Enjoy Warm Family Fun At Staten Island Children's Museum This Winter

The weather has turned colder but things are heating up at the Staten Island Children's Museum (SICM) with dance parties, cooking workshops, and special performances.

To help brighten up winter days, visitors are making colorful tissue paper stained glass in the Walk in! Workshop. Also, in their "Grateful for Grandparents! promotion, SICM has a special discount for senior citizens through December 31. On weekdays, while this promotion lasts, senior citizens can enter for 50% off the usual entrance fee of $8.00.

December will culminate in a week full of activities when SICM is open every day for Winter Break from Monday, December 26 through to Saturday, December 31 when they will host a "Noon Year's Eve" celebration. You can also register your child to participate in Holiday Fun Camp 9:00 am to 4:00 pm on two, three or five days that week while school is out. Details are available on their website: www.sichildrensmuseum.org.

This weekend, on Saturday, December 17, at 2:30 pm and 3:30 pm choreographer and dancer, Walter Rutledge will lead a Dance Party Studio for visitors interested in learning some dances and showing off some of their own. Everyone will be invited to play instruments along with the music.

Are you or your children thinking about what instruments they might want to learn to play? Local young musicians, The Mighty String Demons, will give a FREE performance on Sunday, December 18 at 4:00 pm. They will play seasonal and holiday selections on a variety of stringed instruments. Listening to this children's orchestra is a fun way to introduce ensemble performances to children as something fun and accessible for them to explore.

On Saturday, December 24, SICM will close at 1:00 pm and will remain closed through Sunday, December 25. For the Winter Break, SICM will be open every day Monday, December 26 through Friday, December 30 for two sessions each day with special programming.

Kwanzaa is an American holiday, created as a tool for healing, that promotes affirming and positive messages that transcend ethnicity. Walter Rutledge will lead several Kwanzaa Dance Parties that incorporate the traditional elements of the holiday while introducing new movement, art, and music concepts. Joining Rutledge are percussionist Nathanial Steely and West African dancer Nubia Braithwaite. Together, they will introduce the principles of Kwanzaa through dance, singing, music, and art as part of a fun and engaging experience at 11:00 am, 12:00 pm, 2:30 pm and 3:30 pm on Monday December 26, Wednesday December 28 and Friday, December 30.

In ShopRite Kidz Cook, on Tuesday, December 27, Ms. Becky will guide visitors in making Reindeer Sloppy Joes. On Thursday December 29, visitors will make Gingerbread Holiday Houses. Sessions are held at 11:00 am, 12:00 pm, 2:30 pm and 3:30 pm.

On Saturday, December 31, SICM is open for a special 4-hour session from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. For all youngsters whose bedtime is earlier than the Ball Drop at midnight, SICM is hosting a NOON Year's Eve Celebration with party favors, a special countdown and balloon drop. Ring in the New Year with the Rock-a-Silly band on Saturday, December 31 from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm. Be sure to arrive by 11:30 am to participate in the countdown.

The Children's Museum will be closed Sunday, January 1.

Staten Island Children's Museum is open Saturday and Sunday and many school holidays for two sessions 10:00 am to 1:00 pm & 2:00 to 5:00 pm and Wednesday through Friday from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm. Tickets are available at https://sichildrensmuseum.org/tickets.

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. 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.