Embrace The Planet Earth In April At The Staten Island Children's Museum

It's all about Earth during April at the Staten Island Children's Museum as it presents a month of programming that will explore the beauty of nature and the importance of conservation efforts.

Young chefs will get "green" during ShopRite Kidz Cook sessions in April when they create dishes using ingredients grown in the Staten Island Children's Museum's own Garden Terrace exhibit. Sessions are on Fridays at 3:00 & 4:00. Tickets will be available at the front desk.

It's time for eco-art during the Weekend Art Studio. Visitors will get to make their own artwork using items found in nature such as bark, leaves, and twigs. The Studio is open on Saturdays and Sundays from 1:00 - 4:00 pm.

The Freshkills Park Alliance will lead the month's Con Edison Second Saturday Science! workshop on Saturday, April 9 from Noon - 1:00 pm. Visitors will create paper using Phragmites, an invasive plant that has taken over parkland on Staten Island.

The Alliance returns for Earth Day on Monday, April 22 along with its Mobile Education Lab. This nature center on wheels will show visitors about the history, ecology and engineering of Freshkills Park and give them a look at field guides, microscopes, historical maps and more. The Lab will be on site at the Staten Island Children's Museum from 1:00 - 4:00 pm.

The NYC Compost Project will show young environmentalists how to make their own nutrient-rich compost bins in the "Lasagna Composting" workshop on Wednesday, April 24 from

11:00 am - 3:00 pm.

This day is also a "Cool School Holiday" with free admission for all from 10:00 am - 5:00 pm, sponsored by TD Charitable Foundation.

The Staten Island Children's Museum will be open during the NYC Public School Spring Recess Week from 10:00 am - 5:00 pm from Friday, April 19 - Sunday, April 28. The Museum will be closed on Easter Sunday, April 21.

In addition to the programs listed above, visitors can enjoy these events:

Saturday, April 20: Local poet and writer Brando Korosh of the New York Public Library will lead a poetry workshop where visitors can write their own haikus and then recite them for the audience from 1:00 - 3:00 pm.

Monday, April 22: Imagination Playground will offer children a chance to build their own structures using giant foam bricks and blocks in this pop-up play space from 1:00 - 4:00 pm.

The Freshkills Park Alliance Mobile Education Lab will be stopping by to show visitors about the history, ecology, and engineering of Freshkills Park 1:00 - 4:00 pm.

Monday, April 22 - Thursday, April 25: The Weekday Art Workshop will let young artists try mono-printing techniques to create their artwork from11:00 am - 4:00 pm.

Wednesday, April 24:A Cool School Holiday with free admission for all from 10:00 am - 5:00 pm sponsored by TD Charitable Foundation.

New York State of Health, the Official Health Plan Marketplace, will host an information table at the Staten Island Children's Museum to help with insurance plan enrollment and to answer questions from 11:00 am - 2:00 pm.

The NYC Compost Project will show how to make nutrient rich compost bins in the Lasagna Composting workshop 11:00 am - 3:00 pm.

Friday, April 26: ShopRite Kidz Cook continues using vegies grown at the Children's Museum with additional sessions at Noon, 1:00, 2:00 and 3:00 pm.

Saturday, April 27 & Sunday, April 28: The Weekend Art Studio will focus on creating artwork with items found in nature. 1:00 - 4:00 pm.

The regular Weekday Programs Tot's Time, 2-D and 3-D Art are suspended during the Spring Recess week.

Programs are free with admission unless otherwise noted. Please note that programming is subject to change; visit sichildrensmuseum.org for updates.

The Staten Island Children's Museum is located on the grounds of Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden, 1000 Richmond Terrace, Staten Island, NY 10301. The hours for September - June are Tuesday- Friday from 11:00 am - 5:00 pm and Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 am - 5:00 pm. For more information, call 718-273-2060, email info@sichildrensmuseum.org, or visit sichildrensmuseum.org.

The Staten Island Children's Museum is housed in a building owned by the City of New York and its operation is made possible, in part, with public funds provided through the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs with support from the Staten Island delegation to the NYC Council. Significant operating support is also provided by the NYS Council on the Arts, Corporations, Foundations, the Trustees and Members.