Madison Children's Museum

Nice Age Tales
2025-10-22 10:30 - 11:00, 2025-10-29 10:30 - 11:00 (America/Chicago)
Snuggle in for a delightful mix of stories, puppets, and songs! This trail-side program invites young children to explore emotions, rhythm, and imagination through movement and mindful moments. Grown-ups welcome, too—this is a peaceful pause for the whole family.

Music Time with Tim
2025-10-22 11:00 - 11:30, 2025-10-29 11:00 - 11:30
Explore the world of music and rhythm! Each week, Tim leads children in singing, rhythm games, and musical stories that inspire creativity and connection. It’s an engaging experience for kids and families—free with admission.

MCM Roadshow: Meadowood
2025-10-22 17:00 - 19:00
We’re taking the museum on the road! At community events all around Madison, you can stop by our station to dive into hands-on maker activities, design a small take-home art project, and experiment with creative fort-building. Our traveling play station sparks curiosity, encourages problem-solving, and brings museum-style learning to local events.

Location: Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 5701 Raymond Rd, Madison, WI 53711

Tales with Teresa
2025-10-23 09:30 - 10:00
Join us for story time and hear Teresa read some of her favorite books using her DynaVox. With this speech-generating device, Teresa shares stories that help us build listening skills, develop early literacy, and celebrate each other’s differences.
This event is free with general museum admission.

Let's Move! with Abby
2025-10-23 10:00 - 11:30, 2025-10-25 10:00 - 11:30, 2025-10-29 10:00 - 11:30, 2025-10-31 10:00 - 11:30
Join us for movement games and activities! From obstacle courses to dances, group games and balance activities, we’ll enjoy different opportunities to move our bodies every day. Program location is subject to change, depending on the weather. Please check our Welcome Wall for the most up-to-date location information.This event is free with general museum admission.

Messy Art with Laurie
2025-10-23 11:00 - 12:00
Join MCM art educator Ms. Laurie for a drop-in art experience designed for MCM’s youngest visitors and their caregivers. We’ll use scraping, scratchy “monster claw” tools to create unique textures in our take-home painting projects. Empower your little artist to freely explore materials and art-making with their senses. Come make a beautiful mess with us! Free with general admission.

Nurture with Nature
2025-10-23 14:00 - 15:00
Let your curiosity run wild! Each week, children dive into nature-themed play—maybe you’ll meet a furry friend, plant something special, or get muddy on a garden adventure. From seed saving to storytelling, this program mixes science, play, and outdoor exploration in ways that grow kids’ confidence and love for nature.

Free Thursday Evenings
2025-10-23 16:00 - 20:00, 2025-10-30 16:00 - 20:00 | Madison Children’s Museum, 100 N. Hamilton Street, Madison, WI, 53704, United States
Visit MCM for free every Thursday evening, 4–8 pm!

Enjoy extended hours each Thursday, completely free of charge. Please check in at the admissions desk when you visit during free hours.

Looking for more affordable ways to visit? During the rest of the week, MCM offers reduced cost admission and memberships every day to families who qualify through our Access for Everyone initiative.

Early Explorers Playgroup
2025-10-24 09:30 - 10:30
This playgroup is expertly designed for our earliest visitors. We will provide a space for infants and toddlers (2 years and under) and their caregivers to explore and play together, and engage in unstructured play that supports various aspects of child development. Parents and caregivers will have the opportunity to connect with one another over a variety of topics. Come meet other families and make new friends!

Halloween Headbands
2025-10-24 10:00 - 12:00
Make your costume stand out with a handmade Halloween headband! Whether you dream of fairy wings, dinosaur spikes, monster horns, or something totally your own, we’ll have materials and inspiration ready. Bring your costume idea—or invent on the spot—and walk away with a wearable creation that shows off your Halloween spirit.

Music with Junebug
2025-10-24 10:30 - 11:00, 2025-10-31 10:30 - 11:00
Sing, stomp, and hop to the beat with Junko “Junebug” Yamauchi. These energetic, interactive sessions blend lively music, playful rhythms, and storytelling elements that spark imagination. Junko’s joyful energy builds connection, confidence, and community—all through the magic of music and movement. Perfect for toddlers and preschoolers.

Clay It Forward!
2025-10-24 13:00 - 15:00, 2025-10-31 13:00 - 15:00
Roll, shape, and sculpt with us on Friday afternoons! Join Art Studio staff to explore the magic of clay while creating pots, tiles, and shapes that will find a home here in the museum. It’s a hands-on way to leave your creative mark while learning the basics of ceramic art.

Sensory-Friendly Halloween and Free Vaccine Clinic
2025-10-24 16:30 - 19:00 | Madison Children’s Museum, 100 N. Hamilton Street, Madison, WI, 53704, United States
Madison Children’s Museum welcomes children and families with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and sensory challenges to experience the museum during sensory-friendly hours, free of charge. This program aims to bring families together to learn through play in an environment that supports the unique needs of children with ASD.

During this event, Public Health Madison Dane County, together with local healthcare providers, will provide a free vaccine clinic for ages 5 and up, with medical providers who specialize in administering vaccines to children with sensory processing challenges and fear of needles. This vaccine clinic is NOT just for individuals with extra sensory needs. Each person who wants to receive a vaccine registers individually for a ten-minute session (vaccinators can take families as a group at the museum, but they must register separately). The clinic will accept all types of health insurance, and will provide vaccines free of charge to those without insurance. Click here for the vaccine registration link and list of available vaccines.

This program is free to all attendees! Pre-registration for the event is recommended, but not required.

Major Support provided by

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Dough It Yourself!
2025-10-24 17:00 - 18:00
Scoop, stir, and squish! In this calming, creative activity, kids and caregivers make their own colorful play dough to take home. It’s a great way to explore textures and scents in a low-stimulation space. Offered as part of our Sensory-Friendly Night, designed to support visitors with sensory sensitivities.

Exploration Station: Haunted Leaf Art
2025-10-25 10:30 - 12:00
Autumn leaves are more than just pretty—they’re full of possibilities! Join us to turn leaves into curious characters, dramatic dioramas, or forest-fantasy scenes. With just a few natural materials, you can build a world where leaves become wings, whiskers, or wild expressions. You decide the story.

Art Adventures: Haunted Dioramas
2025-10-25 13:00 - 15:00
Unleash your imagination as you build a miniature scene filled with curious creatures and uncanny charm. Our “terrorium” project blends nature, art, and storytelling in a tiny world you create. Kids can build a diorama that’s mysterious or magical—whatever feels just right. All materials provided, and free with admission.

Halloween Crafting with Edgewood Smile Club
2025-10-26 12:00 - 15:00
Get creative this Halloween season with hands-on crafts led by students from Edgewood High School’s Smile Club. You’ll make seasonal decorations and festive projects perfect for the season. Whether your style is creepy or cute, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. All materials provided, and free with museum admission.

Baby's First Halloween
2025-10-28 09:00 - 12:00
Join us for the cutest fall event in town: Baby’s First Halloween! The museum will be open special hours on Tuesday, October 28 just for this boppin’ baby party.
Featured activities are slated to include:

Magical Creature Bath Time
Monster Block Stack
“Spooky” Crawler Exploration Box
Footprint Ghosties
Sensory bins
Photo opp in the museum
Music with Junebug

Best for children under 3.

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Downtown Madison Family Halloween
2025-10-29 15:00 - 18:00
Make MCM the first stop on your trick-or-treat trip around the Capitol Square! Enjoy a free, family-oriented Halloween celebration for kids 12 yrs and younger in downtown Madison.

Join us for free playtime and outdoor activities, 3–6 pm in the Wonderground (enter on Dayton St.). This event is free to the public, no ticket required!

Let's Move! Halloween Scavenger Hunt
2025-10-30 10:00 - 11:30
Embark on a Halloween scavenger hunt through the museum and discover spooky surprises around every corner. Search for creepy clues, solve mysterious riddles, and collect wins along the way. Program location is subject to change, depending on the weather. Please check our Welcome Wall for the most up-to-date location information. This event is free with general museum admission.

Messy Art with Laurie
2025-10-30 11:00 - 12:00
Join MCM art educator Ms. Laurie for a weekly burst of color, texture, and joyful experimentation. Young children can freely explore art materials in a welcoming space designed especially for our youngest artists. It’s creativity without limits—or cleanup. Come make a beautiful mess with us! Free with general admission.

Adult Swim: Wicked Fun
2025-10-31 17:30 - 21:00 | Madison Children’s Museum, 100 N. Hamilton Street, Madison, WI, 53704, United States
Something wicked this way comes… it’s Adult Swim: Wicked Fun!

Start your Halloween night off with some wicked good fun!

It’s a bewitching night of ghoulish glamor, uncanny crafts, and magical mischief as the adults take over the museum. Whether you’re giving full Glinda or just wearing your resting witch face, all levels of costume commitment are welcome!

Spine-tingling activities:

Premiere Trivia – Witchy Edition: Experience the exceptional joy of being the smartest witch of your year
Witch Dolls: Make your very own spectral friend to take home and cherish
Broom Bracket Witch-Off: 16 witches enter, 1 witch leaves. Weigh in on our Broom Bracket to see which witch is worthiest
Magic Wands: Treat yourself to a new wand, customized with your choice of mystical supplies and magical decorations
Photo Op: You are 100% that witch! Take a photo to prove it at our bespoke photo booth
Haunted House: Summon the spirits in our authentic 1800s cabin… if you dare!

Freaky Food & Spooky Spirits:

No tricks, just treats with authentic Jamaican cuisine from M & J Jamaican Kitch’n! Our cash bars will be serving up hauntingly good craft cocktails and cackling cold brews from Delta Beer Lab and State Line Distillery (plus non-alcoholic options, as always).

Thank you to our local vendor partners Delta Beer Lab & State Line Distillery.

Tickets

Ages 21+ ONLY

$25 day of the event

Bring the whole coven! Get 10% off for 10 or more tickets, applied automatically at checkout.

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What is Adult Swim, anyway?

Adult Swim at Madison Children’s Museum honors the public pool tradition of kicking out the kids out so adults can get silly (just without an actual pool). This 21+ event series offers the chance to play like a grown-up—sipping, sliding, and spellcasting your way through the museum.

Ticket cancellation/exchange policy.

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Related Events

Music Time with Tim

Wednesday, March 4 @ 11:00 am – 11:30 am

Tales with Teresa

Thursday, March 5 @ 9:30 am – 10:00 am

Braaains! with UW Neuroscience Outreach

Thursday, March 5 @ 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm
