Events

Balancing Act
September 17, 2011-January 15, 2012.

Balancing Act Invites Children to Put their Balance to the Test at The Children's Museum of Memphis

Balance isn't just an act. From teetering toddlers to tightrope walkers, balance is something we all use in our everyday lives. Children and their families can expand their understanding of balance - and learn how to practice and improve it - in Balancing Act, a children's traveling exhibit that will be at The Children's Museum of Memphis September 17, 2011-January 15, 2012.

The interactive exhibit focuses on the physical nature of balance and the body systems that work together to achieve that balance. Through a variety of challenge activities, such as balance beams, bridges and balance boards, you can get into the act and test your sense of balance in a fun, playful environment.

Guiding you through Balancing Act is "Level," a sculptural balancing buddy made from cubes and boxes. This level-headed character demonstrates how prevalent balance is in our everyday lives and how the body and brain work together to help us maintain that balance.

As you enter Balancing Act, you may first be drawn to the Balance Bridge. Try to keep from rocking as you navigate down the center of the bridge. The more guests on the bridge at one time, the more movement you'll experience! Then test your skills on a "teeter totter" in the Balance Board Challenge. You'll learn how our body systems work together to enable skateboarders, surfers and others to maintain and master balance.

The exhibit's Balance Circus station shows how our body systems work together to achieve balance. Here you'll find props to balance on various parts of your body: balancing birds, juggling blocks, bean bags and balancing egg heads. Very young guests also have an opportunity to balance on the Infant Barre.

Other components, such as the Balance Beam, Stepping Stones and Wavy Beam, challenge you to adjust your body and control your center of gravity as you navigate the various obstacle courses.

Demonstrating balance-related concepts is just one goal of the 1,200-square-foot exhibit. Balancing Act also aims to reinforce the idea that balance can be practiced and improved. Find out how long you can stay balanced on the swiveling and shifting Balance Timer. Try it more than once and see if you can improve your time with practice. Experiment with balancing different objects on the Balance Scale. See how high you can stack blocks on a shifting table top before it topples over on the Tippy Table. Then take some tops for a spin in Spinning Tops and discover the secrets behind twirling ballerinas and rotating ice skaters.

Balancing Act was created by the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History. The exhibit is presented in English and Spanish.

The exhibit is included with museum admission.

Galleries & Pemanent Exhibits

Art Collection
Although The Children's Museum is not an art museum, it still has a nice and unique collection of traditional art and folk art pieces in a small collection. All of the artwork has been donated to the museum by various artists: Guy Cobb’s Braille Paintings Collection; Michael Berenstain’s Papa Bear Color Drawing; Leo Monahan’s CMOM Paper Logo 1993; Magnolia Manor in memory of Katherine Joyner; Embroidery Guild of Memphis panels; and Roger Goldenberg’s sculpture donated by Tom Haas.

Art Smart Gallery
Visual and performing arts are explored in this gallery. Children become “stars” on stage as they dress in costumes and use props or direct a puppet show. Visitors paint, sculpt and draw in the art studio, draw their own faces in the portrait studio, weave colorful patterns on a giant loom, play a color wheel game, and create computer animations. Children marvel at different art styles as they study famous artists. Musical talent is also discovered through the use of a karaoke machine.

Cityscape Gallery

• Bank
  The world of banking and finance are very interesting to children. Kids are thrilled to write checks to receive play money. Visitors also love to try to crack open safes with different number combinations. Thanks to SunTrust Bank.
  
  
• Bookatarium
  This peaceful corner of the museum is dedicated to reading and quiet “family time.” It is often used for many of the museum’s literacy programs: Tales & Tunes, R&R Storytime and Book Worms, to name a few. Stop by, pick up a book and teach your children to enter a world of imagination! Thanks to Hyde Family Foundations.
  
  
• Brain Train Station
  The Brain Train Station features a talking robotic owl and railroad tracks with crossing arms and a drop-down screen to teach children the importance of stopping when a train is approaching. Thanks to Canadian National Railway.
  
  
• City Friends
  Discover the special people in their community who respond to emergencies and provide safety. Children put on fire fighting equipment and hop on the museum's real shiny red fire engine to put out pretend fires. Visitors young and old like to jump on the real police motorcycle. People love sitting in a real sheriff's car - pretending to drive it, dressing as a police officer, making "arrests," watching the blue lights and more. Thanks to Shelby County Sheriff’s Department & Sheriff Mark Luttrell and David Burton.
  
  
• CMOM-TV
  CMOM-TV: “Where news is made,” children can broadcast the news, give a weather forecast or do a report on local sports. The TV station reports “all good news - all the time!” Children are also thrilled to see themselves on television.
  
  
• Garage/Child Passenger Safety Van
  Children gravitate to the minivan, where they pretend to drive and learn about child passenger safety. They also build a car, change a tire and take a virtual driving tour of Memphis. Kids see how a drive train works, how brakes make a vehicle stop, and how an engine cranks and works. Children decide what makes a car “happy” or “sad.” Another area allows them to dress-up and explore the career rolodex and play a fun computer scavenger hunt. Parents also learn about proper installation of child passenger safety seats. Thanks to AutoZone & Governor’s Highway Safety Office.
  
  
• Kid’s Market
  Opportunities abound here for role-playing and interactive learning in the familiar, yet fascinating environment of a grocery store. Children get a kid-size shopping cart and shop for grocery items. They then scan the items on real cash registers to total the price. Kids learn about math and healthy food choices. Thanks to Kroger.
  
  
• Playscape Park
  This separate play area welcomes children from birth to age four and their parents and caregivers. It provides small children with a safe, yet stimulating environment to play and learn. A tree house, child-size cottage and texture trees on which children change the leaves to represent the various seasons are the exhibit highlights. The painted trees that line this miniature neighborhood were created by Memphis artist Nancy Cheairs. These trees are replicas of the unique trees found in her landscape paintings. Also includes a basketball goal; concession stand with awning and changeable menu; climbing structure; puppet theater; hopscotch court; “water” pool; fishing poles and fish; park animals seats; and chef outfits, grill, cash register and cooking tools. Thanks to Junior League of Memphis.
• Skyscraper
  This 22-foot-tall vertical maze of wood and wire is designed exclusively for children ages four and older. Kids climb up through the eight stories of this structure and make choices on the various pathways to take to the top. Motor, reasoning and social skills are enhanced in this climbing adventure. Thanks to The Promus Companies.
  
  
• Smiles, Inc.
  Dental health is the subject of this interactive exhibit with a science laboratory, dental office and diner. Children pretend to be dentists using dental instruments on a purple patient, Pearl E. White, in a dental chair. Visitors also assemble the Big Mouth puzzle and then practice brushing and flossing techniques; discover how long to brush teeth through a fun song; take a virtual trip to the dentist; view tooth x-rays; learn about the Tooth Fairy and other dental careers; chart healthy smile habits; and play fun computer games. Thanks to Alliance to the Memphis Dental Society.
  
  
• Time Square/Sir Dance-A-Lot
  This exhibit is an adventure into fun times! Besides the giant clock tower, there’s an “underground” area with flashing lights, mirrors, holograms and music allowing kids to dance and sing along to the different types of music. Thanks to William B. Dunavant, Jr.
  
  
• Tree House
  Promoting saving natural resources and conservation through everyday living is the focus of this exhibit. It engages visitors in the life cycle of a tree and the important role that a tree plays in the Earth’s ecological environment. The exhibit also touches on ecosystems, sustainability and tree products. Children feel like they have walked into the forest when entering the exhibit.
  • There are five areas inside:
    • Collaborative Mural;
    • Slat Block Table;
    • Stump the Stump –
    • Grandma Willow; Tree Slab;
    • and Paper/Packaging/Cardboard Activity Area.
  • Thanks to International Paper.
    
    
• Van Vleet Gallery
  Traveling exhibits featured in this gallery change every 3-4 months. Thanks to Van Vleet Foundation.
  
  
• Your House, My House
  Children get a sneak peek into house design and construction. Children pretend to be architects, interior designers or construction workers as they discover all phases of designing and building a house. Thanks to Anderson-Tully, BellSouth Mobility, Buckeye Technologies, Inc., Century Hardware, Financial Federal Savings Bank, Golden Rule Lumber Centers, Greater Memphis Indian Community, Memphis Area Home Builders Association & Trustworthy Hardware.
  
• Football Lockers
  This crowd pleaser allows children to dress as football players by trying on real sports gear. Thanks to University of Memphis Football.
• Going Places Gallery
  Children take to the air in this gallery - an adventure into flight and distribution. There's a flight simulator, air traffic control tower, hot air balloon, wind tunnel and a real airplane cockpit to explore. Thanks to FedEx.
  
  
• Honeybee Hives
  Two separate honeybee colonies live in hives outside the WaterWORKS! windows. Each hive has “glass” walls turned toward the window to allow visitors to “see inside the world of the honeybee.” Fun, hands-on bee activities include an indoor hive to take apart, beekeeper suits to try on, books, educational cards and bees in acrylic to study up close. A “Honeybee Facts” sign allows children to learn about this fascinating insect. Thanks to Memphis Area Beekeepers Association.
  
  
• Lighthouse
  The guard shack in the design of a lighthouse is a fun addition to the museum's landscape that provides added security. It has become an icon for the museum since part of its mission is to “Light Up the Minds” of children!
  
  
• WaterWORKS! Gallery
  Kids go on a trip down the Mississippi River in this gallery. Experiment with the flow of water in a 50-foot model of the mighty river, study real fish, build a bridge, see it “rain” inside, work a pump in an aquifer.
  
  

Smiles, Inc.
Open wide! Delta Dental of Tennessee is proud to be the sponsor of Pearl E. White

in the museum's Smiles, Inc., exhibit. The exhibit has been a part of the museum since 1995, and it went through a major facelift in 2007 thanks to the Alliance to the Memphis Dental Society. Visitors are all smiles when they enter , where healthy smiles are created every day! Creating healthy smiles was the inspiration for this joint venture between the museum and the sponsors.

"When children are taught good dental hygiene at an early age, they are much less likely to develop cavities or other oral health problems as they get older," said Philip A. Wenk, D.D.S., president & CEO of Delta Dental of Tennessee. "Smiles, Inc., is very effective at teaching those good habits in an entertaining way that kids will remember. We're delighted to be a sponsor of this exhibit for the children of Memphis as well as all visitors to CMOM."

Here's a taste of this hands-on exhibit that "goes the extra smile!" Of course, the puppet patient, Pearl E. White, is the centerpiece of the exhibit where children practice their dentistry skills. Visitors also assemble the Big Mouth puzzle and then practice brushing and flossing techniques; discover how long to brush teeth through a fun song; take a virtual trip to the dentist; view tooth x-rays; learn about the Tooth Fairy and other dental careers; chart healthy smile habits; and play fun computer games.

"Everyone learns how to create a healthy smile in this innovative exhibit," said Richard C. Hackett, chief executive officer of the museum. "The exhibit is also designed to take the fear out of going to the dentist!"

Components and activities in Smiles, Inc. include:

• Pearl E. White: dental patient "puppet" on which children practice examining and repairing teeth
• Brushing Can Be Fun: fun-looking mouth in front of a mirror children stand behind and brush the teeth
  • a push-button activates a song that plays for the amount of time a child should brush his teeth
• Video Trip to the Dentist: engaging video shows a child's first trip to the dentist
  • including how she prepared,
  • what happened at the office and what she did to follow-up after her visit
    
• Straighten Up!: by turning a crank, visitors create the proper alignment of teeth in a model of a lower arch
• Getting to Know Your Teeth: lighted graphics with teeth and their names, along with buttons that light up which
• baby teeth come out and which permanent teeth come in at any age range
• Tooth Puzzle: giant jaw contains teeth that can be removed; children find the correct location for each type of tooth
• Keep Those Teeth!: oversized periodontal models show a comparison of healthy gums with stable teeth and inflamed gums with unstable teeth
  • explanatory text gives information including that it is normal for baby teeth to come out, but your second set must last forever
• Computer Station: educational software with information related to dentistry, games that promote good dental health, cutting-edge technology in the dental field, etc.
• Careers in Dentistry: giant rolodex reviews different career opportunities in dentistry with a dress-up area
• Floss Away: practice flossing with nylon string on the giant mouth puzzle
• Charting Your Progress: erasable-board chart lists behaviors that promote healthy teeth
• Mr. Grossmouth: mouth model shows the effects of smokeless tobacco on teeth, tongue and oral cavity
• Poster Display: sign holder allows posters to be inserted and changed out providing a wide range of information such as tips for parents, information on dental specialties, promotion of mouth guard use, "meth mouth," etc.

Smiles, Inc., is included with museum admission.

About Delta Dental of Tennessee
Delta Dental of Tennessee, with its affiliates in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, is one of the largest dental plan administrators in the nation. In 2008, the enterprise paid out more than $2 billion for dental care for more than 8 million enrollees. Offices are located in Okemos and Farmington Hills, Mich.; Columbus and Cleveland, Ohio; Indianapolis and Greenwood, Ind.; Lisle, Ill.; and Nashville, Knoxville and Memphis, Tenn.

---

"Hootin' Andy's Safety Train Brain Station"

A new interactive railroad safety exhibit featuring the voice of American folk singer Arlo Guthrie has opened at The Children's Museum of Memphis. Made possible by a generous gift from CN, one of the largest railroads in North America, and developed in partnership with Le Bonheur Children's Medical Center, the Safety Train Brain Station features a talking owl named Hootin' Andy, plus a recreated railroad crossing with gates, lights and a drop-down screen to teach children the importance of train safety. Arlo Guthrie provides the voice of Hootin' Andy, the wise owl that teaches children the rules of railroad safety.

Hootin' Andy, a very wise owl, warns kids that a train is approaching. He begins with an original train safety song. At the end of the song, children hear a loud train whistle. The two railroad crossing gates begin to flash their lights and ring their bells. The arms lower along with a large projection screen, blocking visitors from crossing the railroad tracks on the floor. The sound of the train and the whistles build. Suddenly, the train appears, zooming through the crossing, carrying its long payload. Then, as suddenly as it appeared, the train is gone. Andy then leads visitors in a sing-a-long. Children may then take the train safety quiz to see how much they learned.

The exhibit, which opened at the end of August, was made possible through a $1 million gift from CN to Le Bonheur. A portion of the gift was used to create the Safety Train Brain Station exhibit while the balance went toward the campaign to build the new Le Bonheur scheduled to open in 2010. CN and Le Bonheur partnered with The Children's Museum of Memphis to reach the museum's far-reaching audience. The Children's Museum has welcomed more than 2.7 million visitors from Memphis and across the country.

Jim Vena, CN's senior vice president, southern region said, "As a leading North American freight transportation company, CN is committed to helping build stronger communities to provide a healthier and safer environment for our youth. Our goal is to help save lives and prevent injuries at railroad crossings and on or near our rail lines. We are very pleased that this exhibit will help children learn life-saving lessons and reinforce rules that must never be forgotten or ignored."

A key element of the Safety Train Brain Station is the question and answer game that takes children through railroad safety rules. Hootin' Andy asks children questions to help them think about train safety.

For example, Hootin' Andy asks, "How far back should you stay from a passing train?" Three options appear on the screen:
A. Far enough that you can't hear it choo-choo its gum
B. 1 Baby Step
C. 10 Giant Steps

Each child will push a button to record his or her answer before Andy replies, "You should stand at least 10 giant steps back from a crossing train. That's 15 feet."

According to Safe Kids USA, there were 744 fatalities and 1,372 injuries in railroad crossing and trespassing incidents across the United States in 2008. Almost 150 of these incidents involved children under the age of 14. Susan Helms, director of injury prevention and Safe Kids Mid-South at Le Bonheur, said, "Children don't realize that trains can't stop as quickly as cars can. It can take more than a mile - or 20 football fields - for a train to stop. That's why it's so important to teach children in a fun environment how dangerous trains can be if you don't follow certain rules."

About CN: CN has been promoting railroad safety for more than 25 years through its All Aboard for Safety community education program. Every year, CN Police officers make hundreds of All Aboard for Safety presentations and talk to more than 300,000 children and adults at schools and community events in the United States and Canada about the importance of safety and the dangers of walking and playing on or near train tracks. Part of the strength of this program is the collaborative relationship with major community safety partners: Operation Lifesaver, Safe Kids Canada, Safe Communities Canada, SMARTRISK and Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD). CN - Canadian National Railway Company and its operating railway subsidiaries - spans Canada and mid-America, from the Atlantic and Pacific oceans to the Gulf of Mexico, serving the ports of Vancouver, Prince Rupert, B.C., Montreal, Halifax, New Orleans, and Mobile, Ala., and the key metropolitan areas of Toronto, Buffalo, Chicago, Detroit, Duluth, Minn./Superior, Wis., Green Bay, Wis., Minneapolis/St. Paul, Memphis, St. Louis, and Jackson, Miss., with connections to all points in North America.

Le Bonheur Logo

About Le Bonheur: Founded in 1952, Le Bonheur Children's Medical Center is the Mid-South's first and only comprehensive pediatric medical facility. Every year Le Bonheur treats almost 140,000 children from 47 states and many countries. Le Bonheur is home to one of the nation's 10 busiest pediatric emergency departments and hosts one of the largest pediatric surgical brain tumor programs. Le Bonheur is building a new state-of-the art hospital. The $327-million facility is scheduled to open in 2010 and will significantly increase the space for patient care, research and teaching. For more information, please call 901-287-6030 or visit www.lebonheur.org.
About The Children's Museum of Memphis
A private, nonprofit organization, The Children's Museum of Memphis (CMOM) creates memorable learning experiences through the joy of play in hands-on exhibits and programs. Core values: the intersection of play and hands-on learning; a positive impact on the community; a positive family experience; a complement to classroom education; inclusiveness; excellent customer service; nurturing appropriate partnerships in the community; and following the best practices of the children's museum field.


Bird Exhibit Takes Flight at The Children's Museum of Memphis

The Children's Museum of Memphis recently opened a brand-new Bird Exhibit. The exhibit was donated by Olivia and Sloane Trezevant. The new community of birds includes Lady Gouldian Finches, Orange Breasted Zebra Finches, Black Cheek Zebra Finches, Society Finches and several more species of birds. Visitors can view the birds flying, eating, socializing and building nests while learning facts about them.

While watching the birds flutter from branch to branch, visitors check out a wall of "fun facts." For example, the most common bird on the planet is the chicken. Another example is that a bird's feathers weigh more than its skeleton. This new exhibit allows visitors to learn up close about the science and beauty of birds in our world.


The Children's Museum of Memphis has an annual economic impact of $6 million on the local Memphis economy.


Calendar