October Cultural Celebrations Announced At The Staten Island Children's Museum

It's a month of celebrations at the Staten Island Children's Museum in October with special programs and events sharing traditions and customs for Hispanic Heritage, Italian Heritage, Diwali and Halloween.

ShopRite Kidz Cook sessions on Fridays at 3:00 and 4:00 pm will feature cocina criolla, traditional Puerto Rican cuisine, as well as a Sicilian cauliflower pasta dish. Please note there are no Kidz Cook sessions on Friday, October 25 in preparation for the Children's Museum's Members-Only "Not-So-Scary" Halloween Party that evening.

The month's Weekend Art Studio will explore the purposes behind certain cultures' mask-making traditions and show young artists how to make a mask that reflects their own family's customs. The studio is open on Saturdays & Sundays from 1:00 - 4:00 pm.

The life and work of Italian inventor Antonio Meucci, who many consider to be the inventor of the telephone, is the focus of the Con Edison Second Saturday Science! workshop on October 12 from Noon - 1:00 pm. Children will also create and experiment with their own tin-can telephones during the session.

NYC Public Schools are closed on Columbus Day, Monday, October 14, but the Children's Museum is open for a "Cool School Holiday" from 10:00 am - 5:00 pm with free admission for all, sponsored by Macy's. On that day, visitors can stop by the special Pre-Columbian art studio and discover Mesoamerican art through petroglyphs and cave drawings.

SAGE Story Time returns on Thursday, October 17 at 4:00 pm with the senior LGBT members of the Pride Center of Staten Island. Children and families are invited to join this multigenerational group for a new series of stories.

A "Celebration of Ancestors Past: El Día de los Muertos" program will return to the Museum on Saturday, October 26 from 11:30 am - 12:30 pm. Teaching artist Tamara Geisler will lead a discussion about the meaning and importance of this special day. Visitors will get to create Mexican folk art and sample traditional food during the celebration. Timed tickets will be available for pickup at the front desk as space in this event is limited.

Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights is the month's final celebration, and the Children's Museum will share a special Rangoli art workshop on Sunday, October 27. Children can stop by the Walk-In Workshop! between 1:00 and 4:00 pm that day to make their own artwork using many different colors of sand.

Halloween Festivities

Halloween is on the horizon and the Children's Museum's Members-Only "Not-So-Scary" party starts off the fun on Friday, October 25 from 6:00- 8:00 pm. Tickets are available from sichildrensmuseum.org.

"Halloween All Day" at the Children's Museum returns on Saturday, October 26 - check the website for all the spooky details!

New Weekday Program: Tot's Cook

Tot's Cook will be held on Wednesdays from 11:00 am - 1:00 pm. Designed for children ages 2 - 4, this hands-on program provides guided recipes, instructions and age-appropriate kitchen tools. The class is $6 additional per child.