The Niantic Children’s Museum is happy to welcome Russell Rothan as the Museum’s new executive director! A former Disney Imagineer, Mr. Russ brings to the role decades of experience as an industrial designer and entrepreneur. His previous employers and clients have included some of the biggest names in the museum, theme park and mass retail world. “Russ will be a wonderful asset for the Museum,” said Museum Board President John Burkhardt. “We firmly believe that his experience and passion will take the Museum to the next level.” “I’m grateful to have been selected for this position, and I feel ..read more

Love them or hate them, Peeps will always hold a place in just about everyone’s Easter basket. So this we’re doing S.T.E.A.M.-based experiments involving the cute confections! Supplies Needed: Microwave Microwaveable plate Peeps Instructions: 1. Put the Peep on a medium to large microwaveable plate. Be sure to place in the middle of the plate. 2. Insert plate into microwave and set on low to medium power (microwaves vary) for 20-25 seconds. 3. Watch what happens! But why? Besides being adorable, Peeps are also marshmallows which are mostly made up of sugar, water and air bubbles. When you ..read more

Geodes are small rock cavities lined with crystals or minerals. They form through a process in which particles (solute) are suspended in fluid (solvent) and then accumulate. Have some fun creating your own Geodes with some basic house supplies! How many days does it take your crystals to grow? Materials Eggs Epson salt Glue Egg dye (optional) Instructions: 1. Wash and dry some eggshells. The bigger the shell pieces the better. 2. Dye shells. You can dye just the outside or the inside and outside to create different looks. (optional) Place the shells inside an empty egg carton or small bowl ..read more

Love them or hate them, Peeps will always hold a place in just about everyone’s Easter basket. So we’re doing S.T.E.A.M.-based experiments involving the cute confections! This activity requires data collection and some patience. What’s your Peep hypothesis? Supplies Needed: Peeps Vinegar Water Soda (of your choice) Clear cups or jars Instructions: 1. Gather three (or more) clear cups. 2. Place one marshmallow Peep in each cup. (Swimsuits optional, but fun.) Fill each glass with a different liquid. We used water, vinegar, and clear soda. 3. Now record your predictions on paper. What do you ..read more

We’ve all seen them on Pinterest, but how hard is it really to naturally dye eggs? Find out how to make beautifully colored (we hope) eggs dyed with spices, vegetables and fruits. Read on to see how to do it and learn from our mistakes! Supplies Needed: Hard-boiled eggs Water Vinegar Metal spoon Glass cups, jars or bowl Metal mesh strainer Yellow eggs: turmeric Orange eggs: onion skins Blue eggs: blueberries Purple/pink eggs: beets Instructions: 1. For each color you’ll need a 1:1 ratio of water to color ingredient. We used two cups water to two cups each color ingredient (two tablespoons of ..read more

We’ll be rolling through New London with our friends from New London Youth Affairs and TVCCA Alliance for Family Support for the 2024 St. Patrick’s Day Parade! Join us in downtown New London on Sunday, March 17 at 1pm. For additional fun, print off our New London St. Patrick’s Day Parade Scavenger Hunt! How many of these parade favorites can you can find on during the New London St. Patrick’s Day Parade? Click here to download> The post Let’s Find It: New London St. Patrick’s Day Parade Scavenger Hunt appeared first on Niantic Children's Museum | Niantic, CT ..read more

Enter to win and your child’s creation will celebrated at the Museum! March 26 is Make Up Your Own Holiday Day, and we’re celebrating with a contest! Shall we celebrate the wonders of waffles? Have a dino-mite day with dinosaurs? Make everyone a pirate? It’s all up to the imagination! HOW TO ENTER: Download the worksheet and help your child(ren) fill it out. Return the completed form to Museum Front Desk or email education@niantickids.org by March 24. On March 26, our Museum staff will select four(4) entries to be voted on via social media! PRIZE: The winning holiday will be announced on Apr ..read more

Snow may be coming this way! Head outside with our Winter Scavenger Hunt list and see how many wintertime favorites you can find. (Don’t forget adult supervision.) Download and print the list here and use a pencil to mark off the items you see! You can work as a team or make it a competition to see who can find all the items first. Good luck! The post Let’s Find It: Winter Scavenger Hunt appeared first on Niantic Children's Museum | Niantic, CT ..read more

Snow heading your way but still want to play? Here’s how to make a snowman friend to help you measure snowfall! Snowman Measuring Stick Messy level: 3 (5 = Super messy. 1 = Not messy at all.) Materials Paint stick or wooden ruler Paint Foam, felt or other decorations Popsicle stick (optional) Glue or hot glue Measuring tape or ruler Sharpie marker Instructions   1. Paint your paint stick or ruler white. (If using an ruler, it helps to slightly sand with sandpaper before painting.) 2. While paint dries, plan and cut out your snowman’s decorations. Will your snowman have a hat? Mittens ..read more

You don’t need a chocolate factory or Oompa Loompas to make this simple three-ingredient play dough! Messy level: 4 (5 = Super messy. 1 = Not messy at all.) Materials 1/2 cup cornstarch 1 tablespoon cocoa powder 1/3 cup coconut milk Instructions 1. Mix together and enjoy! To get a more slime-like consistency, heat in the microwave for ten seconds to melt the coconut milk. – from the creative mind of Miss Molly The post Chocolate Play Dough appeared first on Niantic Children's Museum | Niantic, CT ..read more