Summer Spectacular Features Seuss-iversary Wacky Wednesdays and Nature Activities
Springfield (MA)—Springfield Museums is proud to present Summer Spectacular daily July 5-August 13, 2022, from 10 am to 5 pm. These dynamic, hands-on activity days feature Wacky Wednesdays, with a focus on Dr. Seuss, and special activities every day of the week. All activities are free with museum admission!
“Summer Spectacular is our chance to make every day a Family Fun Day,” said Clarissa Leverich, Family Engagement Coordinator. Over the course of a week, visitors can expect Monday and Tuesday to be a little more quiet, with engagement opportunities in our three facilitated family spaces: The Cat’s Corner for literacy based crafts; the Spark!Lab for innovation based invention prompts; and the Art Discovery Center for arts and crafts. Wednesday is a Seussian day with each activity focused on literacy-skill building while having fun. And Thursday through Friday combine Seuss with nature-based activities inspired by Nature Cat: Backyard and Beyond, on exhibit now at the Science Museum. The Cat in the Hat will also be visiting throughout the Summer!
“Dr. Seuss is our model for the high-impact of playful learning,” Leverich said. “We present activities that have foundation of skill-building and are dynamic, engaging, and fun.”
From tossing a ring on a Thing, which builds hand-eye coordination; to creating your own Seussian hat, which encourages focus and nurtures creativity; to experimenting with snap circuits, which help visitors understand how electricity works: the activities the Family Engagement Team offer are varied and exciting and have an impact on learning. “We have heard so many caregivers become just as enthusiastic as their child, working together and sharing discoveries,” said SarahRose Adan, Spark!Lab Coordinator.
And of course the Cat and the Hat will be on campus for regular visits. “There is something really magical about witnessing a child greeting the Cat in the Hat,” said Abby Garner, The Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Program Coordinator. “Adults get pretty excited as well.”
Activities vary daily, checking the calendar on the SpringfieldMuseums.org website is recommended.
“Repeat visits ensure you won’t miss a thing,” said Melanie Ayer, Membership Coordinator for the Museums. “We are offering a $10 off membership Seussian Summer Sale in honor of Seuss-iversary, a year-long celebration of the 5th and the 20th anniversaries of the opening of the Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Museum and Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden,” Ayer said. Repeat visitors receive a special gift after three visits: A branded Love Dr. Seuss string bag filled with literacy-enhancing activities. “There is a cool, Seussian punch-card to record your visits,” Ayer said.
Summers at the Museums are special.
Please visit https://springfieldmuseums.org/programs/category/family-activity/summer-spectacular/ for details.
Summer Spectacular Activities Sample
Wacky Wednesdays
July 6 @ 10:00 am–5:00 pm
The Museums are open seven days a week and we invite you to play, explore, and create with us! It’s Wacky Wednesday: enjoy these activities inspired by our Seuss-iversary year.
Free with museum admission!
Brilliant Bubbles, 11 am-3 pm
Printmaking Fun! Use soap bubbles to create splashy prints with bright pops of color. (Quadrangle Green)
Fling a Ring on a Thing, 11 am-3 pm
Earn points and a prize in this giant ring toss-style game! (Quadrangle Green)
Seussian Sand Tray, 11 am-3 pm
Make fun patterns in our Seuss-inspired sand tray. (Quadrangle Green)
Perfect Pairs, 11 am-3 pm
Thing 1 and Thing 2 are a wild pair! Have fun matching up animal pairs you can find in the Springfield Science Museum. (Mammal Hall, First Floor, Springfield Science Museum)
Hats Off to the Cat, 12-4 pm
Make your own Cat in the Hat wearable hat! Put your own special spin on your hat’s design. (Art Discovery Center, Second Floor, GWV Smith Art Museum)
Seussian Scavenger Hunt, 12-4 pm
Museum to find the answers to our Seuss-inspired scavenger hunt. Claim your surprise prize when you’re done! While supplies last. (Art Discovery Center, Second Floor, GWV Smith Art Museum)
Mt. Crumpit Design Challenge, 11 am-3 pm
Woosh! Build a sleigh and see how fast you can make it down Mt. Crumpit. Don’t let The Grinch fall out on the way. (SIS Hall, First Floor, Wood Museum of Springfield History)
The Cat’s Corner, 10 am-4 pm
Stop in to read some of Ted Geisel’s original stories along with lots of other picture books. Take part in facilitated activities that merge art and literacy, allowing children to build and utilize diverse vocabulary and reading comprehension skills while creating an original piece of artwork.
Art Discovery Center, 12-4 pm
Trace your own Chinese horoscope, try on costumes and armor, play gallery games, peek under lift-up panels on the Wall of Symbols to discover the meaning behind Asian motifs, and get creative this week’s art project.
Spark!Lab, 10:30 am-4 pm
A new approach to hands-on making and learning! No step-by-step instructions here. Instead, kids will identify problems and challenges, develop solutions, and put their ideas into action—all while building important 21st century skills like creativity, critical thinking, problem solving, and adaptability.
And don’t forget about our special exhibits!
Springfieldmuseums.org, One Admission/Five Museums,
including the one and only Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Museum
Parking is always FREE
About The Springfield Museums
THE SPRINGFIELD MUSEUMS are located on the Quadrangle at 21 Edwards Street in the heart of downtown Springfield, Massachusetts. The nationally accredited and Smithsonian-affiliated consortium of museums includes the Springfield Science Museum, the Michele and Donald D’Amour Museum of Fine Arts, the Lyman and Merrie Wood Museum of Springfield History, the George Walter Vincent Smith Art Museum, the Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden, and the Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Museum, the first and only museum dedicated to the beloved children’s book author and Springfield native.