What’s New This Month

 October

September 15 – October 15: Hispanic Heritage Month 

The Louisiana Children’s Museum celebrates National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15, by honoring the histories, cultures, and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America.

Join us for continued Hispanic Heritage Month programming, including Ritmeaux Krewe on Family Folklife Day and our Dia de los Muertos celebrations, with Ofrenda by Master Folk Artist Cynthia Ramirez, and participation in the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce’s Dia de los Muertos Fiesta in Lafayette Square.

LCM has a lovely library in Make Your Mark that honors Latinx authors and illustrators, including Alma by Juana Martinez-Neal, Separate is Never Equal by Duncan Tonatiuh, and Mango, Abuela, Y Yo by Meg Medina and Angela Dominquez. These award-winning books will also be featured at story time during Hispanic Heritage Month: Wednesdays, Thursdays,  Fridays, and Saturdays at 11:00, 1:00, and 3:00 and Sundays at 2:00. We will also learn and/or teach Spanish words and phrases throughout the month.  

 

Thursday, October 1 at 11:00 a.m.: Throwback Thursday

Talk & Play Center

Join us for an afternoon storytime and activity based on a classic story or favorite fairy tale. Help your child discover the timeless joy of Strega Nona’s pasta pot, Rapunzel’s golden braid, Joseph’s overcoat, and other reminders from past iconic stories.

 

 

Thursday, October 1 and 15 4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.: Sensory-Friendly Playtime 

At LCM, we are committed to building stronger, more connected communities through active engagement. We welcome all families and children of all backgrounds and circumstances. We offer a playtime for families that provides a low-sensory experience where children with sensory-specific needs can explore the Museum without the noise, crowds, and stimulation of typical open hours. We limit the number of families who can attend, turn down sounds and lights, and provide adaptive equipment such as noise-reducing headphones and weighted vests. When available, specialists will be on hand to help facilitate activities and provide resources. If you would like to participate in this event, please register here. 

 

 

Saturday, October 3 from 9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.: Family Folklife Day

Celebrate Louisiana Folklife Month with LCM’s 5th annual Family Folklife Day on Saturday, October 3! The whole family can enjoy a full day of live performances, hands-on cultural activities, youth-led community story gathering, family archive resources, and interactive experiences from local partner organizations. Explore, create, taste, and share the ways of life that connect generations while discovering new ways to preserve our stories, traditions, and the land we live on for the future. LCM is proud to be a part of family culture in New Orleans and beyond for the last 40 years!  Culture & Heritage programming at LCM is generously sponsored by the New Orleans Tourism and Cultural Fund (NOTCF) and the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation. All activities are included with regular museum admission.

Featured Events

• Lively performances, parades, and demonstrations by special guests
• Community interview and podcast table from the teens of BeLoud Studios
• Resource tables and engaging activities from local partner organizations
• Local flavors and kitchen culture exploration
• Themed prompts throughout the museum galleries
• Steward’s Ship and fishing activities, collaborative creations, stop-motion animation, and more across our indoor/outdoor campus!

Kids and their grownups can explore what defines their own “Family Folklife” through activities and programs designed to prompt inter-generational conversations about the stories and traditions in their own family group. 

Featured participants include:

• Be Loud Studios
• NOVAC (New Orleans Video Access Center)
• Ritmeaux Krewe
• Eternal East Lion Dance Team
• Versailles Fan Dance Team
• Spy Boy Walter Sandifer III
• T-Marie and Bayou Ju Ju
• Louisiana Cultures Camp
• Grasshoppers Landing
• Anna Rita Scott and Ayo Scott presented by the Helis Foundation John Scott Center
• New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park and Jean Lafitte National Historical Park & Preserve (U.S. National Park Service)
• Historic New Orleans Collection
• New Orleans Public Library City Archives & Special Collections
• Acorn Cafe
• And More!

Check out the Family Folklife Day page on our website for more information and to purchase tickets, as well as resource guide for ways to Explore Your Own Family Folklife.

Follow @louisianakids on Instagram and Facebook for schedule updates and information!

 

 

Studio in the Park: Light and Shadow Storytellers 

What can you observe about the ways that colors mix through light? What stories are you inspired to tell using shadows? Join us in exploring Shadows, Art, and Storytelling in our Studio in the Park during October. Let your curiosity be your guide and learn about the ways we observe and interact with light and color, then share your observations with us! Extend your exploration to the projectors in our Build Big Dreams exhibit, the shadows created by daylight throughout the rest of our museum, and beyond into the world around us.

 

 

Thursday, October 4 at 12:00 p.m.: Family Fitness: Obstacle Fun

Obstacle Fun is an exciting adventure course designed to get kids and families moving, laughing, and working together! F3 will set up a variety of fun and challenging activities including giant tires to climb through, balance beams, shuttle runs, crawling tunnels, jumping stations, and more.  Children will build strength, coordination, confidence, and teamwork skills while having a blast navigating the obstacle course in a playful, supportive environment.

 

 

Thursday, October 8 at 11:00 a.m.: Throwback Thursday

Join us for an afternoon storytime and activity based on a classic story or favorite fairy tale. Help your child discover the timeless joy of Strega Nona’s pasta pot, Rapunzel’s golden braid, Joseph’s overcoat, and other reminders from past iconic stories.

 

 

 

Friday, October 9 from 10:00 a.m.– 10:20 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. – 1:50 p.m.: Let’s Geaux Fishin’ 

Move with the River                                                 

Ready to geaux fishing with us? Celebrate National Seafood Month as we explore the incredible fish that call the Mississippi River home—including some living legends that have been around since before the dinosaurs! Discover how engineers design tools for different purposes, then try your hand at designing your own fishing gear and reeling in something exciting!

 

 

Saturday, October 10 at 11:45 a.m.: “CANTAR Y JUGAR”

Presented by members of the Hispanic Heritage Foundation

Welcome to this interactive introduction to the Spanish language in which children will learn basic Spanish vocabulary as they sing, move, dance, play instruments, and play games that focus on ANIMALS! All ages are welcome! Facilitators Christy West and Helio Zavalza are retired teachers with experience teaching both music and languages. 

 

 

Thursday, October 15 at 11:00 a.m.: Throwback Thursday

Talk & Play Center

Join us for an afternoon storytime and activity based on a classic story or favorite fairy tale. Help your child discover the timeless joy of Strega Nona’s pasta pot, Rapunzel’s golden braid, Joseph’s overcoat, and other reminders from past iconic stories.

 

 

October 21 – November 8: Día de los Muertos Altar in Make Your Mark Gallery

Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a Mexican holiday celebrated on November 1 through November 2. Because of its Indigenous and European roots, it is celebrated in various ways all over the world. Here in Louisiana, you may observe La Toussaint, or All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day. This is a special time to demonstrate love and respect for deceased family members, and to visit and care for the cemeteries. Families make colorful altars in their homes in honor of their loved ones, and the altars are decorated with flowers, candles, and maybe their loved one’s favorite food. We will host a Day of the Dead altar or Ofrenda and design paper marigolds in honor of those we miss. Many cultures associate the marigold flower with remembrance. 

We celebrate this tradition each year with an Ofrenda created by Master Folk Artist Cynthia Ramirez that will remain until November 8th.   Día de los Muertos is as much a time to celebrate life as it is a special time to remember.

 

 

Saturday, October 10 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.  

Take Care Saturday: Be a Body Detective 

Talk & Play Center 

Join us for a parent-centered art activity exploring interoception—the sense that helps us notice what’s happening inside our bodies. Caregivers will trace their child’s body on butcher paper and create body maps together. As we explore where we feel different sensations and feelings, we’ll discover that all feelings are okay and explore ways to lovingly support children’s emotional needs.  

This program is hosted by a certified parent coach.  

NOTE: Take Care Tuesdays happens outside the paywall and is free to the public. 

 

 

October 23: Parents Night Out: Creepy Crawlies

Calling all little explorers! Join us for a night of creepy-crawly fun as we search the museum for hidden bugs, spiders, and other tiny creatures. Kids will create a creepy-crawly art project and enjoy a fun-filled evening of exploring, discovering, and getting a little buggy! Registration Required.

 

 

October 24: Workshop with Master Folk Artist Cynthia Ramirez

Studio in the Park

Thursday, October 22 from 11 a.m. – 11:20 a.m.: Let’s Geaux Fishin’ 

Move with the River

Ready to geaux fishing with us? Celebrate National Seafood Month as we explore the incredible fish that call the Mississippi River home—including some living legends that have been around since before the dinosaurs! Discover how engineers design tools for different purposes, then try your hand at designing your own fishing gear and reeling in something exciting!

 

 

Thursday, October 22 at 11:00 a.m.: Throwback Thursday

Talk & Play Center

Join us for an afternoon storytime and activity based on a classic story or favorite fairy tale. Help your child discover the timeless joy of Strega Nona’s pasta pot, Rapunzel’s golden braid, Joseph’s overcoat, and other reminders from past iconic stories.

 

 

Saturday October 24 from 11:00-3:00: Xavier University Chinese Language Program Presents Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival

The Xavier University of Louisiana Chinese Language Program invites you to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival through a fun, hands-on cultural experience! Learn about the traditions and customs of this important Chinese festival, create your own Mid-Autumn bookmark with stamps and stickers, and explore Taiwan through a special culture booth featuring its landmarks, traditions, and everyday culture.

 

 

Sunday, October 25 from 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.: Clown Yoga with Bambi Maloney 

Clown Yoga is a playful and interactive experience that combines yoga, creativity, mindfulness, storytelling, and clown-inspired fun for children and families. Bambi Maloney has created a unique way to help children and families connect through movement and laughter in a way that feels welcoming and accessible to all experience levels.

 

 

 

Saturday, October 31: Halloween Fun

Come celebrate some of the fall family traditions that happen this time each year, and some things spooky, mysterious and magical.

• Pumpkin Sorting in the Pumpkin Patch all day in Play With Me 
• Pumpkin Painting in the Edible Garden 10:00-11:00 
• Halloween stories by the campfire 11:00, 1:00, 3:00 
• Bambi Maloney Clown Yoga 1:30-2:30 
• Monster Mash Dance Party at 2:30
• Spooky STEM activities 3:00 

It’s going to be a boo-tiful day! 

The Louisiana Children’s Museum is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit (EIN: 72-0929068).

Your ticket purchases, membership and donations directly support our mission to connect children with the world around them through play, exploration, and conversation.