Children’s Museum Open House to Highlight New Exhibits

A ribbon cutting and other events are scheduled.

Shani Finney, Cory Finney, John Weatherford, and Sara Livingston
enjoy a time to explore the Duncan House.

September 17, 2014, Commerce, Texas

The Northeast Texas Children’s Museum is pleased to introduce expansions of both inside and outside the museum. Since beginning in 2002, the Northeast Texas Children’s Museum has invested in providing hands-on, minds-on opportunities for children.

This summer has been a busy time at the Northeast Texas Children’s Museum. More than 6,000 people visited the museum over the summer, and construction of new exhibits continued throughout June, July, and August. The Northeast Texas Children’s Museum has scheduled an Open House on Thursday, September 18 from 10:00 to 4:30 to recognize our donors and to officially open the new exhibits. The public is invited to attend.

A ribbon cutting for the Duncan Playhouse, sponsored by Duncan Insurance, the Cypress Bank exhibit and the Hunt Regional Healthcare Area will be held at 10:30 AM.

“Each of these sponsors has done so much for the Children’s Museum,” said Sharline Freeman, Executive Director of the Children’s Museum. “We also want to thank L-3 for painting our plane and refurbishing the interior of the plane. L-3 even donated airplane seats for the shuttle area of the museum. To be able to offer new exhibits for the children is very exciting for us, and we could not do this without the support of our sponsors.”

Visitors may also notice the brick façade walls that have been added to the businesses inside the Children’s Museum. The Museum has received many positive comments throughout the summer as children, parents, and grandparents saw changes with each visit.

“Additions been made to the inside of the Children’s Museum, and we will be introducing our guests to the Great Outdoor Discovery Area,” said Beckey Thompson, president of the board of trustees. “The development of this area is just beginning, but we look forward to being able to offer an outside area for the children. The support the Children’s Museum received through the Silent Auction in April made possible the initial development of this area.”

The children’s museum is located at 2501 Highway 50, the NW corner of Culver and Hwy 50, Commerce, TX 75428. The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 9:30 to 4:30.  For more fun, interesting things for children and teens in the Lake Texoma area, visit The Kids ActivityCalendar.  

Northeast Texas Children’s Museum Announces Spring Events

Museum sets “Dollar Day” on Saturday, January 18

The Northeast Texas Children’s Museum is beginning 2014 with exciting events.

Bubbles - weird science!

The events vary with activities for children and adults that include preschool programs, educational programs, special events and fund-raisers.

“The Children’s Museum will be a busy place this spring, and we look forward to the participation of children and adults in our activities,” said Sharline Freeman, Executive Director. “We are looking forward to three new exhibits coming this spring, including a bank exhibit sponsored by Cypress Bank, an updated playhouse sponsored by Duncan Insurance and a new hospital area sponsored by the Hunt Regional Healthcare. In addition to exhibits, we’ll be having many events.”

Beginning on January 15, Healthy Kids from A to Z will begin an eight-week class for preschoolers. The session begins with the letter “I” and ends with the letter “P”. Each week preschoolers and mothers study a letter of the alphabet, participate in music and a healthy activity and learn about a healthy snack.

On January 18, the Children’s Museum offers “Dollar Day” – a new event for children and families. All “Dollar Day” visitors pay $1 admission instead of the standard $5.00 admission.

“The Children’s Museum has so much to offer, Freeman stated. “We hope that ‘Dollar Day’ encourages families to make a first-time visit to the Museum.”

 The month of February is set to begin with the Daddy-Daughter Dance on Saturday, February 8. The theme for this year’s event is “Sweet Moments.” The evening will include dancing, pictures, crafts, food, and face painting. Early ticket sales receive a discount. Couples are $30 until January 25. After January 25, ticket prices increase to $35 until February 7. On the day of the event, tickets are $40 per couple.

“It is our hope that discounting tickets will encourage earlier purchase of tickets so that we will know how many girls will be attending,” stated Beckey Thompson, Board President. “We do have a limited number of tickets, and almost sold out last year.”

The Weird Science program for fifth graders also begins in February. The program begins on February 11 under the direction of Kathleen Hooten. Fifth grade classes throughout the area visit the Museum to experience Weird Science.

After Spring Break, the Children’s Museum will have a Silent Auction on Monday, March 17. The Silent Auction will be a Museum fund-raiser. The public is encouraged to participate by providing items for the auction and by attending the event.

The highlight for April is the Bridge Event. Toni Deaton and Nancy McFarland co-chair the Bridge Event. This is the sixth year that Bridge players from across the area will come together to enjoy the prizes and make new friends.

The Northeast Texas Childrens Museum is located at 2501 State Highway 24, Commerce, Texas 75428, only about 45 minutes from Lake Texoma and well worth the trip.  For more information call (903) 886-6055

For more actyivities and fun learning experiences for children and teens in the Lake Texoma area, visit the Kids Korner on www.texomaconnect.com.  From martial arts to theater there are some exciting events and activities coming up for youngsters in the area.  If you have an event you would like to include in the Youth Activity Calendar, please email details to bj@texomaconnect.com.

Northeast Texas Children’s Museum prepares summer events schedule

Northeast Texas Children’s Museum prepares summer events schedule

Northeast Texas Children’s Museum prepares to offer its widest selection of summer camps and special events.
By Alton Biggs

Commerce, Texas -- Does your child like bubbles? Perhaps your

young girl desires to be a glamorous movie star? Are your children interested in critters, or is there an interest in dinosaurs? If you answered “Yes” to any of these questions, then the Northeast Texas Children’s Museum has a program for you.

This summer the Children’s Museum will present a variety of camps, daily activities and special events. In addition to Theme Weeks, a Cooking Camp will be offered on June 26, 27 and 28, and a CSI Camp will be offered on July 17, 18 and 19. Special events will include Glamour Girl Spa Day, Children in Colonial Times, Texas Bubble Lady, Fashionably Fabulous, University Day and the Critter Man.

“Since so many of our Museum visitors travel from other communities, we wanted to offer more daily activities this summer,” Sharline Freeman, the Museum’s executive director, said. “With the wide range of activities that are a part of the different theme weeks, parents and grandparents can choose the activity that most interests their child. Of course, we expect children to play in their favorite exhibit, too.”

Both boys and girls enjoyed participation in last year’s Cooking Camp at the Northeast Texas Children’s Museum.“The Children’s Museum is offering so much this summer that we encourage parents and grandparents to call the Museum for additional information,” Dr. Gil Naizer, board president, said. “Parents may also want to be on our e-mail list.”

The week of June 18 will be Math Week with exciting math activities at 11:00 each day. The highlight of the week will be a Glamour Girl Spa Day on June 21 for young girls. Participants will get their hair and nails glamorized. As each girl makes bath salts, the ingredients will be carefully measured. Tickets for the Glamour Girl Spa Day will be $3.

The Museum will offer Fabulously Fashionable for older girls on Friday, July 19. Elisabeth Leyerle, a model with the Neal Hamil Agency in Houston, will be coordinating this event for girls entering 5th through 7th grades. The participants will receive information on makeup, hair, fashion, and poise from this young model.

To celebrate Independence Day, the Museum will offer Children in Colonial Days with Dr. Wendell and Linda Edwards on July 3. The Edwards will dress in Colonial costumes as they explain what children did over 200 years ago.

Things That Go Pop Week will be the week of July 9. The highlight of the week will be the Texas Bubble Lady on July 11 at 1:30. This event will be sponsored by the 10-2-4 Ranch.“We are very excited to be a sponsor of the Texas Bubble Lady,” stated Colette Young, owner of the 10-2-4 Ranch. “I understand that she came to the Museum about four years ago, and the children loved the program. We are glad the 10-2-4 Ranch can bring this program to the Museum.”

A University Day will be part of Community Week on July 25. This will be followed by Dino Week and Science Week. The Theme Weeks will culminate with an End of Summer Week beginning August 21. The Museum will end the summer activities with the appearance from Dallas of the very popular Critter Man on August 22.

For more information, call the Northeast Texas Children’s Museum at 903-886-6055.

For more information on Summer Camps in the Texoma area visit www.texomaconnect.com where you will find Day Camps, Overnight Camps, Athletic Camps, Nature Camps, and plenty of Arts, Crafts and fun events for kids this summer.