Staff Picks: Children’s Books

The cold weather is coming! Actually, this being Georgia, the cold weather already came, went away for a bit, rained some, got hot, got cold, and warmed up, but we’re pretty sure that it’s back. Anyway, we were looking ahead to some chilly evenings curled up on the couch under a big comfy blanket reading to our little ones, which is always incredibly fun, and wondered what great books our Museum staff would suggest for occasions like this. So we put out the call and got some terrific recommendations back. Why not visit your local library or bookstore – we adore Little Shop of Stories in Decatur – and check out some of these great books?

Where The Wild Things Are

Phantom Tollbooth

James and the Giant Peach

Corduroy

Alexandra Cleveland, our Party Lead, recommends:
My favorite children’s book is Where The Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak. Not only are the illustrations beautiful and iconic, but it also has a great underlying message. On the surface, the book is a great adventure of an wild boy trying to escape for his frustrations with his mother. When looked into further, the book is actually a great message to children about recognizing and dealing with emotions. As the trees and the forest begin to grow in Max’s room, it shows his growing anger of being sent to his room without dinner. The “Wild Things” and their “gnashing” display his fury that reaches a peak when he is crowned King of the “Wild Things.” At this point, Max realizes that he needs to return to home, suggesting that his anger has separated him from the one who loves him best: his mother. Whether you are good or bad, your parents will love you regardless. Max realizes this when he returns to a surprise bowl of hot soup, knowing his mother wouldn’t let him go to sleep without dinner. She still loves him no matter what.

Monica Dorsey, our Outreach Communication Coordinator, recommends:
I loved Corduroy by Don Freeman because as a young black girl, it was the first book that I read where I could see myself. I also connected with the main character, Lisa, because I loved teddy bears big and little. The book was told from the point of view of the teddy bear, which was different. The story touched my heart because he was neglected and “broken,” but she still found the beauty in him, repaired him and kept him for her own.

Jane Turner, our Executive Director, recommends:
I actually did not read James and the Giant Peach, written by Roald Dahl and illustrated by Quentin Blake, until I had children of my own. It was the first of all of the books by Roald Dahl that I read and we all (my children and me) loved the story. I loved that James was the lovable underdog who managed to escape the clutches of two nasty, self-centered aunts and in doing so encountered a fantastic and magical world within a giant peach and with giant insect characters as friends. I loved that he prevailed through impossible (but somehow believable) challenges. I think that this book should be on every child’s bookshelf because Roald Dahl makes the unbelievable believable and in his story the young and helpless child ends up finding his strength and prevailing. It is a modern version of an old-fashioned fairy tale!

Gregg Van Laningham, Professor Labcoat, recommends:
The book I chose, The Phantom Tollbooth, written by Norton Juster and illustrated by Jules Feiffer, is a chapter book for older kids (the suggested age range is 8-12), but I read it when I was 7-almost-8. I firmly believe it should be on every child’s bookshelf, patiently waiting for the day they decide to pick it up. The book is about the journey of a young boy, Milo, through a magical, allegorical land of wordplay, mathematics, and philosophy. It is Oh, The Places You’ll Go! on steroids. Milo’s adventures begin unexpectedly, and he often finds himself confused by what he encounters, but he perseveres and is rewarded for doing so. My experience as a 7-year-old reader closely mirrored his in these respects. There are not many books that I like to re-read, but I find myself revisiting this one every few years. I get a chance to see the world that I built in my mind over two decades ago, I understand the jokes that I missed the first few times through, and I feel closer to my third grade self. I realize now that, as a child, I unwittingly learned valuable lessons about myself, other people, and the world at large from this book. It’s a good read for anybody, and perfect for precocious kids who claim that they’re bored all the time.

We’ll see if we can’t get some more great book ideas from our staff to share with you again in a follow-up post soon. In the meantime, we would love to hear from you! What children’s books are your family’s favorites?

For more info on our literacy outreach program, Connected Learning, Connected Communities, click here.

Inspired to Dance!

The Georgia Dance Alliance teaches modern dance and hip hop to children ages 4-12, who are given professional opportunities to perform at a variety of venues, from festivals and sporting events to dance competitions. The dancers at GDA have won many awards at different competitions. Founded by a former Atlanta Falcons Cheerleader with almost two decades of dance experience, Melissa Cox wanted to create a space for young dancers to have fun while receiving professional training. The mission of her organization is to create a nurturing and encouraging environment in which children can learn to dance and share their talents with others. The GDA dancers will be visiting the Museum to perform for guests on Saturday, November 15th at 12:00 PM.

One thing we can learn from these little dancers is that physical activity is very important for children. Studies show that while structured, team sports are important to be involved in, free play activities should be part of every child’s daily routine. Physical activity helps children both physically and mentally. Physically, children develop muscle strength, keep their bones strong, and decrease body fat, leading to a steady, healthy weight. Mentally, these activities can help with self-esteem, concentration, mood swings, and even decrease anxiety and increase happiness. Games with toddlers can also help in a variety of ways, such as learning to take turns, counting, and listening, as well as developing gross motor skills.

As the weather gets colder, it is even more important to keep your children active, since they might not be playing outside as often. Outdoor activities can still be fun, such as bike riding or hiking. Taking along a healthy picnic lunch will help make a day out of it. If it is a little too chilly outside for your family, many community centers offer classes for parents and their children to take together. Parents are the best role models, so if you want to keep your child active, why not show them the way?

On days when the family is stuck in the house, there are tons of activities for you and the kids to do to have fun and get some exercise. Remember Freeze Dance? Put on some fun music and dance! When you pause the music, the little ones have to freeze in whatever position they are in. You can raise the difficulty by asking the children to freeze in poses such as animals, or for a real challenge yoga poses. Another classic is Simon Says. The leader says a command such as “Simon says hop up and down,” and the rest of the players must hop up and down. If the leader doesn’t say “Simon says” and a player does the action, he or she is out. The last player left is the new Simon.

A fun game that can be played indoors is Lava Floor. Pretend that the carpet or flooring is lava, and the children have to get around the room without touching it. Put down construction paper or set up pillows as areas the children can jump on. If you have a competitive family and some space, why not create an obstacle course or race? Set up furniture and pillows that have to be run through and around. In open areas have races, which are made more challenging by having to do so in tough positions, such as wheelbarrow and crab-walk, or hop like a bunny and waddle like a duck.

Another great idea for keeping your children active is to bring them here to The Children’s Museum! Hours of play in which they learn and move around is beneficial to them. Why not come when the dancers of Georgia Dance Alliance are here to perform?

Sources: Georgia Dance Alliance | Care.com | MommyPoppins.com

Decatur Book Festival

Did you know that the Atlanta area is home to the largest independent book festival in the country? In nine years, the AJC Decatur Book Festival has grown into a mammoth showcase for publishers, writers, makers, and artists. With panels, discussions, and demonstrations that will appeal to lovers of every genre of books, this year’s festival (August 29-31) is certain to be a huge success. The Children’s Museum of Atlanta is a bronze sponsor of this year’s event and we’ll be co-hosting a tent with the Decatur Makers.

The festival opens on Friday night with keynote speaker Joyce Carol Oates in an interview with her biographer, Greg Johnson. That’s at Emory University’s Schwartz Center for Performing Arts. Oates is launching her newest collection of short stories, Lovely, Dark, Deep at this year’s festival. She’s one of dozens of writers who will be appearing on panels or interviews over the course of the weekend, including Lev Grossman, John Scalzi, Karin Slaughter, Ted Rall, and Pat Conroy, all of whom are pretty well known for writing books aimed at grown-ups.

Meanwhile, as Joyce Carol Oates will be delivering a keynote address, John Scieszka will be delivering a “Kidnote address.” He’s launching a new chapter book for middle-grade readers called Frank Einstein and the Antimatter Motor thisweekend. The organizers have really come up with a great slate of programming for children and teens at this event.

There will be children’s parades both Saturday and Sunday, and stages with both performances and readings. For example, on Saturday afternoon, Tom Angleberger will be hosting a farewell to his popular and silly “Origami Yoda” stories – the final book of the series was published last month – and on Sunday at noon, the Center for Puppetry Arts and Serenbe Playhouse will be teaming up to present a 40-minute performance of The Wizard of Oz!

As for us, we will be in the Makers’ Space tent near the Old Courthouse Stage, just a couple of minutes’ walk from the MARTA station, from 10-2 on Saturday and 12-2 on Sunday. Our Imaginators will be on hand to engage you and have lots of fun. At the top of each hour, learn about teamwork and the importance of friendship as kids help our team act out a Bob the Builder adventure, “Travis and Scoop’s Big Race.” Then, on the half-hour, the indefatigable Professor Labcoat will demonstrate the teamwork between composite materials in a fun look at the science of paper and wood. Trees use the sun’s energy to turn CO2 into sugar, then make chains out of the sugar to use as raw material for building. If you’ve never seen Professor Labcoat make wild scientific connections between concepts you didn’t think were related, you are in for a treat. Be sure to stop and say hello! We’ll be giving away posters and you can enter to win tickets to visit us at the Museum!

After we finish our time in the space, the Decatur Makers and the Big Nerd Ranch will take over for some really neat demonstrations at 2 pm each day. On Saturday, they will be giving presentations on homebrewing, beekeeping, and the making of an iOS app, and on Sunday, you can learn about woodworking, quilting, and how to start your own whiskey distillery.

We are really looking forward to participating in this festival! Labor Day in Atlanta is always exciting, what with Dragon Con and football and NASCAR and everything, but we love books and we love anything that gets children excited about reading and creating. The packed lineup sounds terrific for anybody who enjoys reading, but the commitment from the festival toward children is really amazing and we can’t wait to be a part of it. There will be books for sale all over the festival, and we’d be happy to point you toward our friends at the great Decatur bookstore Little Shop of Stories as well. You’re certain to leave the festival with some great stories and some lovely things to read!

 

Photo Cred: Books, Babies, and Bows

NPR: Play is Important

Last week, NPR Ed produced several stories about the importance of play in childhood development and why adults need to carve out time for daily play as well. Below are a few of our favorite pieces. Listen or read the entire series at NPR’s website.

Scientist Say Child’s Play Helps Build a Better Brain

When it comes to brain development, time in the classroom may be less important than time on the playground.

“The experience of play changes the connections of the neurons at the front end of your brain,” says , a researcher at the University of Lethbridge in Alberta, Canada. “And without play experience, those neurons aren’t changed,” he says.

Where the Wild Things Play

“It’s really central that kids are able to take their natural and intense play impulses and act on them,” says Dr. Stuart Brown, a psychologist and the founding director of the National Institute for Play.

Children need an environment with “the opportunity to engage in open, free play where they’re allowed to self-organize,” he adds. “It’s really a central part of being human and developing into competent adulthood.”

Brown says this kind of free-range fun is not just good; it’s essential. Wild play helps shape who we become, he says, and it should be embraced, not feared.

Play Doesn’t End With Childhood: Why Adults Need Recess Too.

More and more research suggests that healthy playtime leads to healthy adulthood.

“Play is something done for its own sake,” he explains. “It’s voluntary, it’s pleasurable, it offers a sense of engagement, it takes you out of time. And the act itself is more important than the outcome.”

Here’s a great video about why humans love to play and why it benefits all of us.

Need a little help getting started? Take this fun quiz and discover what type of play suits you best! Then, go out and enjoy!

Box Masters

Visitors to the Museum this month will learn about three masters of art while creating their own masterpieces, all the while becoming Box Masters. The works of Josef Albers, Frank Lloyd Wright, and Louise Nevelson will be used to teach color, structure, and sculpture, inspiring the creation of crafts, science, and architecture, with boxes!

“Homage to the Square: Apparition”, 1959. Josef Albers

Falling Water; built in 1964; designed by Frank Lloyd Wright

“Untitled” 1964. Louise Nevelson

German-born artist Josef “The Square Man” Albers created over 1,000 paintings, drawings, and prints of squares between the 1950’s and 1970’s. While some may look at these works of art and just see squares, there is both mathematics and color theory (such as the effects that colors have on one another) behind each piece. The series Homage to the Square explores what happens when different sizes and colors of squares are placed upon one another and how they create optical illusions. His experimentation inspired artists and movements, such as Geometric Abstraction, Color Field, and Op Art. In the Craft Maker Space, your little artists will channel Albers by doing a sugar cube project.

Frank Lloyd Wright, named the greatest American architect by the American Institute of Architects, started out as a draftsman in the 1880’s. Inspired by the flatness of the prairie, he created an American style of architecture which became known as the Prairie Style. This style is known for its one-floor horizontals, with rows of windows that strengthen the horizontal theme. Wright is another prolific artist who in seventy years drew over 1000 designs, half of which were actually constructed. He became a major influence on the architects that have come after him. In the Craft Maker Space, a model making project will be done to show the principles of Wright’s Prairie Style.

Russian sculptor Louise Nevelson came to America as a child in 1905. She considered herself the first recycler because she used discarded wooden objects to create her works of art. Her use of individual pieces to create one monumental sculpture is known as assemblage or “a work of art made by grouping found or unrelated objects”. Nevelson paved the way for female artists, who were not previously known to make large, sculptural pieces of art. In the Box Lab, your little sculptors and architects will be led by the Imaginators in constructing structures inspired by Wright’s buildings and sculptures encouraged by the works of Nevelson.

Don’t think we forgot about your little scientists! In the Science Maker Space, arches and triangles will be explored to see how they can strengthen bridges and buildings. Binoculars will be made using colorful gels that will show what happens when colors mix. The Lab Coat Kids Science Show will focus on light and color, by teaching your curious kids about prisms, while also learning how primary colors (red, yellow, and blue) become secondary colors (green, purple, and orange).

Who knew that boxes could inspire so many artists and works of art? We hope that everyone gets creative this month and uses what they’ve learned about boxes to make some masterpieces!

 Sources:
FrankLloydWright.org
TheArtStory.org
MetMuseum.org

The Festival of Fast-Breaking: Eid al-Fitr

Thankfulness, joy, generosity, and gratitude are the focus of the Islamic holiday Eid al-Fitr.  The three day celebration, pronounced eed al fitter, is the Festival of Fast-Breaking.  It starts on the first day of the month of Shawwal, following Ramadan, a fasting holiday.  Eid al-Fitr is so significant that in Saudi Arabia the civil service minister declared that it would be celebrated for 12 days this year!

Since the lunar calendar is followed, it is hard to put an exact date on which the holiday will fall, but most believe it will be the 28^th or 29^th of July in 2014.  The confusion with the lunar calendar is that the new crescent moon will be sighted at different times in different parts of the world.  Some believe that when it is sighted in a Muslim country that is the sighting for all Muslims around the world.  Others believe that each individual can sight the moon for themselves to begin the holiday.  Then there are some Muslims who are okay with using scientific data to determine the beginning of Eid al-Fitr.

Similar to many other holidays, one of the most important parts of the celebration is the sadagah al-fitr or the charity of fast-breaking.  It is typically done before the holiday begins, and includes giving different types of food from cheese to fruit to barley.  Each family donates food to the poor on behalf of every member of the family, including the children.  This is done so that everyone will be able to eat the traditional holiday meal, celebrating the strength it took fasting for Ramadan.

The day begins with the whole family dressing up in their nicest clothes and decorating their houses with lights.  Greeting cards are given to family and friends with the message Eid Mubbarak, or blessed Eid.  A morning trip to the mosque is made where special prayers are done and sermons are read.  Then families visits their friends and family to give thanks and eat together.  In some countries there is a tradition of gift-giving, mostly to children.  There are also parades and outdoor activities where members of the community can come together to celebrate and give thanks.

The holiday meal has a particular emphasis on sweets and varies by country, with each one having their own traditional special sweet.  In Pakistan it is Zarda, a rice dessert with sugar, nuts, and dried fruit.  In Bangladesh one is Jalebi, a pastry filled with sweet syrup in the shape of a pretzel.  Dates, cardamom, and yogurt are commonly found in the holiday meal.  In America, some say the meal is similar to a Thanksgiving meal, with turkey, collard greens, and macaroni and cheese!  A quick search on the internet can find you Eid al-Fitr recipes to try at home, such as this Jalebi recipe from www.epicurious.com that makes 8 pastries:

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 tablespoon plus 2/3 cup water
• 1 ½ cups maida flour
• 2 teaspoons Bengal gram flour
• 1 ½ tablespoons ghee, melted
• 1 ½ teaspoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 4 drops yellow food coloring
• 2 cups ghee for frying, melted
• 1 ¾ cups lime-saffron syrup

To make the batter:
Dissolve the yeast in 1 tablespoon of the water and let sit for just 10 minutes, and no longer. In a large bowl, combine the maida flour and Bengal gram flour. Add the yeast, melted ghee, sugar, lemon juice, yellow food coloring, and remaining 2/3 cup water and mix until there are no more lumps.

To fry the jalebis:
Melt enough ghee in a heavy-bottomed pot to fill it 1 inch deep. Line plates with paper towels for draining the fried cakes. Pour the lime-saffron syrup into a saucepan over low heat, to keep it warm. Fit a pastry bag with a small writing tip, and pour the batter into the bag.

Squeeze 2-inch round whorls of batter into the hot ghee, working closely from the center out. Fry until golden brown on the bottom, then flip to fry on the other side until it’s golden brown. Remove the jalebis from the oil and set on paper towels to drain. Transfer the hot cakes to the lime-saffron syrup and let soak for a minute or two.

To serve:
Serve the jalebis warm in small bowls with syrup. Or you can remove the jalebis from the syrup and set on a rack to dry for 3 to 4 hours, until the syrup has formed a hard shell.

 

I know some of those ingredients have brought up questions and worries, but the Atlanta area has many Indian grocery stores, such as Indian Bazaar and Cherians.  Why not take a family trip to one? Pick up some groceries while learning about another culture!

Did any of these Eid al-Fitr traditions sound familiar?  This holiday is a great example of how we all celebrate and give thanks in similar ways.  Parades, gifts, charity, decorations, and food are central to this Muslim holiday as well as most of the holidays that we are more accustomed to.

Learn more about Eid al-Fitr this weekend at The Children’s Museum of Atlanta.  We will celebrate with storytelling and crafts on Saturday, July 26 at noon and 3:00 PM and Sunday, July 27 at 3:00 PM.

 

Sources: BBC | wnyc.org | Islam.about | TimeAndDate.com | Fountain Magazine

Are You Smarter Than a Kid Inventor?

According to my research, the answer is no. By simply Google-ing ‘kid inventor’, I have discovered examples of inventions created by children that have completely opened my eyes to the importance of childhood imagination. My Google results have told me that children are innovative and capable of just about anything. At a young age, their minds are open and creative, not yet crushed and suppressed by the practical, adult world. And many people simply forget the brilliancy that lies within a child’s mind.

Just to point out a few mildly important examples in history, Braille was invented by Louis Braille in 1829 at just 15 years old. As a child, he was injured and went blind at the age of three. This inspired him to create a language of letters, numbers, and symbols by using raised bumps. The concept has been applied internationally in almost every language. Another amazing invention, that most of us use daily, was the first television and digital picture. Philo Farnsworth was also only 15 years old when he created the first sketches of a television in 1921. By the time he turned 21, he had created the first digital image on one of his televisions.  And finally, the familiar name in every history textbook, Alexander Graham Bell. Most people know him for inventing the telephone, but little do people know that he was hard at work even as a child. At age 12, he invented a wheat de-husking machine for mills in the food business. These children changed the world in a serious way with their inventions.

But there were other inventions that were also just as impactful, but maybe not so serious. Everyone’s favorite summer treat, and a booming business seen in and around Atlanta, was invented by an 11 year old. The Popsicle was accidentally created by Frank Epperson in 1905 when he left his drink made with fruity Kool-Aid powder and water outside over night with the stirring stick still in the cup. The next morning, he found his drink frozen and still delicious. He began selling them a few years later calling them “epsicles”. Another favorite, and very popular toy, was also a kid invention. The trampoline was invented by George Nissen at 16 to help with his gymnastics and diving skills. Now, it is a toy that everyone enjoys bouncing around on! And lastly, this final fun example applies to kids and adults looking to warm their ears in the bitter cold winters. Chester Greenwood of Maine is famously known for inventing the ear muffs in 1874 at age 15 to protect and warm his ears in the cold Maine winters. His scarf was too bulky and itchy to fit around his head, so he designed the ear muff and had his grandmother sew the creation together. Now thanks to Chester, even those in the south sport the fluffy and warm garment in the winters.

These examples are all major and impactful inventions from American history and created by kids! But, the suggestion to parents is not necessarily to expect a child to create a history-altering invention; the purpose is to encourage kids to utilize their creativity and their innovation. An article on psychologytoday.com writes about the importance of exposing kids to arts as it leads to greater innovation as an adult. The article discusses a study that was conducted at Michigan State University saying that “childhood participation in arts and crafts leads to innovation, patents, and increases the odds of starting a business as an adult.” (The full article is listed here for a great read!). So, put no limits on what kids can create with their imaginations. Allow them to “think outside the box”. The theme of the Children’s Museum of Atlanta’s exhibit is just that, ‘Outside the Box’. The space is supplied with as many boxes and creative pieces a child could need to create whatever their mind designs. So are you smarter than your kid inventor? I’m not so sure, but come find out and invent with your kids at the Children’s Museum of Atlanta’s ‘Outside the Box’.

 

On the Road Again: What to Eat

When you are traveling this summer, it’s always a struggle to make sure that your children are eating well. You may feel that drive to slack off a little, because it’s summer! Resist that urge, because this is actually a great time to help your kids learn good habits, and the technology available to us today can help a lot in keeping your family fit and happy on the road.

The phrase to remember is “plan ahead.” Remember when you were kids – you know,  just a few years ago – and road trips meant you pulled over and got some interstate fast food as quickly as possible while roaring ever onward to your destination, or hoping that maybe, somewhere, you’ll find a rest area when somebody in the back seat starts complaining of a growing need for a diaper change? There’s no need to do that anymore. Not even on one of those endless highways like I-16 that are between us here in Atlanta and one of Georgia’s beaches. (We admit that it is possible that some long roads, like those that cross the Yukon, might seem more wearisome and desolate than I-16, but it’s pretty unlikely.)

The first suggestion is to take a few minutes before you leave, looking over your route, and find a better place to stop than the same, over-familiar fast food that’s already available in your neighborhood. Use resources like Urbanspoon or food blogs to find places to eat ahead of time. Don’t think of cheap food as fuel; make your stop a destination. Certainly, you will add a few more minutes to your trip if you sit down and eat instead of using a drive-thru, so just leave a little early, and enjoy a meal at local barbecue joint or a meat and three, and enjoy some vegetables instead of a greasy bag of fries.

With that in mind, keep an eye out for local farms along your route.  Let’s say you’re traveling north into the mountains on US-23.  Between Gainesville and Dillard, there are at least five places to stop for fresh fruits and vegetables.  Take a few minutes at either a large farm or a small roadside stand, and get a basket of strawberries or blackberries instead of bags of potato chips and candy from a gas station.  A note of caution, however: if your family is anything like mine, you might end up with a back seat full of unintentional jam, preserves, and jelly from some of these farms!

On a related note, wherever we go (and we travel a lot!), my family plans ahead for what we call “Baby Mercy Breaks.”  Whether it’s just ten minutes to get a few wiggles out or an hour or more of leg-stretching, knowing in advance where we can find a highway rest area, state park, or even another children’s museum in another city is incredibly helpful, and keeps everybody in the car sane and happy.  Don’t just use them for quick restroom breaks; plan to stop and get some exercise for a few minutes!

It’s a really great, sensible idea to tack on a couple of hours to your drive to eat well and play well.  Just plan ahead and make the journey as important as the destination!

Image Source: Lane Chapman Blog

Improv: The Creativity Cultivator

“Yes! And….”

This is the golden rule of improvisation. If you have been to Atlanta’s Dad’s Garage, Laughing Matters, or Whole World Theatre or if you’ve watched the popular television show “Whose Line is it Anyway,” you have seen this rule in action. No matter what situation your scene partner throws at you, the correct response is always, “Yes! And…”

An example:

Improviser #1: “Excuse me. But I see you’re having car trouble.”

Improviser #2:  “Yes, I am.  And I’m on my way to an important job interview with a start-up tech company.  I don’t think I’ll ever make it on time now.”

Improviser #1: “Yup. It looks like you’re in a jam. But I know a thing or two about cars. Mind if I take a look at it?”

And the scene continues.

Consider the alternative.

Improviser #1: “Excuse me. But I see you’re having car trouble.”

Improviser #2: “No I’m not. And this isn’t a car. It’s a rocket ship.”

And the scene comes to a screeching halt.

The point of the “Yes! And….” rule is to embrace and validate the situation your partner has bestowed upon you and move the scene forward. To deny or block an offer is to ignore, disregard, shut down or negate offers that have been given to the scene. Blocking is the negation of an established reality and makes for very boring improvisation.

I first heard about “Yes! And…” theory through my husband Ryan who has been practicing the art of improvisation since high school. Over the years, I have discovered that the “Yes! And….” rule seems to be embedded in his DNA. It’s as though it’s part of his natural fabric and defines, not only the way he approaches improv, but the way he approaches life.

This inherit ability to “go with the flow,” “build on a suggestion,” “embrace your scene partner’s world” is what makes him, in my non-scientifically-proven opinion, the best daddy in the whole entire world.

Take, for example, our 7-year-old daughter:

“I need a bunch of boxes!”

Me: “Not now. I’m folding laundry and I just cleaned the house for grandma and grandpa’s visit.”

See what I did there? I killed the scene, didn’t I?

Take 2:

“I need a bunch of boxes!”

Ryan: “Yes! And here’s some gaff tape, sharpie markers, construction paper, scissors, a chain saw and a soldering iron.”

Okay, maybe he didn’t give her the chain saw and soldering iron, but he did provide her with the tools and space she needed to create a life-sized unicorn that so closely rivaled the Greeks’ Trojan horse I half expected the entire first grade class to pour out of it as soon as I put dessert on the table.

When I first went home and told my children about the Museum’s upcoming Outside the Box exhibit, they could not contain their excitement. Not only will there be boxes, lots and lots of boxes, but this home-grown exhibit will host the Museum’s first Makerspace, an area that will provide various tools and supplies that inspire creative discovery and innovation. This latter revelation made Ryan’s eyes light up big and wide.

The blur of creativity

In addition to being an improviser, Ryan is, by day, an electrical engineer. He will tell you that he makes things light up and spin but I have a hunch there’s more to it than that. His entire career has been built on the rule of “Yes! And….”. Engineers, software developers, scientists, artists, welders, tech-savvy tinkerers….all of these professions and hobbies embrace the golden rule of improvisation. “Can we make this work?” “Yes! And we can make it even better!”

The Makerspace in Outside the Box is designed to encourage children and parents to dream, design, and build. There are no wrong answers. Blocking is not allowed. It is a space where innovation is encouraged and embraced, and where children as young as 2-years-old are able to be artists, engineers, designers, scientist, and general tinkerers who may very well stumble upon an idea that will be spark something extraordinary, or not. And that’s okay, too.

In this space, the only rule is to embrace the golden rule of innovation. “YES! AND….”. Now, go create unicorns!