Summer Camps at the CMT!

Adorable artwork left behind in Becka's Studio.

Young children who watch a lot of TV aren't just missing out on more stimulating activities. They may also be destined for problems at school and unhealthier habits later in life, new research suggests.

Each additional hour of TV that toddlers watch per week translates into poorer classroom behavior, lower math scores, less physical activity, and more snacking at age 10, according to a new study in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.

Read the full article at CNN.com.

One of many found creations in Becka's Studio.

These safety directions were found in the Museum after hours, good thing we've never had to use them!

Note reads: 1. Close doors 2. Go to the wind 3. Yell "fire"

This charming tradition began for our family when my children were very small. Like most children through the ages, they wanted to know how Santa really knew who was naughty or who was nice. Their answer, as in my own childhood, came in the form of a small pixie-elf.

The first time the elf arrived at our home, my children officially adopted him by giving him a name. Each year he would arrive around the holidays, usually at Thanksgiving. His sole responsibility was to watch the children's behavior and report it to Santa each night. The next morning after the children awoke, they discovered the elf had returned from the North Pole and was now resting in a new and different place. My children would race each other out of bed to try and be the first to spy him in his new position.

Read more →

In a new study, the amount of television viewed by many young children in child care settings doubles the previous estimates of early childhood screen time, with those in home-based settings watching significantly more on average than those in center-based daycares.

This study is the first to examine screen time in child care settings in more than 20 years. The study looked at television use in 168 child care programs in four states, and was guided by lead researcher Dimitri A. Christakis, MD, MPH, director of the Center for Child Health, Behavior and Development at Seattle Children's Research Institute and professor of pediatrics at the University of Washington School of Medicine. Read more →

As a vegetarian, I was thinking the same thing.

One of our visitors left this detailed story in our Soar Into Story exhibit. While this short story is indeed a very short story, it is great to see the understanding the author had of story sequencing. Being a good writer means you must first be a good reader; help your child get the most out of reading with Reading Rockets Reading Tips for Parents.

Although we appreciate the artistic depiction of Abraham Lincoln, the Museum store cannot accept counterfeit money.

This ransom note was found next to an empty toy cash register in the Museum's New Digs exhibit. The note reads, "We stole your money, you're doomed."

One of our members decided to donate their artwork to the Museum's growing collection. The detailed facial expression in this piece always ignites a smile within my own artistic self. 

This potentially worrisome message was found in the Museum's farmer's market exhibit after hours; I can now fully appreciate the power of a pronoun.