New Summer Program at The Farmers’ Museum Offers Young Children A Wide-Range of Fun Educational Opportunities

Family Farm Fun! takes place every Tuesday and Thursday from 11:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. from July 6-August 19.

New program for kids:

Family Farm Fun! for children ages 4–8

Tuesday and Thursday mornings in July and August (July 6-August 19) from 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

The Farmers’ Museum, Cooperstown, NY

Free for Museum Members. Non-members will be charged for regular museum admission.

COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. — Parents are encouraged to bring their young children to The Farmers’ Museum on Tuesday and Thursday mornings this July and August for a new educational program, Family Farm Fun! (July 6-August 19). Each day, kids explore the Museum’s historic village and working farm, meet new friends, and make lasting memories. Stories, songs, special guests, games, and craft activities will impart a sense of our rural heritage and the bountiful natural and cultural resources we enjoy. While best suited for children ages 4–8, children of all ages will find enrichment in this program.

Parents and children meet in the Louis C. Jones Center in the Museum’s Main Barn at 11:00 a.m. Appropriate dress is recommended for the weather, as each program will include a guided walk through the Museum grounds. The program will end at approximately 12:30 p.m. We encourage parents to RSVP by registering via Eventbrite or by contacting Michelle Bosma, Manager of Youth Programs (email m.bosma@fenimoreart.org or telephone 607-547-1414). This program is provided free of cost to museum members. Non-members will be charged for regular museum admission. Through Labor Day, active-duty military and up to five family members are admitted free, through the Blue Star Museum program.

COVID-19 Guidelines: Vaccinated visitors are no longer required to wear face masks either indoors or outdoors. Unvaccinated visitors must continue to wear face masks while inside buildings.

The Farmers’ Museum is located at 5775 Route 80 in Cooperstown. Visit FarmersMuseum.org for more information.

Family Farm Fun! Schedule (Subject to change pending severe weather):

July 6th & 8th -- Learn how animals, plants, and communities change through time with an emphasis on processes. On Tuesday, July 6th, we will read A Farm Through Time by Angela Wilkes and create nature paintbrushes to demonstrate process art. On Thursday, July 8th, we will embark on a scavenger hunt to identify processes throughout the museum, and we will finish with an historic children’s game.

July 13th & 15th – Discover the patterns that we use to identify animals and plants. Learn how patterns are recreated through the arts to beautify and inspire. On Tuesday, July 13th, we will read Wild Fibonacci: Nature’s Secret Code Revealed by Joy Hulme and create dried flower mandalas. On Thursday, July 15th, we will embark on a scavenger hunt to identify patterns throughout the museum, and we will finish with an historic children’s game.

July 20th & 22nd – Encounter a set of important inventions that changed the way we work. Glimpse into the past to learn about the agricultural revolution, and the discovery of steam and electrical power. On Tuesday, July 20th, we will read The Inventor’s Secret by Suzanne Slade and experiment with the hidden properties of nature to create an erupting volcano sculpture. On Thursday, July 22nd, we will embark on a scavenger hunt to identify inventions throughout the museum, and we will finish with an historic children’s game.

July 27th & 29th – How do individuals come together to make a whole? Investigate the complimentary relationships between people, animals, and plants that create our communities. On Tuesday, July 27th, we will read When I Was Young in the Mountains by Cynthia Rylant and create a family tree handprint craft. On Thursday, July 29th, we will embark on a scavenger hunt to identify types of communities throughout the museum, and we will finish with an historic children’s game.

August 3rd & 5th – Learn how gestures, sounds, and symbols allow us to communicate emotions and information. On Tuesday, August 3rd, we will read A Symphony for the Sheep by C.M. Millen and create our own musical instruments. On Thursday, August 5th, we will embark on a scavenger hunt to identify methods of communication throughout the museum, and we will finish with an historic children’s game.

August 10th & 12th – Become familiar with elements of the wild landscapes that surround us. On Tuesday, August 10th, we will read Wild Tracks! A Guide to Nature’s Footprints by Jim Arosky and create wild bird mobiles. On Thursday, August 12th, we will embark on a scavenger hunt to identify the wilderness of weeds, mammals, birds, and bugs throughout the museum, and we will finish with an historic children’s game.

August 17th & 19th – How do farmers help us to grow? Discover the many types of American farmers and the foods that they produce. Gain a sense of traditional American cuisine. On Tuesday, August 17th, we will read Farm by Ned Halley and create a fruity flower food craft. On Thursday, August 19th, we will embark on a scavenger hunt to identify foods produced by our farmers and their families throughout the museum, and we will finish with an historic children’s game.

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