Internet Safety (Not Again!!!!)

Internet safety is hardly a new topic up for discussion. However, as the internet and social networking sites become ever more ingrained into our society, it sometimes seems that internet safety falls by the wayside. Internet safety isn’t just about avoiding predators anymore. It’s also about protecting the image that your online presence suggests about you. This online presence can be viewed by potential bosses, college professors, political opponents, and other important and influential people. To protect your child’s online image, have a discussion with them about what privacy settings they have on their Twitter or Facebook. Have a discussion about what kinds of pictures are appropriate to post, and what kinds of things it’s appropriate to say on social media sites. The fallout from inappropriate online behavior doesn’t just stay online, and children need to be made aware of that.

The following are some safety tips for you and your child when using the internet, with a special focus on social networking.

• Never post anything online that you wouldn’t feel comfortable with your boss/parents/other figures of authority seeing. This means everything from your latest tweet to your Facebook profile picture.
• Put your privacy settings as high as they can go. At the very least, make sure that if people search you on Facebook they can only see your name and profile picture. You wouldn’t let a stranger into your house if you didn’t know them, so don’t give online strangers access to extremely personal information that could be used in a negative manner!
• Even if you do have privacy settings, you still need to be conscious of what you’re posting.
• Make sure you know everyone you’re friends with on Facebook. Just because someone is a friend of a friend of a friend doesn’t mean that they’re you’re friend. You can be judged on the people you’re friends with on Facebook, so be smart!
• If something feels uncomfortable online, don’t get involved!

As one final safety tip for parents, watch out for your child accessing random chat websites, such as Chat Roulette or omegle. These sites connect your child to complete strangers, often in extremely inappropriate ways, through either text or video chat. The best thing parents can do is have honest discussions with their children about online behaviors and the way it can impact them. The internet is a great way to connect with others, but needs to be used safely!

What You Say, How You Say It, and What You Do Afterwards

One of the great microcosms for parenting styles is a child’s sporting event. There are the parents who sit placidly in the bleachers, cheering when appropriate at an indoor volume level. There are the parents who treat the game like a social event, paying the game minimal attention and focusing on the parents around them for entertainment. Then, there are the parents who are foaming at the mouth, throwing themselves against the fence, screaming at the referee, coaches, other people’s children, and their own child. And, of course, there are the absent parents. This is not meant to be a judgment against any parenting style. In fact, one individual can encompass all of these various personas within a season, depending on the day. For me, these different parenting personas can be carried over into everyday parenting situations. There’s the cheerleader, the laissez-faire parent, the over-involved guardian, and the absent parent.

Watching parents at sporting events is just as fun as watching the event itself! (Image Credit: http://blog.teamsnap.com/sports-parents-2/bleacher-basics-guidelines-for-youth-sports-parents/)

For academic support, which of these personas is the most effective? The answer is difficult to arrive at. There are times when the absent parent may be the most effective, and others when the over-involved guardian may prove invaluable. It all depends on the situation; everything from the subject matter involved to the child in question. A child who struggles in science may need the laissez-faire parent to leave him alone so he can work through his homework in peace. The child who excels in math may need the over-involved guardian to make sure that her homework is being completed and handed in.

Homework help or hinderance? (Image Credit: http://reducehomeworkstress.com/blog/)

These parenting styles become even more important when a child needs help on homework. What kinds of encouragement techniques should be used? Figuring out which technique to use can be difficult. Let’s look at some of the terms parents (and educators) use when encouraging a child and evaluate their efficacy.

 “I know you can do this.”

This phrase becomes a challenge to the student. It may be used to great success, encouraging a student who lacks confidence but has the ability. The confidence this statement implies, the idea that the adult knows that the child can complete a difficult problem, can be empowering. “Yes,” the child may think, “I can do this!” However, it can also backfire. In cases when a child genuinely does not know the answer, and the challenge cannot be met, he or she may shut down entirely or argue against the statement. “No, I can’t do this! I don’t know how! It’s too hard!” The best way to use this statement is when a student is stuck on a problem you truly believe he or she can solve. However, it should be followed by the adult taking the time to break down the problem in a way that the child can build up the pieces of information he or she definitely knows into a solution for the larger problem. For example, on a complex math problem, the parent should break down functions the child knows how to do, such as multiplication, before focusing on harder concepts, such as graphing. The supplemental breakdown that follows this statement keeps it from becoming a dismissal of the child’s concerns about his or her success on a problem, while still being a vote of confidence in his or her abilities.

“We just solved a problem like this!”

“Yeah,” your child may respond, “but I still don’t understand!” Or maybe, “oh, yeah! I remember now!” For this phrase, tone of voice is especially important. Do you sound exasperated, or do you sound encouraging? If you sound exasperated, you’re saying that your child is stupid for not immediately picking up on the similarities. It says that you’re tired of working on problems that it’s obvious your child cannot solve. If you sound encouraging, you’re saying that it was hard, certainly, but that your child already did something like it and can do it again. It’s a reminder that it isn’t impossible.

“This is easy!”

Easy is a loaded word. If your child is just frustrated at the amount of work to do, pointing out that something is easy to complete may be encouraging. However if your child is genuinely struggling with something, this may be the end of working for the evening. Few things are as frustrating to a child who is genuinely struggling as being told that the work he or she can’t grasp is easy. “Then I must be stupid!” the child thinks, and shuts down entirely. Before saying something is easy, make sure the entire situation is assessed properly, or else you may have World War III on your hands.

 “Let’s figure this out together.”

Cooperation is usually good, especially when a child has reached his or her breaking point on an assignment or problem. Make sure, however, that you truly work it out together and don’t just finish it for your child, as the only thing the child learns from that experience is that giving up is the key to getting someone else to do difficult tasks. Truly engage your child in figuring out what’s going on by making him or her break down the issue with you and find answers to the smaller pieces. This statement acknowledges that a problem is difficult without saying it’s impossible for the student to complete.

 “This is really tough!”

Honesty really is the best policy, and acknowledging that something is difficult even for an adult can be helpful. Sometimes, people just want someone else to recognize that the work they are doing is challenging. However, some children who struggle may feel that this means the work is entirely impossible for them if their parents even think it’s difficult. Acknowledge the difficulty, but then move past it with your child to the best of both your abilities. Show your child that even difficult tasks can be overcome with enough work.

No matter what you actually say, make sure you watch the tone in which you say it and focus on the actions you take after saying it. That way, everyone feels successful at the completion of a task.

Creating Global Citizens Part One

For the next few Tuesdays, we here at Tutor Doctor WNY will be focusing on ways that you can help your children to become better global citizens through appreciation of cultural differences. The summer is a great time to focus on expanding your child’s awareness of the world in a way that school’s are not always able to achieve. Before we delve in to this week’s topic, let’s focus on what it means to be a global citizen, and why that moniker is more important than ever.

Help your child explore the world and gain global citizenship! (Image Credit: http://globalcitizenships.wordpress.com/)

To be a global citizen refers to the identity people must adopt in a time with increasing numbers of connections that criss-cross Earth without respect for the boundaries of distance or of invisible borders. Improved technologies, ranging from Skype to faster airplanes, have made the world a more unified place, in which no country can stand in isolation. The impact of this globalization is especially evident in business, where corporations are international brands and operate branches on nearly every continent. Making sure that your child is prepared to enter a world where encountering cultural difference is a daily occurrence can seem difficult, especially if you live in a rural area. After all, children who attend school in a more urban district are more likely to be exposed to cultural differences through their peer groups. To help bolster your own child’s knowledge of other cultures and their comfort and flexibility when dealing with alternative world views, which is beneficial no matter what career they enter, there are many fun and educational options to pursue. For this week’s topic, we’ll be looking at food.

Food from foreign cuisines doesn't have to be gross! (Image Credit: http://desiparentsvideshikids.blogspot.com/)

One commonality that every living being on the planet shares is that they consume food. While there may be a McDonald’s in every country on Earth, that doesn’t mean that all people eat or enjoy the same dishes. Taking a break from your family’s normal cuisine to integrate cultural dishes from Poland, Japan, India, or Brazil expands your child’s idea of what constitutes good food. Imagine your child at a business dinner in a foreign country rejecting a dish because it “smells weird” or “tastes funny”. There’s a difference between legitimate eating restrictions or limitations (such as gluten-free, vegetarian/vegan, and lactose intolerant), and disrespect.

Falafel brings the Middle East to your tastebuds! (Image Credit: http://pink-apron.com/2010/01/baked-sweet-potato-falafel-wrap)

Eating new ethnic foods can also spark your child’s curiosity. Why do they eat reindeer in Sweden but not in the United States? Questions like this can spark discussions about where food comes from, and a lesson in geography. Make your mealtime a discussion about the food you’re eating. Where did the peas in the samosa come from? What kinds of spices are different in Indian food than in traditional American food? To make the experience even more rich, involve your child in the process of creating the food if you’re eating at home, or in researching and ordering the food if you’re going to eat out.

 

Proper etiquette for other cultures is another lesson children can learn! (Image Credit: http://www.robsworld.org/chopsticks.html)

So what are you waiting for? Try a new cuisine tonight, and help your child become a global citizen!

 

 

Danger Can Be…Educational?

There’s a reason that one of the first words  babies learn is “no”. No is a safe word, a word that keeps people out of trouble. “No, don’t touch that hot stove!” “No, we don’t run in the middle of the road when a car is coming!” “No, you don’t hit!” “No, we don’t spit out our food in public!” No is the word that holds the social fabric together. No is a word that keeps people alive. Understandably, we hear a lot of “no” in a day.

So when I first saw Gever Tulley and Julie Spiegler’s book 50 Dangerous Things (you should let your children do), I thought it was a joke. The book cover has a picture of a beehive, a slingshot, a child wielding a spear, and a campfire. It looks like a how-to guide for Lord of the Flies mayhem. A guaranteed trip tot he emergency room. A potential lawsuit. There are good reasons for parents to restrict the things that their children do. As my own mother used to tell me, “If I didn’t care I’d let you do whatever you wanted!” What Tulley argues, however, is that dangerous things are part of life and are actually really cool, as long as you know how to manage them.

Lawsuits and hospital visits and fire, oh my! How much danger is too much?

Among Tulley’s suggestions for things you should let your child do (with proper supervision!) are licking a battery to taste electricity, whittling, driving a car, and cooking a hot dog in a dishwasher. But is their any real benefit to giving your child the opportunity to try something dangerous? There very well may be. By allowing kids to try new things, we spark their creativity. The question of “what would happen if I licked a battery” is tested, and an answer is found. This is the foundation to all learning: the building of curiosity. As college admissions counselor Eugene S. Wilson once said, “Only the curious will learn and only the resolute will overcome the obstacles to learning.” Give your child’s curiosity a chance to flourish, and try something new with them. Some of the best childhood memories I have involve times when danger was involved, like building and firing a homemade potato gun or throwing an entire dried-out Christmas tree on a bonfire. I truly believe that while these things were cool, they also taught me to follow through on my curiosities rather than just allowing them to fade away.

So while Tulley’s activities may not strike a chord with you, the message all parents can take away from the book is that children should be given chances to explore, and these explorations can become family events.

Saturday Arts and Education

For many parents, summer vacation is a difficult time to manage child care, much less worry about their child’s continuing education. However, the summer months offer a great opportunity to parents to integrate education in the arts into their child’s education. Many schools have cut back on programs in the fine arts to save on money in this fiscal crisis, limiting everything from art classes to theater. However, the fine arts have many valuable lessons to offer, and parents can easily supplement this area of learning with the many cultural events that occur all throughout Western New York. In recognition of the important role fine arts education plays in the life and learning of children, Tutor Doctor WNY will dedicate Saturdays to the intersection of the arts and education. In this feature, we hope to give you ideas of how to engage your child with the arts. Taking a child to a museum, concert, or play is one thing, but truly maximizing the experience to become a teachable moment is another. As always, we at Tutor Doctor WNY would love to hear from you regarding your own experiences with your children and the arts, or to hear your ideas for weekly topics.

For our first feature, we wanted to look at what we feel are some of the many benefits of exposing your child to the fine arts.

1.) Exposure to the fine arts encourages your own child to be creative. Seeing what others have done doesn’t have to be limiting. By exposing your child to many different kinds of music, theatrical performances, and pieces of art, you teach them that thinking outside the box is something valuable. Your child will be encouraged to take risks in their own creative ventures, and will reap the rewards of being a free-thinker!

Exposure to the fine arts sparks your own child's creativity! (Image Credit: http://www.myartproject.co.uk/)

2.) The fine arts provide children a glimpse of other viewpoints. Whether it’s the perspective of someone of a different ethnic background, age, gender, or sexual orientation, the fine arts broaden the way you view the world. In an increasingly global society, it is more important than ever that students are able to cross boundaries and be true citizens of the world.

Boundaries? What boundaries? (Image Credit: http://www.ehow.com/info_8489265_global-citizenship-games.html)

3.) The fine arts appeal to multiple intelligences. For children who are not verbal or auditory learners  traditional classroom learning may prove difficult. The more tactile nature of watching a play being performed or being able to touch a sculpture can help children embrace their different learning styles.

Who said the fine arts always have to be fancy? (Image Credit: http://piermontlibrary.org/services/special-events/)

4.) As Pablo Picasso once said, “art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.” The fine arts incorporate elements of learning that are important enough to be included on standardized testing, but beyond that they are simply enjoyable. The fine arts provide an escape and a chance to identify with something other than yourself.

Ideally, learning should be enjoyable. So get out there and enjoy learning with your family this weekend!

Maximizing Computer Time

Today’s children are more technology savvy than the previous generation. Many of today’s students grew up using computers and the internet, something which their parents probably did not. According to a University of Michigan study, children spend approximately 5 hours a week online. But according to a study done by cybersentinel.co.uk, teens spend an average of 31 hours online. While it is important for children to spend time outside and unplugged over the summer, the reality is that they will continue to want time on the computer. For younger children, you can help to make their time on the computer more productive by having them play free educational online games that help them develop and strengthen academic skills in almost any subject area.

The Greek philosopher Plato once warned, “Do not…keep children to their studies by compulsion but by play.” Contemporary American author Diane Ackerman echoed this sentiment, saying, “Play is our brain’s favorite way of learning.” Playing games can help learning, and these educational websites make sure that the games your child is playing are specifically geared towards skill development. So what are you waiting for? Fire up the computer for some educational playtime!

Computer time can be fun and educational! (Image Credit: http://www.mydigitallife.info/tg-sambo-lluon-kidscom-desktop-pc-for-kids/)

http://www.arcademicskillbuilders.com/

This website offers excellent educational games in addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, integers, decimals, money, fractions, time, geography, and language arts. Children can choose to play in a single-player format, compete against others, or cooperate as part of a team. The players children play against are anonymous, unless they choose to set up a game where they play against their friends via a pre-established password. These games don’t just encourage regurgitation of the facts, but are a way students can apply their knowledge and increase their rate and accuracy in a fun context.

http://www.funbrain.com/

This site offers students the option to choose games that are organized by grade level, ranging from Kindergarten through eighth grade. Some of the games are better than others, but they offer quite a bit of specificity, which could be used as a helpful study tool for a unit or just to keep up on knowledge over the summer.

http://www.learninggamesforkids.com/

Typing, geography, math, and social studies are just some of the categories addressed by this website. The games are single player, but competition is introduced through computer players. Overall, the games are fun, although some categories offer stronger offerings than others.

http://www.gamequarium.org/

With thousands of potential games to challenge players of any age, gamequarium offers a unique rating system to help you choose the best games in any given category. These skill-builders really focus in on a skill and help your child strengthen a skill through practice.

Changing Education Paradigms with Sir Ken Robinson

Being part of a company that focuses on educational support services, the state of education in America today is always of interest to me. How does our current education system work for children? What can help America to become stronger in the global community we now live in? One voice in the education community that is always bringing up fresh ideas and ways of viewing education is Sir Ken Robinson. In the following video, Robinson’s practical and innovative views on education are laid out through both listening to his speech and watching his points being illustrated by an artist. If you care about education in America today, take the time to watch and enjoy this video.

Making the Best of a Rainy Day

While yesterday may have been the sunniest day of the year for our part of the world, today has started off overcast and rainy. Fun, and learning, don’t depend on good weather! In fact, rainy days are a perfect opportunity for the whole family to come together and try something new! Below are some ideas for how to occupy yourselves on a rainy day that will also keep your brains active!

Rainy days don't have to be boring! (Image Credit: http://blisstree.com/live/5-rainy-summer-day-activities-for-kids/)

Conduct a Science Experiment

As a subject area, science lends itself to awesome hands-on experimentation with exciting results! The following websites have great kid-friendly experiments that use materials you already have at home. Kids of any age can enjoy most of the experiments. For older students, make sure to hit on the major concepts of chemistry, biology, physics, and earth science that may be raised by the experiment.

http://scifun.chem.wisc.edu/homeexpts/homeexpts.html

This website offers a plethora of ideas for at-home science, many of which are relevant for teenagers. The experiments offer questions spaced throughout the directions that help make these activities true learning experiences.

http://www.sciencebob.com/experiments/index.php

Science Bob breaks experiments up and tells you not just how to make cool things happen, but also WHY they happen. He also gives ideas on how to make these “demonstrations” into actual experiments, that involve testing out a hypothesis.

http://education.usace.army.mil/clubhouse/experiments.cfm

The United States Army Corps of Engineers breaks up their kid-friendly experiments into different categories, ranging from buoyancy to optics. Many of the experiments also have images to help guide you in your experimentation.

Bake Something

On a cool rainy day in the summer, why not take your child into the kitchen for some lessons in the culinary arts? Cooking touches on many important subjects, including math, science, reading, and even history and art! This is a great way for kinesthetic, or hands-on, learners to develop academic skills, and at the end you have a tasty treat!

Create a Masterpiece

Get out the art supplies and help your Picasso exercise his or her creativity! Think outside the box and use all sorts of materials found around the house! For extra fun, why not create your own play-doh?

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-Playdough-Play-doh/

Play a Game

While not all games are created equal, they can help your child practice everything from math to reading. Some of the best games for skills-development are:

Reading

Scrabble • An old family favorite that helps players build vocabulary, spelling, and even math as they calculate their score!

Bananagrams • A new family favorite that requires players to basically play their own individual game of Scrabble. A fast-paced word game that will keep everyone on their toes.

Boggle • A competitive word search without any clues or guidance!

Taboo • Players have to figure out a way to get their teammates to guess a word without saying the “taboo” words listed on the card. This is a great way to really get older kids to play with words and language.

Math

Set • Pattern recognition, extreme style. Players are required to group cards by four characteristics. It takes a few rounds to get the hang of, but once you do, the competition will really get started!

Monopoly • A classic that helps kids practice counting money and counting out spaces to move.

What do you and your family do on rainy days? Here at Tutor Doctor WNY, we’re about to practice some math while we bake brownies! Here’s hoping you and your family can enjoy rainy days too!

Great Community Resource: Your Local Library

During the school year, your child has access to school resources, that range from the library and computers to the gymnasium. Over the summer, however, access to these resources may feel limited for some families, especially access to books. To pick up the slack left by summer vacation, one of the greatest community resources that many people fail to take advantage of is your public library. Public libraries are a staple of many communities, regardless of size, in the United States. These public libraries offer a wealth of resources for you and your child.

Reading over the summer is a great way to keep your child's mind engaged! (Image Credit: http://library.brunsco.net/)

Public libraries have ready and free access to books, and whatever books they don’t have they are able to order from neighboring libraries. Books aren’t the only resource libraries offer access to, as they also offer CDs, DVDs, magazines, and newspapers. Many also have computers with internet access, and offer access to subscription-only sites such as genealogy.com. These aren’t the only things that public libraries offer. They also often host summer programming for readers of all ages. These summer programs provide not only socialization for children, who can become isolated from peers over the summer, but also provide a structured outlet to promote reading. Summer reading is an excellent way to keep your child learning over the summer and in preventing summer learning loss. Libraries also offer access to trained librarians, who can do everything from help you with research to assisting a child in picking out the perfect book to engage their interest. Wherever you live in Western New York, a library isn’t far away. Check out the following websites to find the library closest to you, and start utilizing your public library!

Erie County
Genesee County
Livingston County
Monroe County
Niagara County
Orleans County
Wyoming County

Learning is Fun; Rochester in the Summer Edition

The city of Rochester is full of kid-friendly activities that not only provide you and your family with plenty of summer fun, but also help to keep your child’s mind actively engaged even though school is not in session. The following are destinations that we here at Tutor Doctor of WNY have truly enjoyed learning from, and we hope you and your family will do the same!

Corning Museum of Glass 

Learning about the science of glass can be fun (and make for some great photos!).(Photo Credit: http://www.theparentspeaceplan.com/the-corning-museum-of-glass-a-great-family-destination/)

With children under the age of 19 free, the Corning Museum of Glass is a great family destination. The museum has exhibits detailing the history of glass with plenty of beautiful examples of glasswork mixed with the science of glass making. Make sure to see some of the live glassmaking demos put on throughout the day, which are included in your admission cost. For an extra fee, you and your family can make your own glass piece of take home with you. The museum is a great way to show children the way science, history, and art are all interconnected.

Genesee Country Village & Museum

History really comes alive at the Genesee Country Village & Museum, as children dig their hands into activities from the past. (Image Credit: http://gcvmblog.blogspot.com/2010/05/summer-camp-for-kids-at-genesee-country.html)

One of the largest living history museums in the country, the Genesee Country Village & Museum brings together historic buildings and interpreters to give you and your family a truly unique view of history. The museum prides itself on being hands-on, giving you and your child the opportunity to play period games, make crafts, and touch farm animals. The museum also offers plenty of special events, including 19^th century baseball games staged on Saturdays and Sundays, a War of 1812 encampment on June 25^th and 26^th, a Civil War reenactment on July 9^th and 10^th, and Laura Ingalls Wilder Days on August 6^th and 7^th. Your family can easily spend the entire day enjoying the spacious grounds at the museum, so make a day of it!

Memorial Art Gallery 

The stately entrance hall at the Memorial Art Gallery makes for an impressive beginning to a fun day! (Image Credit: http://www.iloveny.com/What-To-Do/See-And-Do/Memorial-Art-Gallery/2736.aspx)

With fifty centuries of world art, the Memorial Art Gallery is a great destination for children who are interested in art or history. Inspire your child by giving them a sketchpad or by having them write stories about pieces of art that inspire them. The staff can also provide an art scavenger hunt to help keep children interested!

Rochester Museum & Science Center

Help your child to truly understand scientific concepts by taking them to the Rochester Museum & Science Center, where hands-on learning makes science fun! (Image Credit: http://www.whec.com/news/stories/s2106594.shtml?cat=566)

The entire family can find something to do at the Rochester Museum & Science Center. With exhibits ranging from the Underground Railroad and the Native Americans of Western New York to optics and the weather, there are plenty of hands-on attractions to keep kinesthetic learners engaged. Opening June 15^th is an exhibit about energy called Energize It, and is described as a “multi-sensory, highly physical experience”. Also of interest is the Planetarium, which hosts spectacular star shows, giant-screen films, or laser shows daily.

Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra 

Treat your child's ears to the sounds of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra! (Image Credit: http://interactive.wxxi.org/highlights/2011/04/rochester-philharmonic-orchestra)

For music-lovers, the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra offers performances all summer. On July 9^th at 7:30, the orchestra will be performing the music of John Williams at the Constellation Brands-Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center in Canandaigua, and children under 12 are free!

Seneca Park Zoo

Lions and tigers and bears, oh my! Plenty of animals populate the Seneca Park Zoo to delight you and your family! (Image Credit: http://www.monroecounty.gov/parks-zoo.php)

A trip to the zoo is both fun and educational for children, as they get to learn about different animals and habitats. The Seneca Park Zoo has plenty of animals from all over the world to delight your family. To enjoy the Zoo after dark, head out to Night at the Zoo, which runs from 6 to 8:30 on June 23^rd, July 21^st, and August 11^th and includes live entertainment, a children’s storyteller, crafts, games, face painting, and more! The Zoo also offers a Family Overnight experience on July 29^th and August 27^th, and with kids costing only $30, it’s an experience not to be missed. You and your family enjoy a nocturnal tour of the Zoo and a pre-opening morning tour as well, to get a glimpse of the animals in a way you’ve never seen them before! To make any trip to the Zoo more educational, supplement your trip with writing or other creative activities. To encourage reading in younger children, find books about their favorite animals.

Strong National Museum of Play

Can you tell me how to get to Sesame Street? It's at the Strong National Museum of Play! (Image Credit: http://www.pursuitofpoppy.com/2009_04_01_archive.html)

Open seven days a week, the Strong National Museum of Play is a delight for children of all ages, although the focus is on children twelve and under. Most of the exhibits are totally hands-on, including a Sesame Street exhibit and One History Place, which allows you to step into life in the early 1900s. On June 18th the new exhibit Five Friends from Japan opened, which allows children to explore the similarities and differences between contemporary Japanese and American children’s lives.

There are many more things to do in Rochester and the surrounding areas. What do you and your family do to keep learning happening over the summer?