Children`s Museum of Houston

Transcription

Children’s Museum of Houston
Exhibit Summary
General Description
Exhibit Goals
Exhibit Messages
Klutz Background
Exhibit Components
Amazingly Immature Arch
Card Zing
Dinner Disruptors
Fly the Immature Skies
Immaturigami
Immaturity Returns
Juggling for the Complete Klutz
Noisy Annoyer
Photo Follies
Quarter Catch
Reflex Ruler
Snap Lids
Straw Shooter Jets
Tablecloth Trickery
Tabletop Football
Additional Exhibit Activities
Immaturity to Go
Immature Inspirations
Immature Inventions
Immature Mailings
Immature Makings
Exhibit Alignment
Amazingly Immature Skills and Concepts
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School Tours
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Opening and Closing Procedures
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Opening Procedures
Closing Procedures
Additional Programming
Amazingly Immature Spring Break
Halloween Frightening Fashions
Klutz-Fest
Immature Events
National Immature Social Media Challenge
Spring Break Immature Challenge
Daily Immature Contest
Contact Information
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Immaturity doesn’t reign in this exhibit; it pours! Amazingly Immature will offer kids not only the opportunity to be
immature, but also allow them to explore what these behaviors teach us about literacy, science, mathematics, physical
education, engineering, and much more while training them to hone their immaturity skills and talents.
Further, the exhibit will encourage intergenerational dialogue as adults engage in moments of nostalgia when
encountering behaviors in which they may have participated (even if they are unwilling to admit it). Based on the Klutz®
Encyclopedias of Immaturity Volumes 1 and 2, the exhibit is divided into activity tables focused around different immature
categories that make visitors feel like they’re walking through the pages of Klutz® books. The amount of laughter is the
best measure of this exhibit’s success!
Amazingly Immature consists of 10 unique project tables, two towers, and a giant arch, each with an activity directly
inspired by the Klutz® Encyclopedias of Immaturity. In addition to these 14 activities, there are also 6 bonus Immaturity To
Go activities that visitors can try at home. Plus, since there is always room for a little more immaturity, there are areas
dedicated to Immature Inventions, Immature Mailings, Immature Makings, and Immature Inspirations to help foster ideas
for kids to try beyond the exhibit experience.
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Provide hands-on activities that stimulate creativity and problem-solving while building communication and social
skills in a fun, engaging atmosphere which utilizes laughter and silliness as a vehicle for learning
Use “immature” activities as an enjoyable medium to convey concepts and practice skills related to STEAM
(Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts/Creativity, Mathematics)
Create an environment that encourages multi-generational communication about social play through laughter
and comedy; comparing and contrasting how different generations handled and remember their “immaturity”
We naturally use science, engineering, and math ideas and skills for fun
We express our creativity through silly/immature behaviors
Goofiness always has a place in our lives, even beyond childhood
We are always learning
Concepts often must be applied across disciplines to accomplish a goal
It takes time to master new skills, some longer than others
In 1977, three recent college graduates decided to publish a book. They chose juggling as the subject because they had
been teaching people to juggle on the streets of their town, and juggling was the only thing they could do that people
were willing to watch. At the time, publishing Juggling for the Complete Klutz® seemed like a good way to postpone a real
job and the whole “growing-up” thing. But the real breakthrough came when they attached a bag with three
aerodynamically-designed juggling cubes to every book so people could actually learn to juggle while they read.
If you stacked up all the juggling cubes Klutz® has sold since then, then the stack would be about 170 miles high – taller
than 24,000 school buses stacked up with their headlights touching their taillights (if you could actually stack that many
buses without them falling over). And in the time those cubes were sold, Klutz® has published hundreds more activity
books with things attached to them and other great stuff for kids ages 3 to 103, including The Encyclopedia of Immaturity,
Volumes 1 and 2. We’re happy to report that, despite multiple opportunities, the people at Klutz® have still managed to
avoid growing up. That’s why this exhibit exists.
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Premise: The Immature Arch, complete with silly faces and fun houses mirrors, is the centerpiece of Amazingly
Immature. Here you will find face-sized mirrors to try to make the silliest faces you can, as well as funhouse mirrors on
the interior, to make the silliest body you can. Also included are details on the National Amazingly Immature Challenge
(for more information on the National Amazingly Immature Challenge, see Page 47).
Skills & Concepts:
Waves and their Applications in Technologies for Information Transfer
 Optics
 Perspective and Optical Illusions
Description: This component is the centerpiece of the exhibit. While there is no specific activity at this area, it is
usually the first spot visitors are drawn to due to its scope. It serves as a good introduction to the exhibit as a whole.
Supplies: N/A
Opening/Closing Procedures: N/A
Hints and Tips: This component has lots of mirrors on it. While there are no consumables or supplies to go with it,
the mirrors can get very dirty with fingerprints and dust. It is recommended that they be cleaned daily to avoid this.
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Premise: Have you ever tried throwing a card? Air resistance and surface area make them a lot harder to throw than a
ball, but you can still get pretty accurate using our technique (and some practice)!
Skills & Concepts:
Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions
 Aerodynamics and Air Resistance
 Gyroscopic Motion
Description: Using playing cards, visitors learn to throw them with precision and accuracy.
Supplies:
 Playing Cards
Opening/Closing Procedures:
 Gather all playing cards from target receptacle
 Check on condition of playing cards
o If well-used, replace with new deck(s)
 Restock playing cards in bin (roughly 4 decks of cards)
Hints & Tips: Over time the cards will get worn and bent from visitor use. Depending on your visitor numbers, the
cards will have to be changed out. At the Children’s Museum of Houston we did this once a week. In addition, the card
basin will collect thrown cards from visitors. It is recommended that a staff member clear the basin of cards to put back
periodically throughout the day.
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Premise: Add a little immaturity to dinner by learning how to make spoons do somersaults, all while learning about
levers, friction, and projectile motion.
Skills & Concepts:
 Projectile Motion
 Levers
Energy
 Transformation of Energy
Description: Visitors learn how to use their everyday utensils to make a spoon somersault.
Supplies:
 Plastic Spoons
 Multi-Cup Target
Opening & Closing Procedures:
 Restock plastic spoons (2 handfuls)
 Ensure multi-cup target is on the table
Hints & Tips: Just like with many other components, this area will require clean-up throughout the day. Spoons will
need to be put back into receptacle. The Multi-Cup Target stays out on the activity table and extras will be provided in
case it becomes damaged.
Images:
Current activity table has new graphics panel and supplies bin
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Premise: Learn how to make a high-flying paper airplane while exploring the four forces that make it possible!
Skills & Concepts:
Energy
 Potential and Kinetic Energy
Description: Visitors make one of the best paper airplanes (the Nakamura Lock) around and test it in the exhibit’s
targets. They can also create their own versions of paper airplanes to compare to the Nakamura Lock.
Supplies:
 8.5” x 11” Paper
 Masking Tape (if needed)
 Restock colored paper (1-inch thick stack)
 Refill tape dispenser if needed
Hints & Tips: Included with this activity are two targets for visitors to test their flyers. And since paper airplanes and
can unpredictable, just be sure to watch out for planes getting stuck on top of components or in various areas of the
exhibit space.
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Premise: What do you get when you cross Immaturity with Origami? Immaturigami! At this station, kids use Klutzclear instructions to learn origami techniques that transform fake money into wearable rings.
Skills & Concepts:
 Obtaining Information
 Fine Motor Skills
 Developing Design Solutions
Description: Visitors use fake dollar bills (or real ones they provide) to make an origami ring.
Supplies:
 Paper Dollar Bills (template found in “Consumable Templates” folder)
 Restock paper dollar bills (2-inch thick stack)
Hints & Tips: This activity can be difficult for younger visitors, and even for older visitors. It does take some time to
complete as well, so it is recommended that staff members learn this activity. This way they can better assist if a visitor
needs help. Since the fake dollar bills can disappear it is recommended that you make copies using the template instead
of purchasing play money, which can be expensive.
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Premise: Using cardboard, visitors trace a boomerang cutout with a stencil, cut it out, and test fly it.
Skills & Concepts:
 Velocity and Vectors
Description: A little immaturity from down under as families learn how to make and throw their own boomerangs! No
worries about concussions, mate – these boomerangs are cardboard – and provide a great way to talk about
aerodynamics!
Supplies:
 8” x 8” Chipboard
 Writing Utensil (Pencils or Crayons)
 Scissors
 7” x 7” Boomerang Stencils (provided)
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Restock crayons and/or pencils
o Make sure there are at least 10 writing utensils rectangle container
Restock chipboard in both containers (2-inch thick stack each)
Ensure there are two boomerang templates on the table
Ensure there are two pairs of scissors on the table
Hints & Tips: This component can typically get very messy with leftover pieces of chipboard. It is recommended that a
staff member walk through and clean off this table periodically. Visitors are also encouraged to try out their boomerang
creation in the gallery, as long as it does not disturb or hurt other visitors.
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Premise: Learn to juggle scarves with step-by-step video instructions!
Skills & Concepts:
From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes
 Reaction Time
Description: Step-by-step video instructions teach visitors the basics of juggling starting with scarves instead of heavier
objects.
Supplies:
 Juggling Scarves
 Pick up any stray scarves
 Ensure there are at minimum 6 juggling scarves in bin
Hints & Tips: It is always helpful to have multiple juggling scarves out in the gallery for visitors. We had at least 9 at all
times, however feel free to change this based on your visitor numbers.
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Premise: Use paper to build “Annoyers” while learning about the science of sound.
Skills & Concepts:
 Sound
Description: Visitors use a square sheet of paper to make a sound-maker they play with their mouths.
Supplies:
 Square Memo Sheets
 Scissors
 Restock paper squares (two 1-inch thick stacks)
Hints & Tips: Similar to Immaturity Returns, this area can become filled with scraps of paper on the table top. It is
recommended that a staff member walk through periodically to clear the tables of scraps. This activity can also be a little
tricky to master. It is similar to making the buzzing sound with a blade of grass. Along with Immaturigami, this activity
will need some practice in order to better help visitors having trouble with it.
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Premise: Build your immature photography skills to learn how to manipulate perspective to create photo illusions.
Skills & Concepts:
 Optics
Perspective and Optical Illusions
Description: Visitors use their camera phone to take forced perspective pictures (think someone “holding up” the
Learning Tower of Pisa).
Supplies:
 Toy Dinosaurs (provided)
 Toy Bugs (provided)
 Various Photo Frames (provided)
 Stick Costumes (provided)
 Note: Props can be added to this component that are not included.
 Ensure there are 3 photo frames on table
 Ensure there are 3 dinosaurs on table
 Ensure there are 8 bugs on table
 Ensure there are 5 costume cut-outs on table
Note: These are items used at the Children’s Museum of Houston. Tour venues may choose to use different props
if wanted.
Hints & Tips: Since many of the items at this activity are toys and quite unique, they had a tendency to walk off at our
museum. To help, we added museum logo tags to the larger toy items. Since this activity can use almost anything as a
prop, we encourage the museums to get creative and add their own unique items to the mix. Props such as landmarks
unique to your city/region, or even museum-specific props would be a great way to show off the exhibit. The more
variety we have that shows up on social media, the better.
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Premise: How many coins can you catch off your elbow? Stack them up and let inertia help you grab them out of the
air!
Skills & Concepts:
 Newton’s Laws of Motion
 Inertia
 Reaction Time
Description: Using chips instead of quarters, visitors test their coordination and reflexes to catch it mid-air.
Supplies:
 Colored Chips
 Restock counting chips (2 handfuls)
Hints & Tips: Similar to Card Zing, these plastic chips end up in various locations around the gallery. It is
recommended that a staff member walk through to place them back in the receptacle as needed.
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Premise: Take this immature test to see just how alive your friends are by putting their reflexes and reaction time to
the test. Are they a ninja master or one of the living dead?
Skills & Concepts:
 Reaction Time
Description: Visitors test their catching reaction time based on the different levels of the ruler.
Supplies:
 Reflex Ruler (provided)
Hints & Tips: The ruler can get chipped over time from constant use. If this happens, please let us know so we can
send a replacement. Overall, we find this a great introductory activity since it is supplies-free and requires two people. It
could be a good chance for staff to play with visitors, or for staff to encourage families to try it together. The ruler is
also two-sided with one side having text in English, and the other in Spanish.
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Premise: Learn how to make the lid of your fountain drink cup fly with a snap of your fingers (and a little gyroscopic
motion)!
Skills & Concepts:
Motion and Stability: Projectile Motion
Description: Visitors make drink lids fly by snapping it between their fingers.
Supplies:
 Drink Lids
 Restock snap lid container (filled to top)
Hints & Tips: This is another tricky activity that can take some practice to master. The instructions for the activity will
help, but it can be fun to make your own modifications to the motion and pass these on to visitors. These lids tend to
not get as messy as the Card Zing or Quarter Snatch, but keep an eye out just in case.
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Premise: With a little immature engineering, a drinking straw, and some memo sheets, kids make these great little
flyers and learn about Newton’s Third Law of Motion.
Skills & Concepts:
Energy
Description: Visitors build a jet out of paper then use a straw to launch it through the air.
Supplies:
 Square Memo Sheets
 Straws
 Masking Tape
 Scissors
 Restock straws in dispenser
Hints & Tips: Sometimes visitors don’t realize that the targets that are used for Fly the Immature Skies can also be
used for Straw Shooter Jets. Encourage them to try out their creation on it! Straw wrappers can clutter up this table so
clear away materials as necessary. There is also no separate way to refill straws into the container. Staff members will
need to load straws in manually from the opening.
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Premise: Ever wonder if you could yank out the tablecloth without breaking the dishes? Try it here with our “good
china” while discovering the importance of inertia.
Skills & Concepts:
 Inertia
Description: Visitors will set up a table with a tablecloth and dishes, then attempt to pull out the tablecloth from
underneath while not disturbing the dishes.
Supplies:
 Tablecloths (provided)
 Stainless Steel Dishes (provided)
 Ensure there are at minimum 3 plates and 3 bowls in receptacle
 Place one tablecloth on each table
Hints & Tips: This has been the most popular activity in this exhibit. The component comes with two tables and
usually both are being used. The dishes we use are stainless steel, but can be dented over time. They are quite durable,
but it is recommended that they be checked on periodically throughout the tour to see if new ones need to be put out.
This is a great introductory component for the gallery and a good one to have anyone try, that requires very little
instruction.
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Premise: Time to bring immaturely important games like Paper Football back to the lunchroom while gaining
understanding of friction, force, and Newton’s Laws of Motion!
Skills & Concepts:
 Friction
Energy
Description: Visitors make a class paper football and test their “kicking” skills with it.
Supplies:
 8.5” x 11” Paper
Hints & Tips: This activity table is not a heavily used one, but it can become cluttered with paper. A new graphic has
been added to the table top to mimic the yard lines of a football field, hopefully adding to the aesthetic.
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Current tabletop has been updated to mirror a football field
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Description: We stuck some additional activities on the back of a few of the stations to inspire kids to try some stuff
after they leave the exhibit. Here, visitors can take a look at things they can do in addition to the other activities in the
gallery, or snap a picture of the instructions to try and re-create it at home!
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Tricky Sticky: Play this prank on your friends! Place a sticky note underneath a mouse so it covers up the
sensor. When they try to use the mouse, it won’t work and you’ll know why!
Classy Trash-Talk: Here you can hurl insults like Shakespeare. Take words from each of the columns to come
up with classy-sounding trash talk to insult, and confuse your targets!
Pop-a-Straw: This activity has instructions on how to take any straw, twist it, and make it pop. It can be used
anywhere, but probably won’t work for drinking after you do it!
Play with Your Food!: Yes, we are actually encouraging you to play with your food! Here you can read about
different things you can do at the dinner table with your food other than eating!
Can You Hang a Spoon from Your Nose?: A classic trick that you can try virtually anywhere. Here we give
you some tips and tricks to do it to perfection. Give it a go at home, or right here in the exhibit!
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One of the best ways people have come up with inventions is to take to pre-existing objects and combine them together
for a single purpose. Here visitors can look at a list of everyday items and try to put them together to create their own
invention. From there, they can try to create their own immature inventions using things they see every day!
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An immature mind needs to find things to do, to make and to create. Become inspired to make projects using stuff
around the house. This looping video will shows different immature activities from Klutz® Encyclopedias of Immaturity
Volumes 1 and 2 visitors can try at home with everyday items and some friends!
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KLUTZ’s fan mail includes everything from flip flops to messages in bottles. Check out actual things sent to KLUTZ
directly through the mail and learn about other things you can send to your friends or to KLUTZ. They’d love to hear
from you!
Tired of paying for stuff like jewelry? Then get immature and make amazing things yourself! A few nuts and bolts, a bag
of clothespins, a ball of string, a roll of duct tape – you can turn anything into something else if you think about it
differently. Switch on your creativity and see what you can make!
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Amazingly Immature seamlessly integrates Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) practices with the
21st Century Skills Framework and Common Core.
Process Skill Building
 Asking Questions/Defining Problems
 Planning and Carrying Out Investigations
 Analyzing and Interpreting Data
 Constructing Explanations/Designing Solutions
 Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information
Learning and Innovation Skills
 Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
 Reason Effectively
 Solve Problems
 Creativity and Innovation
 Think Creatively
 Work Creatively with Others
 Implement Innovation
 Communication and Collaboration
 Communicate Clearly
 Collaborate with Others
 Visual Literacy
 Basic Literacy
Key Ideas and Details
 Follow precisely a multistep procedure when performing technical tasks.
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
 Integrate quantitative or technical information
 Compare and contrast the information gained from experiments, simulations, video, or multimedia sources
Exhibit Component
Amazingly Immature Arch
Card Zing
Dinner Disruptors
Immaturigami
Skills & Concepts
 Optics
 Levers
Energy
Energy
 Obtaining Information
 Fine Motor Skills
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Immaturity Returns
Noisy Annoyer
Photo Follies
Quarter Catch
Reflex Ruler
Snap Lids
Straw Shooter Jets
Tablecloth Trickery
Tabletop Football
 Developing Design Solutions
 Reaction Time
 Sound
 Optics
 Inertia
 Reaction Time
 Reaction Time
Motion and Stability: Projectile Motion
Energy
 Inertia
 Friction
Energy
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The following school group guide is based on the Children’s Museum of Houston’s tour format – 20 minutes per gallery
- but can be modified to fit your museum’s format. The focus and themes for each grade level are suggestions and can be
changed or added to as needed.
Exhibit Goal: Students will explore their immature side through specific challenges, self-guided activities, and puzzles
while learning how science and invention are related to immaturity.
For Each Tour:
 Establish exhibit boundaries, station chaperones at exhibit entrances
 Set the time limit spent in the gallery
 Introduce the gallery based on age level comprehension
Key Vocabulary Terms
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Immaturity – Being silly
Focus for Grade Level: You can also learn and create things by being silly.
Tour Start / Focus Options
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Immature Gate – Have them gather around the gate with mirrors and faces. Ask them if they look different in the
mirrors. Why do the mirrors do that?
Ask students their favorite silly things to do.
Exploration: 10 to 12 minutes
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Have students explore the gallery and encourage them to try different activities.
General Wrap-Up
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What activity did you like most?
Have you ever done any of these activities at home?
 Immaturity – Being silly
 Flight – Moving through the air off the ground
Focus for Grade Level: Lots of things in this exhibit fly. Can you find an activity to make something that flies?
 Immature Gate – Have them gather around the gate with mirrors and faces. Ask them if they look different in the
mirrors.
 Ask for examples of things that fly.
 Have students explore the gallery and encourage them to make something that flies.
 Have students explore the gallery and encourage them to ask why some things don’t fly.
General Wrap-Up
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What kind of things did you make that fly?
Why do some things fly better than others?
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Immaturity – Being silly or wacky, not fully developed
Aerodynamics – How well air moves around an object to help it fly
Focus for Grade Level: The science and forces behind the immature activities in the exhibit.
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Immature Gate – Have them gather around the gate with mirrors and faces.
Ask students for examples of aerodynamics and flight.
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Have students explore the gallery and encourage them to find examples of aerodynamics.
Have students explore the gallery and encourage them to try 3 different activities.
General Wrap-Up
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Which activities were the hardest? Easiest? Why?
Which activities had things with good aerodynamics?
Why do you think being immature can be useful?
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Immaturity – Being silly or wacky, not fully developed
Aerodynamics – How well air moves around an object to help it fly
Inertia – Staying unchanged while a force acts on it
Focus for Grade Level: The science and forces behind the immature activities in the exhibit.
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Immature Gate – Have them gather around the gate with mirrors and faces.
Table Cloth Pull – Demonstrate the table cloth pull and how inertia acts on the dishes.
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Have students explore the gallery and encourage them to find which forces they observe in each activity.
Have students explore the gallery and encourage them try 3 different activities.
General Wrap-Up
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How did you see forces at work in the exhibit? What were some examples?
What other activities would you like to see in this exhibit?
Why do you think being immature could be useful?
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Supplies
Extra supplies can be housed in the cabinet attached to the Immature Inventions / Makings / Mailings component. Most
items should be able to fit in this storage space, but an additional storage area may be necessary for extra supplies.
Activity Tables
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Move stools from table tops to floor
Make sure there are at least 2 stools per Activity Table
If Possible: Make sure there is at least one trash can per Activity Table, placed on the side of the table
Check to make sure all trash is clear from surface of Activity Tables
Check to make sure all trash is clear from bins and containers on Activity Tables
Place any supplies not in its container, but that is still unused, back into its container on the Activity Tables
Immaturigami
Immaturity Returns
 Restock crayons and pencils
 Restock chipboard in both containers (2-inch thick stack each)
 Ensure there are two boomerang templates on the table
 Ensure there are two pairs of scissors on the table
Dinner Disruptors
Straw Shooter Jets
Photo Follies
if wanted.
Table Top Football
Noisy Annoyer
Tablecloth Trickery
Snap Lids
Card Zing
 Ensure there are at minimum 6 juggling scarves
Quarter Snatching
General
 Check activity tables and graphic panels for any chips, markings, or damage
 Report or repair as necessary
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Supplies
Extra supplies can be housed in the cabinet attached to the Immature Inventions / Makings / Mailings component. Most
items should be able to fit in this storage space, but an additional storage area may be necessary for extra supplies.
Activity Tables
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Check to make sure all trash is clear from surface of Activity Tables
Check to make sure all trash is clear from bins and containers on Activity Tables
Place any supplies not in its container, but that is still unused, back into its container on the Activity Tables
Immaturigami
Immaturity Returns
 Restock crayons and pencils
 Restock chipboard in both containers (2-inch thick stack each)
 Ensure there are two boomerang templates on the table
 Ensure there are two pairs of scissors on the table
Dinner Disruptors
Straw Shooter Jets
Photo Follies
if wanted.
Table Top Football
Noisy Annoyer
Tablecloth Trickery
Snap Lids
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Card Zing
 Ensure there are at minimum 6 juggling scarves
Quarter Snatching
General
 Check activity tables and graphic panels for any chips, markings, or damage
 Report or repair as necessary
Activity Tables (Continued)
 Move stools floor to table tops, upside down
 Make sure there are at least 2 stools per Activity Table
 If Possible: Make sure there is at least one trash can per Activity Table, placed on the side of the table
Monitors
Note: Monitors for Immature Inspirations and Juggling for the Complete Klutz are left on
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This section contains activities that were used at the Children’s Museum of Houston for our Amazingly Immaturethemed weeks. Each week had a unique theme, which all programming within the museum followed. In this instance,
these themed weeks had to do with immaturity and being silly.
Below are brief outlines and descriptions of the Amazingly Immature programming used during these weeks. Detailed
activity guides can be found in the Additional Programming Activity Guides folder of the education manual. These
activities can be modified at your museum as needed, or can simply be used as inspiration for new ideas.
Immature Paintings
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What: Use immature objects to paint your next masterpiece!
How: Visitors will choose a variety of objects to make their next immature painting. Artists can choose items
such as forks, feathers, yarn, pom-poms, and more to create a painting.
Match That Scat
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What: Match up different types of scat to the animal that left it behind!
How: Use clues in our books to help determine which kind of animal might have left the scat. Indicators can
include animal size, diet, and habitat.
Make Your Own Scat
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What: Get amazingly immature by making your own scat using our Poo-dough and molds.
How: Using our molds, kids can create their own scat to mimic some they might find in their yards that have
been left behind by native animals in the area.
Electronic Whoopee Cushion
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What: Learn how to make an electronic whoopee cushion. Learn about electronics as you create a simple
alarm circuit with a buzzer and battery. Then, design your own pressure switch using everyday household items.
Mad Props
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What: Visitors will make “Mad Props” mustaches, bowties, and lips from paper and coffee stirrers to use their
#AmazinglyImmature photos throughout the museum.
Story Time: Silly Tilly
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What: You silly goose! Join us for story time as we explore our silly side and find out what makes Tilly just so
silly.
How: Children will participate in this interactive story-time by watching a goose puppet re-enact the silly
actions the book character does.
Book: Silly Tilly by Eileen Spinelli; Illustrated by David Slonim
Pass the Pigs
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What: Visitors will play an immature classic game, Pass the Pigs, while simultaneously improving their
mathematic skills.
How: Visitors will roll their pigs for a score. Their score is dependent upon how the pigs lands. Once the score
is determined, visitors will then count out the equivalent amount of counters. After five rounds, add up your
points to determine the winner!
Take Home Snot
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What: Learn about chemical changes, your immunity system and how to gross people out when you make your
very own take home snot!
How: By mixing two everyday chemicals, glue, and borax, you will create a polymer that will have you both
amazed and cringing.
What’s That Smell?
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What: Many of us have tricked someone into sitting on a whoopee cushion – imagine if you could add an
annoying smell on top of that annoying noise.
How: By decomposing matches in ammonia, the sulfur contained inside is freed. If you’ve ever had the bad luck
of smelling sulfur, you would know that it is not one of the more pleasant smells.
Why: Chemistry is the study of how matter changes. The three most commonly taught states of matter are
solid, liquid, and gas. Chemistry is a science that tries to understand how and why these changes occur.
Rubber Band Messages
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What: Come on by and create a secret message using nothing more than a rubber band and a pen.
How: With the help of a friend, stretch out a rubber band. While it is stretched, write out your message.
Watch the message shrink in size when you let the rubber band decrease in size.
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Monster Masks
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What: Visitors will make silly monster masks from many different materials to wear around the museum!
How: Visitors will glue different materials to create scary, silly monster masks.
Coral Snake Bracelets
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What: Create a bracelet using different color beads to make a pattern like that of a coral snake.
How: Using pipe cleaners and beads, create a bracelet with the pattern of a coral snake.
Spider Hats
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What: Create a spider hat to celebrate the scary fashions of Halloween.
How: Using different black strips of paper, create a headband that fits around your head, staple, and add 8 eyes
to your headband. Attach 8 skinnier strips of paper to your headband and bend the paper strips for the “legs”.
Stella’s Bat Wings
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What: Become a creature of the night and fly through the cold sky with a pair of Stellaluna bat wings.
How: Visitors will cut out bat wings on black construction paper. They will then use yarn to attach it onto
themselves.
Book: Based on Stellaluna by Janell Cannon
Zombie Brain Masks
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What: Become one of the walking dead as you make your own Zombie Brain Mask.
How: Visitors will get a zombie face mask template to color and cut out. They will then cut out a brain, holepunch the sides, and add an elastic string.
Skeleton Bone Necklace
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What: Make your own creepy bone necklace!
How: Visitors will string colored pasta (skeleton bones) through yarn to make a bracelet or necklace. They can
also glue different types of bone templates onto the pasta to learn about different bones in the body.
Story Time: Facing Fears and Dressing Up
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What: Mouse hears something flying, moving, sneaking… With each eerie encounter, Mouse learns to face his
hears about the spookiest night of the year. Come get ready for Halloween at our interactice storytime.
How: Pick costumes for Mouse. Mouse and costumes are then laminated and taped to be interchanged on a
whiteboard.
Book: Mouse’s First Halloween by Lauren Thompson
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Halloween Pattern Bracelets
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What: Make as many two-color patterns as possible using pipe cleaners and colored plastic beads.
How: String two different colored beads onto the pipe cleaner to make a pattern such as black, black, orange,
orange or black, black, orange, black, black, orange. Describe and talk about your pattern. Continue putting
beads on the pipe cleaner, repeating the same pattern. Make a different pattern. Compare your two different
patterns and talk about why they are different.
Spiders On My Fingers
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What: Be the first player to get a spider ring on all 10 fingers of your hands.
How: Each player receives 10 spider rings. Players take turns rolling a die. Players roll the die, pick up the same
number of spider rings, and put one on each finger. The first player to get a spider ring on all 10 fingers wins the
game. To make the game more challenging, to win the game a player must roll the exact number needed to have
a spider of each of their 10 fingers. If they have seven spiders on their fingers, they must roll a three in order to
win.
Ghost Pearls (needs facilitation)
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What: Visitors will poke bubbles (pearls) made from dish soap and smoking dry ice, watching them vanish into
a poof of smoke before their eyes!
How: In a large container with water at the bottom, staff member will drop in cubes of dry ice. After the
container starts smoking, they will attach a rubber hose to the top. They will dunk the end of the hose in a small
bowl of dish soap. By placing the hose in contact with the counter, they can produce bubbles all along the
counter space. When the guest pokes the bubble or hold it with cotton gloves, it will pop leaving only a puff of
CO2 gas and water vapor in its place!
Video Demonstration Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9b3G9hZIZ0I
Glow Bracelet Chemistry
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What: Visitors will crack open the liquid light energy in this glowing fashion accessory.
How: Visitors will take one bracelet and one connector piece from caddy on table. They will crack the glow
stick in the middle. When this happens, the fluorescent dye/Phenyl oxalate solution will mix with the Hydrogen
peroxide that is released from the cracked vessel inside the bracelet. The resulting reaction gives off energy in
the form of glowing light, not heat. Each visitor can take home their bracelet.
Video Demonstration Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsqCW52zq04
Gem Stone Dig
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What: Visitors will excavate gem stones and minerals that are used in the process of making jewelry!
How: Visitors will put on goggle and dig through the container of rock and soil to unearth gemstones and
minerals. As they find a specimen, they will match it to the information card bearing a picture of that stone.
Bubble Painting
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What: Visitors will create bubble art made from paint, soap, and straws!
How: Mixing soap with paint, visitors will create bubbly painting through the use of straws.
Rainbow Mosaic Star
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What: Make your own rainbow mosaic star to hang in your bedroom window.
How: Visitors will glue tissue paper squares onto wax paper then glue it to a frame – thus making easy stained
glass mosaic. Inspired by Klutz’s Window Art book.
Rainbow Brights Loom Bracelet
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What: Visitors will make their own rainbow loom bracelets.
How: Visitors will use the rainbow loom rubber circles to create their own loom bracelets. Inspired by Klutz’
Loop Loom Bracelets book.
Rainbow Royalty
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What: Become rainbow royalty when you create your own Rainbow Crown.
How: Visitors will decorate a light blue band using red, orange, yellow, green, and blue strips of paper, also
using cotton balls as clouds and a yellow sun.
Story Time: The Very Clumsy Click Beetle
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What: A young click beetles falls from a tree, and finds himself on his back on the ground. He tries and tries to
turn himself over again, but fails repeatedly. He receives encouragement from other animals. Learn how the
clumsy click beetle learns to CLICK to save himself. Explore how the clumsy little beetle feels while he learns to
CLICK at our interactive story time.
How: Share facts about being clumsy and beetles, and provide storytime to visitors.
Book: The Very Clumsy Beetle by Eric Carle
Geoboard Triangles (younger visitors)
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What: Create different-sized triangles using bands on a geoboard.
How: Place the large geoboard and bands on the table top. Have the child examine the bands and the board.
Model stretching a band to create a triangle and explain exactly what you are doing as you create the shape on
the geoboard. Invite the child to stretch a band to create the same shape that you have. Count the sides of the
shape and identify it as a triangle. Encourage the child to explore different ways of making triangles of different
sizes, using different colored bands.
Treasure Hunters
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What: Find hidden treasure by using coordinates on a grid map and reading a compass.
How: Decide who will be “Jack the Pirate” and who will be treasure hunters. Both groups get one copy of the
treasure map. “Jack” decides where to hide the treasure, and marks the location on his treasure map by placing
a treasure sticker on the coordinates. The treasure hunters take turns guessing where they think the treasure is
hidden and give the coordinates in pairs such as (2,4). “Jack marks a dot on his map and tells the hunters if they
have found the treasure. If they are not correct, he gives them a clue telling them which direction they need to
go. Play continues until the hunters find the treasure.
Decoder Badges
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What: Visitors will explore the science of cryptography (code breaking) by assembling and using Klutz’s
Decoder Badges.
How: Decoder dials will be pre-copied. Visitors will cut out the inner and outer circles of the decoder and
attach those using brads. Using a sheet of questions and coded answers, visitors will use their decoder badges to
crack the codes and reveal the true answers to questions in front of them. As an extension, visitors will have the
opportunity to create their own coded questions and/or messages to share with a staff member or friend!
Klutz Duck Honk Machines
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What: Explore how this do-it-yourself (DIY) Duck Honk machine uses vibrations and acoustics to replicate the
sound of a duck’s quack!
How: Visitors will insert a piece of string into a plastic cup with pre-maid holes and tie a knot in one end.
Holding the cup in one hand, visitors will moisten their fingers on a damp sponge and slide them down the string
and away from the cup. Vibrations created work with the acoustics of the cup to create a loud “honk!” just like
a duck!
Film Canister Rockets (needs facilitation)
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What: Explore the reaction between 2 household kitchen ingredients in this explosive production of gas!
How: Visitors will add a dropper-full of vinegar to a film canister. As a staff member will then add a small
quantity of baking soda to the canister and cap immediately. Within about 5 seconds, the film canister rocket
will explode due to the pressure created when the vinegar (acid) reacts with the baking soda (base) to produces
carbon dioxide bubbles within the small space of the canister. A staff member will review the chemistry involved
in the explosion of the film canister rocket using flash cards and graphics provided for this activity.
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In addition to programming events, we also held larger scale events to help promote and get people excited about the
exhibit. To do this we held the National Amazingly Immature Challenge where cities would compete against each other
to find out who really is the most immature city in America. We also held events on-site at the Museum to coincide
with our immaturity-themed Spring Break. These included our one-day Immature Challenge and our daily Immature
Contests.
How Amazingly Immature is your city? Oh, yeah? PROVE IT!
We want to see what city in the U.S. is the most Amazingly Immature! So, with Klutz®, we’ve starting the National
Amazingly Immature Challenge. While Amazingly Immature was in Houston, visitors were encouraged to share their
experiences in the exhibit and with our immature programming via social media. Using #AmazinglyImmature to tag their
posts, we were able to search this tag on sites like Twitter and Instagram to find photos and videos from visitors in the
museum. The point of all this? Each #AmazinglyImmature post contributes to raising a city’s National Immaturity Index
(NII). The more tagged posts, the more points and higher NII you have! The city with the most points at the end of
Amazingly Immature’s tour will win the title of “Immaturity Capital of the United States!” See if you can beat our score!
Children’s Museum of Houston
National Immaturity Index (NII)
Facebook Tags
301
Twitter Tags
90
Instagram Tags
205
Total NII
596
Promoting this contest within the museum and the exhibit helped generate social media buzz about the exhibit and the
museum’s programming. The contest may be silly but the results are greatly beneficial to the exhibit and the museum as
a whole! We encourage all museums hosting Amazingly Immature participate in this contest to finally decide which city is
the most immature of all!
Below are examples of posts that were tagged #AmazinglyImmature while at the Children’s Museum of Houston.
Further details about the National Amazingly Immature Challenge can be found in the Amazingly Immature Marketing
Manual. More tagged posts and general information can be found at: http://www.cmhouston.org/amazingly-immaturehashtag-challenge
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The Children’s Museum of Houston’s hosted a one-day event called the Immature Challenge to tie into our spring break
festivities. This challenge was open to all visitors at the museum that day, with its goal being to go around the museum
to five different stations. At these stations visitors would have to compete in and complete an immature challenge! Once
each activity was complete, that challenge was marked off on their map and they received a small trinket/toy for
participating. After completing all 5 challenges, visitors would fill in the information (name and email) on their guide map,
which also served as an entry form. A winner would be randomly selected from all returned entry forms - raffle-style for a chance to win a Children’s Museum of Houston gift basket valued at $150.
While a museum-wide event may not work for every museum, this may help inspire ideas for future immature events or
specific activities to hold. The Immature Challenge was successful on two fronts: 1) it provided us a way to collect emails
for future public relations and marketing needs, and 2) it generated buzz around the Amazingly Immature exhibit. By the
end of the day, we had nearly 200 completed entries, with many more participating but not completing all 5 challenges.
Below are brief outlines and descriptions of each challenge used in the Immature Challenge. Detailed descriptions,
graphics, and templates can be found in the Spring Break Immature Challenge. These activities can be modified by
your museum as needed, or can simply be used as inspiration for new ideas.
Inflata-Bowl
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Objective: You have two tries to knock down inflatable pins using an oversized, inflated bowling ball. Can you
bowl a strike?
Beach Ball Bonanza
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Objective: A number of random items are hidden inside our giant beach ball pit! How many can you find in 30
seconds?
Cat-a-pults
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Objective: Test your aim and might by using our slingshots to launch stuffed grumpy cats into one of our three
targets!
Rain Gutter Regatta

Objective: Using nothing but a straw, how fast can you use air to blow your toy boat to victory? Test your
skills against an opponent or simply try to beat the clock.
Dunk Tank
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Objective: Here’s your chance to dunk a Children’s Museum staff member! You have three chances to sink
your target so make each throw count!
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Over the course of Spring Break, visitors were invited to participate in our daily Immature Contests. In the contest, two
visitors were selected from the audience to compete against our Museum mascot. The winner received the Golden
Schnozz award, with both contestants also receiving a small prize for participating.
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Challenge #1: Cup Stacking – Visitors were given 1 minute to construct the best and most creative cup
tower they could. The winner is the person with the best, and most intact, tower.
Challenge #2: Relay Race – In this competition, visitors had to transfer ping pong balls from one side of the
stage to the other using only a plastic spoon. No running though! To make it harder, but also safer, contestants
could only walk. The person who successfully transfer more ping pong balls wins this challenge!
Challenge #3: Card Throwing – Visitors had to perfect their card throwing abilities by successfully throwing
cards into their assigned buckets. The contestant who got the most cards in their bucket wins!
The winner was decided by the contestant who won the 2 out of 3 contests. If there was a tie, a tie-breaking challenge
was set up:

Challenge #4 (Tie-Breaker): Hula Hooping – The rules are simple: simply keep hula hooping longer than
your opponents! But there’s a twist. To make things more challenging, contestants will have to perform a variety
of tasks while hula hooping, including waving your hands, patting your head, high-fiving another contestant, or
turning in a complete circle. The last kid standing is the winner!
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For Exhibit and Tour inquiries
Haniyyah Boxie
Exhibit Coordinator
[email protected]
(713) 535-7236
For Education inquiries
Kevin Velasquez
Exhibits Project Manager
[email protected]
(713) 535-7239
For Public Relations and Marketing inquiries
Henry Yau
Public Relations and Promotions Director
[email protected]
(713) 535-7267

Children`s Museum of Houston

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