International Children’s Book Day 

WEE ONES WEEKLY

Monday for Members Only | 9:30 a.m. – 11 a.m. Fridays for Everyone | 9:30 – 11 a.m.

Drop in and enjoy thematic and musical programs perfect for toddlers, preschoolers, and their grown-ups during the academic year September - May. Program participation includes 30 minutes of exclusive play in the Museum. No registration required.

Free to Members. Non-Members are $5 per family. 

Spring Schedule

April 8 - 12 - Z for Zoo
April 15th - ABC
April 22 - 26 - B for Bubbles
April 29 - May 3 - C for Color

May 6-10 - ISH
May 13 -17 = S for Summer Sparkle!

*No WOW on the following days:
April 19
Summer Break begins May 20

Exceptional Families Parent Workshops

Second Thursday of every month, 6-8 p.m.

Spring Dates: April 11, May 9, June 13

The Children's Museum of Tacoma, together with the Exceptional Families Network's support group and SPECIAL Families of Pierce County, hosts a monthly evening program for families with children who have special needs. 

Advance registration through SPECIAL Families of Pierce County is required for admission of all children into the museum on workshop nights. Parents will need to complete an online intake form for each child they plan to bring. To request an intake form and register your child, please contact SPECIAL Families of Pierce County at specialfamiliestacoma@gmail.com.

PBS Play Date

Second Saturday of each month from 10 - 11:30 a.m.

Join us as we partner with KBTC each month for fun and learning around a selected PBS Kids television show. This is a free, drop in program. Costumed characters do not make an appearance during this program.

*PBS Play Date programs are presented in partnership with KBTC and are funded by a Ready To Learn grant (PR/AWARD No. U295A100025, CFDA No. 84.295A) provided by the Department of Education to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Programs in association with KBTC are FREE to all participants. The PBS KIDS logo is a registered mark of PBS and is used with permission.

Upcoming Themes:

May 11 - Pinkalicious Paint Party
June 8 - Super Why
July 13 - Daniel Tiger
August 10 Wild Kratts

HopeSparks: Relatives Raising Children Group

Upcoming Dates: April 3 | May 1 | June 5

Times: 5:30 - 7 p.m.

Come meet other caregivers who are raising relative children not theirs by birth. Share a snack, learn about resources, talk about challenges and opportunities while the kids play at the Children’s Museum of Tacoma.

Kinship Caregivers include grandparents, aunts & uncles, siblings, cousins, godparents, stepparents, and fictive kin.

For more information or to register please call Tamie Nielsen 253-565-4484

Alliance for Child Welfare Excellence:
Caregiver Continuing Education

Upcoming Dates:

March 27 - I-LABS 16: Foundations of Literacy

Times: 6 - 7 p.m. The trainings will be one hour in duration followed by one hour of support group.

April 25 : I-LABS in the Classroom: Module 11: Bilingual Language Development 
7pm-8pm 

May 23 : I-LABS in the Classroom: Module 18: Learning to Make Things Happen: How Children Learn Cause-and-Effect 
6pm-7pm 

May 23 : I-LABS in the Classroom: Module 19: Early STEM Learning 
7pm-8pm 

June 27:I-LABS in the Classroom: Module 15: Early Music Experience
6pm-7pm 

June 27: I-LABS in the Classroom: Module 17: Development of Literacy 
7pm-8pm 

All children deserve the best start in life and new scientific discoveries deepen our understanding of how to create the best environments for children. The Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences at the University of Washington (I-LABS) is an interdisciplinary center dedicated to discovering the fundamental principles of human learning, with a special emphasis on early learning and brain development.

The Children’s Museum of Tacoma is excited to partner with the Alliance and I-LABS in order to offer training modules to caregivers and provide childcare during the trainings at the museum. Each I-LABS module explores a particular topic in child development, such as brain development, language acquisition, or imitation. Modules share evidence-based information about how young children learn. The modules are useful for understanding everyday interactions with children and cover a variety of relevant topics such as a child’s first days, early interactions, learning, emotions, language, attachment, temperament, race and equality, music, literacy and more.

Limited child care is available for children 3-12. Registration is required. Stalls 1-10 adjacent to museum can be used if vacant, otherwise, use street parking. Signs will be posted directing you to the training room. Feel free to bring a meal or other refreshments.

For more information or to request the childcare paperwork please contact Stephanie Rodrigues at 206-321-1721 or steph75@uw.edu.

In Becka's Studio

Steam Studio

Ongoing in Studio B
Within the STEAM Studio visitors are invited to make, tinker, and create. Hoppers brim with recycled materials and workstations are equipped with authentic tools. Children and adults playfully engage in designing, engineering, and building as they bring a plan into 3-D form. Start with a blueprint, or create a plan of your own. Collect all of the needed materials and tools and set to work. Experimenting and problem solving skills will be honed as curious builders imagine materials in a new light and envision sequential steps to complete their project.

To ensure that our material hoppers are brimming with creative potential, we need your help to save and bring in the following recycled materials mentioned above! You are welcome to place them in the donation hopper located in the Museum's Lobby.