Media Contact Rachel Gemlo, Director of Programming 507.344.9101 rachel.Gemlo@cmsouthernmn.org Call to Artists – Children’s Museum of Southern Minnesota Needs Guest Artists for our Playing With Art Series. The Children’s Museum of Southern Minnesota is thrilled to unveil a dynamic, multi-faceted project aimed at igniting the imaginations of young artists in our region. The Museum will roll out a series of events designed to celebrate creativity, foster artistic exploration, and culminate a children’s art show through the visiting artists series, Playing with Art. This activity is made possible ..read more

This month in the Loose Parts Play Hub you can play around with drawing portraits of yourself or those you came to play with. You can create silly faces with loose parts. Plus, you can get to know each other with some conversation cards! Here’s what you will find in the Loose Parts Play Hub this month: – Stainless Table: Self portraits are a fantastic way for us to reflect on ourselves. They allow us to look closely at our beauty inside and out as we observe the features of our face and the color of our eyes and hair. We can reflect on our uniqueness, things we like about ourselves, and our pl ..read more

The Literacy Explores program at CMSM provides guests with child-led play experiences based around the five early literacy practices; sing, talk, read, write, and play! These early literacy practices start with what caregivers are already doing with their children and build from there. Spotlight on Early Literacy Practice: Write! – During Literacy Explorers, guests can explore familiar stories through dramatic play, small-world play, sensory, and mark making. Mark Making is the first step to develop writing skills later in the child’s development journey. The story for this week was Federico ..read more

MEDIA CONTACT: Louise Dickmeyer, CEO 507.382.7756 Louise.dickmeyer@cmsouthernmn.org FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 24, 2024 The Children’s Museum of Southern Minnesota Awe-inspiring $5.5M Economic Impact. Mankato, MN – The Children’s Museum of Southern Minnesota (CMSM) announced the findings of a recently completed economic impact report emphasizing its role in strengthening the local and regional economy. Based on its 2022 annual budget of $1.2M the CMSM contributed $5,530,055.82 annually to the local economy. Engaging exhibits, educational programs, and community events that attract ove ..read more

Loose parts play is an open-ended approach to play that involves providing children with a variety of materials of objects that can be moved, manipulated, and combined in a different way. The open-ended nature of loose parts play stimulates children’s creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills as they imagine, design, and build using the materials available to them. Here’s what you will find in the Loose Parts Play Hub this month: – Stump table: Dominos! Dominos are a great loose part in addition to being a great simple and fun group game. The size, weight and cool smooth textu ..read more

MEDIA CONTACT: Rachel Gemlo, Director of Programming 507.344.9101 Rachel.Gemlo@cmsouthernmn.org FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 2, 2023 Grand Opening of Loose Parts Play Hub, Presented by Amcor MANKATO, MN – The Children’s Museum of Southern Minnesota is thrilled to announce the grand opening of the Loose Parts Play Hub (LPPH), presented by Amcor. On Thursday, Nov. 9 at 11 a.m. CST, this transformative initiative will introduce an exciting and dynamic new way for children to explore, play, and learn through the power of loose parts. “Children are born with eagerness and curiosity to discover ..read more

Planting Common Milkweed for Monarchs What to Know about Common Milkweed… Also known as Asclepias Syriaca and will grow to be 2’ to 4’ tall Produces lovely pink blooms for a good source of nectar for pollinators Milkweed is essential for the Monarch butterfly life cycle; it is their Host Plant! Monarch caterpillars feed exclusively on the leaves and the adult butterflies need milkweed to lay their eggs. Milkweed requires full sun (at least 6-8 per day) Milkweed seeds require a cold stratification process. What does a cold stratification process mean? Stratification occurs naturally when see ..read more

The Children’s Museum of Southern Minnesota holds a special place in our hearts. The Glen A. Taylor Foundation is committed to the launch of the newest permanent exhibit, Taylor Farm. The distinguishing factor that sets CMSM apart and showcases their expertise lies in their remarkable ability to ignite curiosity and foster a love for learning in children. Their dedication to creating immersive and captivating experiences for young minds is truly extraordinary. By advancing the education and social well-being of the leaders of tomorrow, our foundation firmly believes in the power in strengtheni ..read more

Louise Dickmeyer, CEO 507.382.7756 louise.dickmeyer@cmsouthernmn.org The Children’s Museum of Southern Minnesota Announces New Exhibit, Taylor Farm, Opening September 2023. Proudly Funded by the Glen A. Taylor Foundation   The Children’s Museum of Southern Minnesota is excited for the grand opening of Taylor Farm on September 21, 2023, an engaging and educational experience that combines modern agriculture, innovation, and playful exploration. The exhibit aims to provide children with experiences in modern agriculture practices to foster a love for the region’s agricultural heritage. “At ..read more

Sensory play is beneficial to children all year, and in the cold months of winter, making messes indoors feels worth it on some of the longer days. But summer provides the perfect opportunity to engage in sensory play with children, because you can take the messes outside! Sensory play not only captivates their imagination but also promotes their cognitive, physical, and emotional development. By stimulating their senses through various activities, you can create memorable experiences and foster their growth.  So let’s explore exciting sensory play ideas for summer and delve into how eac ..read more