The New Jersey State Museum has announced the relaunch of its Small Explorers program for families with young children. There are now two programs under the Small Explorers umbrella, Small Explorers Learning Together, a fee-based program for children ages 1 to 5 years old and their caregivers, and Small Explorers Story Time, for children ages 2 to 8 and their caregivers.
The Small Explorers Learning Together program lets families with children ages 1 to 5 experience the magic of exploring the museum in small group guided classes that feature a different theme each month. This program builds on the Museum’s 10 years of leadership in early learning programming and utilizes the popular play space, Discovery Den. An experienced museum educator leads families through an interactive story time in the Discovery Den, guides participants through a playful exploration of a gallery, then introduces hands-on fun with activity stations, including a craft to take home, in the museum’s classroom space. The program is designed to maximize caregiver-child interaction and connect with a community of families. Classes are 45 minutes long, meet at 9:30 am on the second Saturday of each month, repeated the following Thursday, and are offered through June.
To foster a calm and supportive learning environment, classes are limited to 20 children and their caregivers. Classes are $20 for the first child, siblings receive a 20 percent discount. Advance registration is required; visit the Museum’s website at statemuseum.nj.gov.
The museum offers Small Explorers Story Time on the third Saturday of each month at 10 a.m. in the Discovery Den. This free program is for children ages 2 to 8 and their caregivers and features a story plus a related craft to make and take home. No registration is required for Small Explorers Story Time programs.
The New Jersey State Museum is located at 205 West State Street in Trenton. It is open Tuesday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.; closed on all state holidays. General admission is free. For additional information, visit statemuseum.nj.gov.