ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
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Some more tips for Dragonfly TV program  about visiting science 
centers with tweens (or any age):

--Allow time/money to eat at the science center if it has any kind of 
food facility. Do it as soon as the kids seem to be losing interest 
in the exhibits. Also, find the water fountains. Hungry and thirsty 
kids get antsy and noisy.

--Allow time/money for the gift shop at the end. The science center 
needs the income, and the concrete object gives a handle for 
continuing to talk about the experience. (Try a matching grant: the 
kid pays half, you pay half.  Or you pay for a book, the kid pays for 
a gew-gaw.)

--Bring friends. Sharing the experience is more fun for the kids--and 
the grown-ups learn a lot about their kids by watching the 
interactions.

--Give the kids a little "Scientist's Notebook,"  pencil, and ziplock 
bag to carry with them, just in case they want to draw or write down 
something, keep a hand-out, or start their own museum at home (what 
can they find in the trip between the science center and home?).

--Check your coats and other stuff. It's hard to have fun if you are 
lugging around a heavy jacket or sweltering!

--As soon as you come in, decide on a meeting point with benches and 
good view of exits (and clock if possible) in case you decide to 
split up.  Make everyone say out loud the name of the floor, level or 
area and meeting time.

--On the way home, ask the kids what exhibits they'd recommend to 
other kids, or what they'd like to come back to,  and why.


Karen (here writing more as mother than curator!)

Karen Reeds, Guest Curator,
Guest Curator, Come into a New World: Linnaeus & America
Exhibition, February 15-June 30, 2007
American Swedish Historical Museum, Philadelphia  215--389-1776
http://www.americanswedish.org/

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