10 Resources to Help Kids Understand and Cope with the Riots at the Capitol

The violent assault on our nation’s capital on January 6th has shocked and angered us and has left us with so many questions. In times like these, young children look to us for guidance and to help them understand such troubling events. It can be daunting to talk with your young children about civil unrest, racial injustice, and violence, but you don’t have to go it alone.

Boston Children’s Museum staff have compiled a list of resources from organizations doing excellent work to guide parents, caregivers, educators, and children through this difficult time. We have also included resources that will help you connect with your child through play, one of the very best ways to comfort and support your child. 

Top 10 At-Home Activities for Kids from 2020

2020 was…a lot. Thankfully, some good did come out of all the chaos. Our staff shifted gears to help kids and families stay engaged, playing, and learning at home, creating dozens of video activities (all accessible on our YouTube channel!) Here is a countdown of the TOP 10 activities of 2020—we hope you’ll give them a try! There is much more to come in 2021.

A Museum Collections Highlight: The “Her”story of a Dollhouse

Women have always been the guiding force behind the Museum’s collection. They have shaped it as curators, educators, trustees, and donors. However, when it comes to this last group, many of those women are overshadowed by “his”tory. With the wonders of the internet (and a little digging), we can reveal the rich “her”story of the Museum’s collection donors.

Hidden Object Highlight: Snail Mail in Style

The United States Postal Service has certainly been making headlines lately. Between the ongoing pandemic and the upcoming election, the mail is having a moment. This got me thinking about a unique mail-related item that was accessioned this time last year.

Hidden Object Highlight: Gat (갓)

If you have been furiously binging Netflix shows during the quarantine like I have, you may have come across the Korean historical zombie-thriller Kingdom. The show is set in the late 1500s during Korea’s Joseon (조선) period, which lasted from 1392 – 1910. One of the most distinctive parts of the show is the variety of hats, a constant halo around the head of almost every male on the show. Seeing the unique, conical top hats on screen immediately transported me back to the Museum’s collection storage room, where I had spent hours inventorying the Korean collection. It was in one of the drawers that I came across several of the Museum’s own Korean top hats.

Working from Home with Kids: Summer is here! Now what?

The end of the school year is upon us. We made it through. Or did we? Usually this time of year we’re looking forward to summer fun: days for slowing down, get togethers with friends and family, camp adventures, time off, the general vacation daze ahead. But while businesses begin to reopen and life slowly returns to some semblance of “normal,” as a working parent, normal still feels a long way off.

Hans at Home: Museum Collections Mascot Holds Down the Fort

The Collections and Archives team may be working remotely these days, but collections care doesn’t stop for a pandemic. Caring for and preserving the diverse array of historical materials at the Museum is a big job and an ongoing task as part of the Museum’s stewardship responsibilities. To help in these efforts, we recruited our team mascot, Hans, to share some of these tasks and explain why they are a priority in our work. Our staff is helping to oversee Hans’s work from afar…

What To Say When There Are No Words

Museum President and CEO Carole Charnow and Children’s Services of Roxbury President and CEO Sandra M. McCroom offer support to parents and caregivers searching for a way to speak with their children about racism in response to the brutal death of George Floyd.

Looking back on Boston Children’s Museum during the Spanish Flu

In August of 1918, the first cases of the Spanish flu hit Boston. The Globe reported last week in an interview with Jared Rhoades that museums and schools closed that same month. “They closed the MFA, the Boston Public Library, schools, bars, barber shops, theaters,” Rhoads, the debate program director at the Coolidge Foundation, said. “You name it, it was closed down.”

Boston Children’s Museum, however, remained open.

Your everyday parenting skills are what your child needs most

As the Health and Wellness Educator, I’ve been part of many conversations about how to best support children’s mental health during this difficult time. Parents, caregivers, and even educators are desperate for tips to meet the social and emotional needs of their children, who are missing their friends, teachers, extended families, and everyday freedoms. I’d like to provide an objective view on some of the tips and resources so many organizations have been sharing to help support children’s well-being during the pandemic.