Join us in the Wave Workshop this Sunday for a fun and hands-on science project. Led by our Lead Science Guide, Lindsay Dunn.

Boat Building
Wave Workshop
Sunday, November 23
3:15 – 4:30 p.m.
Free Drop-in activity

What sail will make it move the fastest? How do you keep it from sinking into the water? Come and see what nautical creation your child can create!

General Registration is now open for our most anticipated holiday program at the Museum.

Gingerbread Architecture Extravaganza!

Gets your hands sticky as you and your child build the yummiest house you can imagine. Sign up now because spots go fast and are selling out quickly!

$25 per gingerbread kit.
Pre-registration required.
Register online.

"Toys are not merely playthings; they are tools for learning about the self and world."  says David Elkind, one of the leading thinkers, researchers and teachers on child development.

On a recent blog post, David Elkind discusses the evolution of toys and their lack of creative merit. He speaks about Playdoh which, in itself, is a vehicle for imaginative play yet is weakened when "additions" such as cookie molds and plastic ice cream makers come into play as well. Children are given help to create something when they have the power to do so on their own.

Creative play is a topic which we at the Museum emphasize.  Our Art Studios are haven of imagination and creativity. Even the littlest of children play with Delta Sand, Magna Tiles and paint on the Window Walls. Running around the Bonnie in Lookout Cove, children create all kinds of stories of shipwrecks, ocean voyages and pirates.

You don't need a room of toys to stimulate the minds and imaginations of children. It just takes one toy get the ball rolling. Perhaps with a sand box, crayons, a stuffed animal or...a ball.

You may not realize it, but the Education Department of the Museum is housed right upstairs from Tot Spot! All day long our offices are filled with the squeaks and squawks of joy as babies and toddlers play with happy parents and caregivers. 

We also know that sometimes it’s hard when children come to the museum and find that they’ve outgrown the arch that is the gateway to our babies and toddlers only area. We enforce the height requirement (42") for a very important reason: There is no other place like Tot Spot where very small children can be free to explore in total safety. We do however have 7.5 acres where big kids can climb, run super fast, and be big without imposing on the younger crowd. We also know that for parents who have a big kid and tiny one it can be a struggle to split them up. Your older child is always welcome to draw with chalk, play the marimbas and spend time with a friendly Discovery Guide outside Tot Spot while younger siblings explore inside.

Here are some strategies to help your big kid cope if they feel sad about not playing in Tot Spot:

• Prepare: Say, “Now that you’re getting big I want you to know that you might not be able to go to Tot Spot. I can’t wait to see you climb the Crow’s Nest or hike the Stump Trail!” You can measure your child at the kiosk outside the Entry Pavilion so they won't be surprised when you get inside the Museum.
• Celebrate: It's the first time in their life they’re too big instead of too small. Remind them of all the things they couldn’t do as a baby; like ride a bike, walk and even talk.
• Recognize: Let them know it’s alright to feel sad. Say, “I understand you feel sad right now. I feel happy because I can see you’re growing so much!”
• Talk: Bring up rules. Ask them, “What would happen if we let people drive on the road as fast as they want to? There are rules everywhere to keep people safe.”  Just li...

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Among the staff here at the Bay Area Discovery Museum, there are the requisite East Coast expats and Mid-Western émigrés, but there are plenty of us who are born and raised Bay Area Natives. As the Museum enters its adult years we have many people coming on board that have fond memories of their own time spent playing, learning and creating here.

But did you know that the Museum did not always occupy the majestic location at Fort Baker?

When I was a kid, way back in 1987, the fledgling children’s museum opened in a store front in a shopping center in Corte Madera. Though we’ve grown significantly in the 18 years since the expansion into our current site, some things are a constant. My 26 year-old sister came to visit me at work shortly after I started here and had a total flashback upon entering Bay Hall; it hasn’t changed much since she was small, and the crabs and boat are just as popular as ever! We strive to grow right along with our young visitors and in July 2004, we opened what many children have deemed “their favorite place ever” – Lookout Cove. Even as the lives of young children become more structured in our fast paced world, some things will never change; they will always need to run and play. After 21 years it seems safe to say the Bay Area Discovery Museum will continue to be a dynamic symbol of that desire.

My family doesn’t have any old photos taken at the Museum, but if you do we’d love to see them! Send photos to contact@badm.org and we’ll share them with everyone on our Web site.

How did the group start?
Though the Time Outs have only been around for a couple of years, The members of the band have been friends for nearly two decades. Greg, Lev and Jim are all members of The Amazing Embarrassonic Human Karaoke Machine, playing live band karaoke for the last 14 years. While that band still plays regularly, after becoming parents we decided to start a band that our families could participate in. As so many of our friends are also now parents, its great to see so many familiar faces at the shows. We try and make it as entertaining for the adults as it is for the kids.

Where has the group traveled to?
We mostly play in the greater San Francisco Bay Area.

What kind of music do you perform? Where does it come from?
We play upbeat rock and roll. We strive to make the music and lyrics work on several levels, but mostly we want to play songs that both the parents and kids can dance and have a good time to.

What do children learn from your performances?
We let the kids pick up and strum, tap, and play our instruments between sets. We show them how fun it is to make music, and how easy it really is. Greg will usually lead an air-guitar workshop before the show so the kids can learn a few cool rock n roll moves before the music starts.

Any tips on how to nurture a child’s inner musician?
Play a wide variety of music in the house. Take them to see live performances. Music can be educational, but it can also be a source of shared family fun.

Come and see The Time Outs this Saturday!  Use coupon code "boogie" when purchasing tickets and get $1 OFF each ticket! Buy tickets online.

Kids can learn more from you, their parents, about giving and sharing than from a furry red monster or a cartoon animal. It is fairly easy to implement a sense of charity into your young child that they will carry with them as they grow. Mommy blogger and author, Lora Shinn, explains how easy it can be in Six Steps for Raising a Charitable Child.

• Start Small: Begin when they're young. Find something they can relate to and use it to teach them about giving. Schools often need funds for supplies. It's a great way for children to connect to other children in need.

• Model Gifting: Tell your children why you donate. Why is giving important to you and your family?

• Get Kids Involved: Let them choose where they want to give. Present them with various charities and let them decide which cause is important to them.

• Encourage Creative Giving: Let your children be active in raising money. Bake sales, garage sales and even the old fashioned lemonade stand.

• Vocabulary: Use words like giving, donor, gift and philanthropy. Incorporating these words when they are younger creates an ease and understanding of charity when they are older.

• Demonstrate Flexibility: There is no "exact amount" for children to give. It's about the act of giving more so than the amount. You can also donate clothing, toys and old books and encourage charity that way.

The Museum has its own small way to encourage children to be charitable. The penny well collects coins for the shipwreck sand pit for children to find. Encourage your child to either hide found treasure back into the sand or to "give" them back to the Museum at the penny well. We also have a link on our website to donate directly to the Museum which goes to build new elements such at the Tot Spot Waterfall.

Child environment and behavior researchers Andrea Faber Taylor and Frances E. Kuo led a study that focused on children with ADHD and the effects that being outdoors surrounded by greenery, plants and nature has on their ADHD symptoms. Read the synopsis here. 

Children were taken on walks in green areas as well as non-green areas and their symptoms were measured upon return. Frances E. Kuo highlights on her web page, "...activities such as reading or playing sports were reported as improving children’s symptoms more when performed in outdoor green settings than in non-green settings." Read more about this study in this online article.

At the Museum, we take pride in our mission of connecting our visitors with the local environment. The flora of the local area is well incorporated into our site. Lookout Cove is filled with local plants and Lookout Trail allows you to see the many hills that surround Fort Baker. We also hold Bay Walks, in which we invite visitors to take a walk and learn about the plants and animals that live in Fort Baker. Keep an eye on our January calendar and join us in one of our many explorations of the nature that surrounds us!

Field Trip! Those were my two favorite words in elementary school. Hearing them meant a break from the daily monotony of the classroom to an off-site adventure. Although these outings always felt like fun and games, they had a tremendous impact on my learning experience. I still vividly remember the two headed snake at the California Academy of Sciences as well as Mrs. Terwilliger explaining how fennel is an invasive species.

However, many of today’s youth do not have the same opportunities to explore places beyond their school grounds. Between budget cuts, liability risks, and an increase in testing, teachers are questioned regarding the necessity of off-site field trips.

Field trips provide students with unique experiences and learning opportunities. Taking children out of routine classroom lessons into an unusual and informal learning environment leads to a motivation to learn and an increased investment in the subject. As art and science programs are cut through out the country, how can cultural institutions like the Bay Area Discovery Museum fill that void? What are your memories of visiting museums as a child?

Encourage your child’s class to visit the Museum. Not sure how to integrate a visit into the classroom? Contact us for ideas at schoolprograms@badm.org.

Candy and frosting and gingerbread oh my! 'Tis the season for our annual Gingerbread Architecture Extravaganza and I know you don't want to miss out.

We provide all the goodies your child needs to create their fully-edible dream house - and don't worry about getting sticky, we'll clean up too! Thanks to Beth's Fine Desserts for providing the delicious gingerbread.

Early bird registration started Monday for our sweetest program of the season - guarantee your kids the best slot by upgrading your membership today - our Supporting Members ($160+) get first crack at the openings. Give Suzann a call at (415) 339-3954 to join or upgrade.

Open registration begins November 17 but don't wait too long - Gingerbread sells out every year.