Top 10 At-Home Activities for Kids from 2020

2020 was…a lot. Thankfully, some good did come out of all the chaos. Our staff shifted gears to help kids and families stay engaged, playing, and learning at home, creating dozens of video activities (all accessible on our YouTube channel!) Here is a countdown of the TOP 10 activities of 2020—we hope you’ll give them a try! There is much more to come in 2021.

A Museum Collections Highlight: The “Her”story of a Dollhouse

Women have always been the guiding force behind the Museum’s collection. They have shaped it as curators, educators, trustees, and donors. However, when it comes to this last group, many of those women are overshadowed by “his”tory. With the wonders of the internet (and a little digging), we can reveal the rich “her”story of the Museum’s collection donors.

100 Ways to Play At Home

Given the public health crisis we are facing as a country right now due to the spread of COVID-19, we understand that many families are choosing to stay in and play at home. We want to help make your experience fun and memorable, so we’re sharing 100 of our favorite ideas on fun play activities you can easily do from the comfort of home. See how many of our 100 Ways to Play you can try, and share your experience with us on Twitter using #BostonChildrensMuseum!

Can We Talk?

I was so pleased to sit down with Sherry Turkle’s thought-provoking new book, “Reclaiming Conversation.” Through her research, Turkle, an author, professor, and member of Boston Children’s Museum’s advisory board, explores in the book how quick “sips” of conversation— texts, emails, Tweets, posts, etc.—are replacing meaningful conversations, and the negative effects of this shift are becoming more and more evident. I was particularly struck by the consequences the decline in conversation is having on children.

Hooray — the New PlaySpace is Here!

I am absolutely thrilled to announce the opening of the new, completely redesigned PlaySpace, Boston Children’s Museum long-beloved exhibit space for 0-3-year-olds. After extensive research on early childhood development, input from early learning specialists, observations on how kids play, conversations with visitors, design, and construction, it is finally here!