It’s happening…again. So, again, I challenge The Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh to rethink their “Kindergarten Here I come” event and message to the community.
July 15, 2010
August 14, 2009
:: Monkey Platter :: Museum :: Mindfulness ::
Cats Crackers*, Almonds*, Raisins* & Toasted Nori*
Blueberries*
Black Beans* & Black Olives
Vegan Griller Patty & Ketchup*
Elijah & Collin
On Tuesday, we went to the Pittsburgh Children’s Museum (where one of the staff recognized me & mentioned that she loved my challenge that I sent the museum) with our neighbor and her grandson. We had a pretty good time and I got to spend some more time with my neighbor who is one hip lady!
Our neighbor said that they were going to go home, eat and then go to the store…once we were dropped off and getting food around for ourselves, Elijah said, “do you really think Collin wants to go to the store with his grandma…we should see if he can play Legos with me while she shops”. I called and it was a done deal; Collin skipped over after he ate dinner and the two boys played Legos, built with blocks and did a little drawing.
This is a perfect example of kindness & respect begetting kindness & respect…I know that I’ve mentioned before that Elijah doesn’t like going to the grocery store (or any major shopping place for that matter), because it is literally an assult on his senses. I arrange my shopping plans so that I get everything done on William’s days off, so that Elijah can stay home with him or so that they can be dropped off somewhere to hang out while I get business taken care of. Elijah thought it was only fair to extend that arrangement to his friend while our neighbor went shopping. I think it was a very kind & compassionate moment for Elijah — he didn’t want to see his friend have to endure (I’m assuming he thinks most kids are effected by stores the same way he is) going to the store when there was a clear option for him to avoid it.
I love my son 
August 10, 2009
Warhol & Waterfalls
Saturday we went and ate lunch at the Andy Warhol Museum
veggie soup, doggie cupcakes (they're sugar free & people friendly) & Izzies
After lunch we went to the Weekend Factory. One of the things Elijah made was an album cover.
felli'n blue...geti'n rid of the blues...no one want's the blues (I LOVE his spelling & punctuation)
screen printing the record on
cut : paste
When we were done we walked down the river trail and found the waterfalls everyone has been telling us about.(here’s another picture I found online)
July 31, 2009
Kindergarten at the Children’s Museum
No, it’s not nearly as “cool” as it might sound. The Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh is hosting it’s 5th annual hey-let’s-convince-parents-and-kids-that-prolonged-separation-and-early-indoctrination-is-awesome celebration. What’s better, you ask…it’s FREE and they give you stuff!
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Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh’s 5th Annual Kindergarten!…Here I Come! Celebration
A free celebration will be held from 9 am to 1 pm on August 15 for children going to kindergarten this fall. This is an exciting event to celebrate this milestone and create a healthy transition not just for children, but for their parents as well. We also work to strengthen the idea that community support that is essential as part of our kids’ development of character and emotional well-being.
Children can:
Meet Mr. McFeely
Receive a “Class of 2022″ t-shirt and kindergarten story book
Meet community helpers such as a crossing guard
Climb aboard a real school bus
Take part in activities such as making a craft for their first memories of school and a lot of other “fun” hands-on activities
Have free hearing, vision, speech and language screenings
Take part in a live radio broadcast
Parents and caregivers receive valuable information on preparing children for kindergarten and can consult with experts in nutrition, after school programs, bullying, proper immunization and more.
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While I do give the museum credit for having good intentions and trying to make the inevitable transition from home to school for lots of 5/6 year olds less stressful and seem fun, I have a much much better idea. Why don’t all these children whose parents think that they *have to* send their children to school, want to send their kids to school or need to because of family/financial dynamics get to spend kindergarten at the museum? What I mean is that instead of being trotted off to an institution and made to sit still, color in the lines and ask permission to go to the bathroom (this one really gets my goat — prison-like…no wait, most prisoners have toilets or at least holes in the ground in their cells), they would get to PLAY at the museum during normal school day hours. No actual compulsory “classes”, no testing, no grades, just an open building of fun stuff to explore and LEARN from. AND what is even best about this is that they would be exposed to older and younger children who are members and attending with their families throughout the day as well as an ever changing traveling exhibit and all the neat special events, story times, plays and so on that the museum is known for doing. The children would still experience (and better experience) the “community support that is essential as part of our kids’ development…” as the museum claims it’s Celebration thingy promotes, socializing with diverse groups of people and develop meaningful skills (aka, learn stuff).
What’s EVEN better…is that it wouldn’t have to stop with just kindergarten…
I don’t find this solution better than being free and at home or at worst attending an actual Free School, but it does sound better than going to school in the traditional sense of the word. I’d divert my tax dollars to this effort and even throw in a few extra dollars…
So, how about it? Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh, are you up for the challenge?
January 12, 2009
Some Museum-ing
Last Monday was a fantastic day for us to head off to the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh, because it was the first day back to school after Winter Break for all the unfortunate children around here. Usually, the museum is a little bit overwhelming for both E and I, because it can become quite crowded and far too stimulating for us. Monday was perfect though and I wondered, but never got around to asking a few parents I saw there with older ‘school aged’ children whether they were homeschooled or not. However, they might get scared off by our general goofiness.
The magical piano that plays songs all by itself…Elijah absolutely LOVES this thing and when it is not broken it is the best 30 minutes of his life, unless 50 other children are trying to enjoy it too 
Click here to see it in action.
They had a really cool new Kaleidescope too. It has several large bins where you can add, remove and rearrange random things to change the patterns. Very nice.
We got busy making stuff and using a glue gun for the first time. He’s seen me use one countless times and decided that it was the right time for him to figure it out. I handed over the gun and got out of his way.
He also had some fun with the race car ramps and catching letters.
We took advantage of a cute photo opp by the warm and cozy tree outside of the museum.
November 28, 2008
Catching Up pt. 2
as we continue on with catching up…
On Halloween Eve we went to the Children’s Museum for a puppet show and general fun
catching up part 3 is on its way…
