Basic Skills

Strictly No Elephants, a book by Lisa Mantchev and illustrated by Taeeun Yoo. A story of true friendship and one that demonstrates that friends, like pets, come in all shapes and sizes. Children will learn the importance of acceptance and inclusivity.

Jon Agee's Life on Mars is a treasure. A young astronaut lands on Mars to search for signs of life, but is comically unaware of the Martian following him on his explorations—an introduction to the kind of book where the reader knows more information than the main character does. Build your own rocket ship and astronaut who adventures to worlds unknown. Perhaps you are the Martian?

Inspired by a Vietnamese folk toy and a book by Yvonne Winer and Tony Oliver, Frog Sings Songs, we celebrate the joy of frog sounds and colors in the hope that they will live on, undisturbed in their natural habitats. Students will learn about a variety of frogs, their unique sounds, colors, sizes, and movements. This is a musical program—follow the instructor's lead and create the rhythmic sounds of frogs in nature. Notice the difference when played in the air and on a solid surface. This program offers a wonderful way to teach our youngest learners about the speed of sound without them even realizing it! 

According to the big dog in the top hat, hats are not for cats. Well, Cats definitely disagree! Author Jacqueline K. Rayner leads you playfully through a story that helps to teach inclusion for all. Students love to create a variety of hats for their cats!

Enjoy a sweet story about the importance of being true to yourself, mindfulness, and standing by your friends.

Meet Leonard, a lion, and his best friend Marianne, a duck. Leonard and Marianne have a happy life together—talking, playing, writing poems, and making wishes—until one day a pack of bullies questions whether it's right for a lion and a duck to be pals. Leonard soon learns there are many ways to be a lion, and many ways to be a friend, and that sometimes finding just the right words can change the world. 

Listen, look, and build. We offer a whole library of projects to help our students connect with wonderful stories by honoring them with a design that allows even the youngest child to make their own vision of the story character. We begin these programs by introducing the story, reading the book, discussing the theme, and then creating their own characters. These projects are typically one-hour-long sessions and can take place here at the Museum, at your school, or virtually.

With winter coming, all the mice were gathering food except for one...who saw things like none of the others saw them. This mouse used words and stories to carry his friends through the long, cold winter. Build your own Frederick to honor Leo Lionni's little mouse who saw things in his own special way. A timeless story that can be read again and again with fervor and amazement.