very important.
Speaking of photo opportunities…we’d like you to send us your favorite picture taken during any performance from the past season. The best photo wins 4 tickets to a performance of their choice. We’ll post the winners on our Web site.
Are you missing a ring? A ring was found on-site. If you lost a ring recently and can describe it and it matches then please contact us at lbivings(at)badm.org.
We're up for Best Museum in the Parents Connect Parents' Picks 2008 Contest!
We'd appreciate your vote - just click here and vote for us in the Museum category for both Little Kids and Big Kids.
And while you're at it, share your comments on other web sites too - your honest reviews of the Museum are worth their weight in gold. We recommend Yelp.com and GoCityKids.com as two great sources of reviews from real people!
We need your help! The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is a federal agency that provides funding for museums. This Thursday, the House of Representatives Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Subcommittee is scheduled to debate the Labor-HHS-Education funding bill—which includes funding for IMLS.
Contact Congress today to urge their support for $46.3 million for IMLS’s museum program —a $15 million increase from last year's appropriations bill.
The Bay Area Discovery Museum received significant support from IMLS for our My First Museum project. We paired with an organization that serves diverse families to pilot a joint curriculum that provides access to the Museum to non-traditionally museum-going communities. IMLS support is critical to our mission - and to the mission of museums across the country.
We—the museum community, including our visitors and members—need to let every member of Congress hear that an increase in IMLS funding is critically needed. Use this easy form to send a letter of support to your representatives today.
Like most parents, we've been singing little made-up songs to our kids since day one - crooning "sleepy, sleepy, baby" to the newborn, or encouraging "put your shoes on, shoes on, shoes on" to the 3-year-old. And our son has been singing his own nonsense songs just as long as he's been talking.
Tracy Zimmerman from FPG Child Development Institute talked to music therapist Dr. Petra Kern who points out the great ways music can help with transitions.
You can listen to the interview here. And if you need a little more inspiration, check out this book by Dr Kern that features 17 goal-oriented songs supporting outdoor play.
Read the biographies of our summer camps staff to learn more about these enthusiastic pros who will educate, engage and entertain your kids all summer long at Discovery Camps!
We're offering snacks for the first time this year - we have 100 pounds of Cheddar Bunnies ready to go - we'll see how long they last! Also, the way the ages are distributed is new, so that we could meet the developmental needs of the children better. Now 4-year-olds and 6-year-olds wouldn’t be in the same camp. More fun for all.
Any specific camps you're particularly excited about?
I’m really excited about our kid building camp – the teacher worked at adventure playground in Berkeley. They’re going to use real tools, real wood, build forts, it will be awesome. The yoga camp will be great too – she’s a professional kids' yoga instructor and mom, they’ll go on hikes, make art, and of course learn yoga.
Sounds fun! Are there still spots available?
We still have openings in yoga July 14, 21 and 28, and there are spots in many sessions in the kid building camps too. You can sign up online!
What else should we know?
Well, we'll be posting to this blog regularly – so parents know what their children are up to, have a better idea of what their kids do during the day, and see pictures too.
To read all the camp blog entries, just click the keyword "camps" from the tag box to the right!
