October & November 2006

Contents:

Letter From Lindy

Frontier presents Can You Tell Me How to Get to Sesame Street

It's a Spooktacular October

Selecting the Best for Early Learners

Letter From Lindy

How do you get to Sesame Street? I can tell you because I've known the way since I was five years old when Big Bird, Oscar, Grover, Bert and Ernie became my friends. And I loved Gordon, Susan, Bob, Maria and Mr. Hooper but I also envied them because they lived on Sesame Street with all my Muppet pals. Sesame Street was an important part of my childhood.

Several years ago Omaha Children's Museum hosted an exhibition of the puppetry of Jim Henson. I can vividly recall the excitement I felt when the crate holding one of the original Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy Muppets was opened and I laid my eyes on them. It was like meeting a rock star, a movie legend, or real life royalty.

Now as a parent of a 3 ½ year old, I have fallen in love with Elmo, the quintessential three year old. The way my son relates to this lovable, huggable character is both delightful and heartwarming. I marvel at the way Sesame Street reaches children at their own level and yet works in enough entertainment to keep adults watching along with them.

I would guess that as you read this you are recalling your experiences and encounters as well as your children's with Sesame Street and its cast of characters. We can all relate and relive those beautiful childhood moments by visiting Can You Tell Me How to Get to Sesame Street? this fall at Omaha Children's Museum.

Lindy J. Hoyer
Executive Director

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Frontier presents Can You Tell Me How to Get to Sesame Street?
All signs - street and otherwise - point to great times at Omaha Children's Museum starting Saturday, October 7 when the famous street comes to life with Frontier presents Can You Tell Me How to Get to Sesame Street?

It's a great neighborhood filled with music, ideas, laughter and friendly Muppets. The traveling exhibit invites you to be a part of the magic that made this PBS series legendary, but instead of watching on television, you'll be sitting on the famous brownstone steps at 123 Sesame Street.
Children and adults will enjoy the trip down "Sesame Street" with stops at the Sesame Mucho "Rainbow" Bodega, Gina's Day Care Center, Oscar's Newsstand and Bird Air Travel Agency.

The interactivity and technology of the exhibit allows kids to sing the alphabet with Elmo, count along with The Count and speak Spanish with Rosita. They can create a craft project, hear a story read to them and actually climb into Big Bird's oversized nest.

Children will love the Hands-On Minds-On Playground where they can turn a crank, spin letters and discover new words; count squirrels, butterflies and other creatures hidden in the counting tree; play sorting games in the A-Z cubby holes under the Central Park bridge, or practice musical scales and notes on a set of steel drums. Daily Letter- and Number-of-the-Day activities will be led by museum staff.

"Sesame Street" airs in Omaha at 10 a.m. Mondays through Fridays on KYNE (Channel 12). Check www.netnebraska.org for listings.

Can You Tell Me How to Get to Sesame Street?
Member Preview is Friday, October 6, 6 – 8 p.m.

NET members and OCM wristband holders are also invited.

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It's A Spooktacular October
Join us for Cobweb Castle and Trick-or-Treat Nights

It's back and it's a little kooky, a little spooky, a small bit scary and just a tad hairy. Kids can enjoy this "not-so-scary" haunted house throughout October.

"Parents are looking for safe, fun activities around Halloween," said Tom Simons, director of education and public programming. "Cobweb Castle lets kids enjoy a little fright while not being terrified."
Guests will be greeted with a graveyard maze and can wander through the Pirates Parlor, Kooky Kitchen, Vampire's Batty Bedroom and Casper's Closet. As children enter the castle they will choose a path through the Ghostly Graveyard or the Find-Your-Way Forest, complete with creepy-looking trees.

Cobweb Castle has become a very popular part of the museum's offerings, with over 20,000 people attending each year. We look forward to another year of not-so-scary fun!

On two nights in October, kids can try out their costumes and get goodies before Halloween at Trick-or-Treat Nights on October 19 and 26, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. Yummy treats provided by Whole Foods will be at stations around the museum.

Both Cobweb Castle and Trick-or-Treat Nights are included with admission to the museum and free to members.

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Selecting the Best for
Early Learners

Our Director of Education and Public Programs Tom Simons was part of a group of five early childhood experts and child care directors who served as judges for the annual Directors' Choice Awards given by Earlychildhood NEWS, the professional resource for teachers and parents of children from infants to age eight. For the first time the group of judges included a representative from a children's museum and Tom was chosen for his expertise and endeavors with the museum's budding Early Childhood Initiative.

Each year, Earlychildhood NEWS recognizes excellence in products for young children through the Directors' Choice Award program. The winning products will be announced in November at the National Association for the Education of Young Children Conference in Atlanta.

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