Museum Mondays: Stories near the Mountain 2024
Museum Mondays is an early childhood program aligned with New Mexico's Early Learning Guidelines while supporting social-emotional learning (SEL) and pre-literacy skills for children aged 2-4 (older and younger siblings are always welcome!). For eight weeks beginning in June, Museum Mondays provides weekly interactive, Southwest, and community-based activities from 10 AM – 11:30 AM on Monday mornings. As the program has grown and evolved in response to participant and community feedback, collaborations and partnerships have emerged, including a 2022 UNM Taos intern, 2023 Vista Grande High School Intern, volunteer support, and presentations by community members. This program has created a dynamic space for enhancing and responding to some of the needs of parents and families, including our youngest Taos community members. Staff and volunteers choose art activities to align with the foundational elements of New Mexico's Early Learning Guidelines. Through multi-sensory activities, children with their adults engage in wordplay, peer and adult interactions, large and small motor-skill development, and choice-making all while having FUN!
2024 Schedule
June 3, 2024
Book: Taos Pueblo Spring
By Frank Rain Leaf
Museum Activity: Find /identify museum artworks with bird motifs.
Art / Motor Activities: Bird Match (matching game), watercolor painting (bird image).
Snack Activity: Ricecake “birds”
June 10, 2024
Book: Do you see what I see? A Southwest nature walk you read
By Abby Mogollón
Museum Activity : An interactive walk through galleries guided by children’s impressions and responses to the repetitive language play in the story, “Do you see what I see?”
Art / Motor Activities: “Do you see what I see?” sensory bin exploration. Animal masks. SW animal coloring sheets.
Snack Activity: Animal crackers, flavored cream cheese / sunflower butter.
June 17, 2024
Book: My Name is Georgia By: Jeanette Winter
Museum Activity: “Let’s Talk About It!” “My name is…” Opportunities for peer to peer communication in museum galleries and during outdoor activities. Focus on clouds.
Art / Motor Activities: (1) Mini canvas painting. (2) Cotton ball painting w/ clothespins. (3) Cut and glue cityscapes with clouds. Snack Activity: Foods that look like clouds. Greek yogurt, bread “clouds.” Alternative: Non-dairy milk bubble “clouds.”
June 24, 2024
Book: Guadalupe: First Words-Primeras Palabras
By Patty Rodriguez & Ariana Stein
Museum Activity: Explore retablos in gallery 7. Find images of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
Art / Motor Activities: Flashlight / shadow play and painting on wood.
Snack Activity: Bowl of sunshine: fresh peaches, exploring texture and color.
July 1, 2024
Book: Cowboy Small
By Lois Lenski
Museum Activity: Identify horse paintings (particularly Fritz Scholder gallery 11)
Art / Motor Activities: Horse coloring / lacing card. Horse-themed sensory bins. Role playing w/ cowboy hats. Counting activity w/ horse paintings.
Snack Activity: Veggies w/ ranch dressing.
July 8, 2024
Book: Taos Pueblo Winter
By Leonard Archuleta
Museum Activity: Sounds in the museum. Find drums and artwork with drums.
Art / Motor Activities: Cut and glue storyboard: seasons, make a drum.
Snack Activity: spread butter on horno bread.
July 15, 2024
Book: Loteria: More First Words
By Patty Rodriguez & Ariana Stein
Museum Activity: Circle time in a museum gallery.
Art / Motor Activities: making and playing with cards, counting frogs
Snack Activity: make a sandwich
July 22, 2024
Book: Ten Little Rabbits
By Virginia Grossman & Sylvia Long
Museum Activity: Rabbit tracks and other animals in the museum.
Art / Motor Activities: printmaking and clay
Snack Activity: make trail mix
July 29, 2024
Book: Tortillitas Para Mama
Selected and translated by Margot Griego, et al., Illustrated by Barbara Cooney
Museum Activity: Exploring eye-level artworks for young children.
Art / Motor Activities: Make my own book, nature sculpture
Snack Activity: Make a salad
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!
