Strong National Museum of Play® announces the winter 2008 schedules for Toddler Book Club and Monday Kicks for Ages 2 to 6—two enriching, fun, and educational programs geared to very young children and their parents.

Toddler Book Club, Winter 2008
It’s never too soon to nurture a child’s love for reading!

Join the Toddler Book Club at Strong National Museum of Play on selected Mondays at 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., and 12:30 p.m. Parents and toddlers are invited to share stories from award-winning books and authors, and then join in related music, movement, nature, or art activities. The Toddler Book Club winter 2008 schedule follows:

Mondays, January 7, 14, & 28: Sesame Street Friends. Learn about colors, shapes, and friendship as museum hosts read stories about your Sesame Street pals in anticipation of “Elmo’s World” at Strong, scheduled to open January 26. (Everyone’s favorite furry red friend will take center stage in a new addition to the existing Can You Tell Me How to Get to Sesame Street? exhibit. Noodle around with Mr. Noodle, play a tune on Elmo’s piano, open Lots of Opposites drawers, and more—just like Elmo does on TV!)

Mondays, February 4, 11, & 25: Fairy Tale Fun. Come one, come all—princesses, knights, and dragons. Enjoy classic fairy tales and listen to some new ones, too.

Mondays, March 3, 10, 17, & 24: Strong Bodies. Hear stories about making healthy choices and building strong bones and muscles, in conjunction with the exhibit Grossology: The (Impolite) Science of the Human Body.

Mark your calendar for future Toddler Book Club dates: April 7, 21, and 28; May 5, 12, and 19; June 2, 9, 16, 23, and 30. All Toddler Book Club activities are included with general museum admission fees.

Monday Kicks for Ages 2 to 6
Enjoy playful learning activities with your child at Strong National Museum of Play’s Monday Kicks for Ages 2 to 6 series. Designed by Strong educators, this series helps parents teach little ones important skills through play. Programs take place from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. one Monday a month. Upcoming programs include:

Monday, January 28: Elmo’s World. Celebrate the opening of “Elmo’s World”—a new addition to the existing Sesame Street exhibit. Put on your party hat and enjoy the neighborhood block party. Explore this new exhibit area and enjoy music and games.

Monday, February 25: Fairy Tale Fantasy. Meet the Fairy Godmother and play in the magical world of castles, knights, dragons, and unicorns. Work as a team to build a castle. Go on a fairy tale hunt and make crowns and magic wands.

Monday, March 24: Healthy Teeth and Bones. Join The Little Gym of Webster for healthy physical fun including games, an obstacle course, and songs. Meet the Tooth Fairy and a dental hygienist, and make a tooth case to put under your pillow.

Mark your calendar for other upcoming Monday Kicks programs on April 28 and May 19. All Monday kicks programs are included with general museum admission fees.

Strong National Museum of Play®, located in downtown Rochester, New York, is the only museum in the world devoted to the study of play as it illuminates American popular culture.

Regular Hours:
Monday–Thursday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.;
Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; Sunday, 12:00 noon to 5:00 p.m.
New General Admission Fees (as of January 1):
(General Admission fees do not include admission to Dancing Wings Butterfly Garden®):
Adults $9.50; Seniors $8.50; Children (2–17) $7.50; Children under age two free; Strong members free.
Admission to Dancing Wings Butterfly Garden®:
General Admission fee plus $3.00 per person for members and nonmembers; Children younger than two free.
Due to limited capacity, entry to Dancing Wings Butterfly Garden is by timed tickets only. Advance purchase is recommended. Please call 585-263-2700 to purchase timed tickets.
Parking:
Free parking is available at the museum for all guests on a first-come, first-served basis. Please note that, on high visitation days, the museum lot may reach capacity early in the day. If space is not available on site at the time of your visit, you will be directed to additional parking at neighboring municipal garages (fees may apply).