Madison Children's Museum

Let's Move! in the Wonderground
2024-12-07 10:00 - 11:30, 2024-12-06 10:00 - 11:30, 2024-12-05 10:00 - 11:30, 2024-12-04 10:00 - 11:30, 2024-11-30 10:00 - 11:30, 2024-11-29 10:00 - 11:30 (America/Chicago) | Madison Children’s Museum, 100 N. Hamilton Street, Madison, WI, 53704, United States
Join us for movement games in the Wonderground! From obstacle courses to dances, group games, balance activities, and yoga, we’ll enjoy different opportunities to move our bodies every day.

This event is free with general museum admission.

MCM Roadshow: Santa Photos with the Progress Center for Black Women
2024-12-07 09:00 - 15:00 | Madison College – Goodman South Campus, 2429 Perry St, Madison, WI 53713
Today, MCM Roadshow will join the Progress Center for Black Women for holiday fun and photos with Santa at Madison College’s Goodman South Campus. Find more details and register here for Saturday’s event at Madison College:https://www.centerforblackwomen.org/events/day-1-6th-annual-photos-with-santa/This is one of two opportunities to snap a jolly photo with Santa, so if you miss your chance today, come on down to Madison Children’s Museum on Sunday, Dec 8 from 10 am–2 pm.

December Member Morning
2024-12-07 08:00 - 09:00 | Madison Children’s Museum, 100 N. Hamilton Street, Madison, WI, 53704, United States
Enjoy exclusive, members-only playtime in the museum before things get busy! Enjoy complimentary coffee and free treats to accompany the chilly morning (while supplies last.)

Not a member yet? Become one today! Membership starts immediately, so you can visit for free anytime the museum is open. Learn more about membership.

Sensory Worlds with Junko
2024-12-06 13:30 - 14:30 | Madison Children’s Museum, 100 N. Hamilton Street, Madison, WI, 53704, United States
Join Junko as we explore different sensory materials every week!Please note, this program location may vary. Check at the admissions desk for the most up-to-date information.

This event is free with general museum admission.

Clay Day: Roll and Cut Shapes
2024-12-06 13:00 - 15:00 | Madison Children’s Museum, 100 N. Hamilton Street, Madison, WI, 53704, United States
Explore the squishy, smudgy, sculptable world of clay! Today, we’ll make creative shapes with rolled-out clay.

Each Friday, join us for a different drop-in clay experience in the Art Studio. We’ll work with a variety of media–ceramic clay, dough, paper clay, polymer clay, and more. This event is free with general museum admission.

STEAM Time: Succulent Planters
2024-12-06 11:00 - 12:00 | Madison Children’s Museum, 100 N. Hamilton Street, Madison, WI, 53704, United States
Learn how to care for plants and what they need to survive. Decorate a piece of pottery from our clay program and adopt a succulent to bring home.

Join us each week for new STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) activities. These hands-on programs foster creativity, ignite curiosity, encourage divergent thinking, build problem-solving skills, and offer new ways for kids to explore the world around them.

This event is free with general museum admission.

MCM Roadshow: Kennedy Elementary Family Science Night
2024-12-05 18:00 - 20:00 | 221 Meadowlark Drive, Madison, WI 53714, 221 Meadowlark Drive, Madison, WI 53714, Madison
Meet up with MCM Roadshow at Kennedy Elementary PTO’s Family Science Night! Check out their Facebook page for more details, and donate via Venmo.

Madison Children’s Museum Roadshow brings mobile exhibits and maker activities to community events in Madison and the surrounding area.

Wild Wonders: Wood Slice Ornaments
2024-12-05 17:00 - 19:00 | Madison Children’s Museum, 100 N. Hamilton Street, Madison, WI, 53704, United States
Flex your fine motor skills and creativity to decoupage a wood slice ornament for the holidays. While you’re crafting, count the rings and see how old your tree limb is!

This event is part of our Free Thursday Evenings, 4 pm–8 pm.

Free Thursday Evenings
2024-12-05 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.

Free Night: Madison Arts Commission 50th Anniversary Celebration
2024-12-05 16:00 - 20:00 | Madison Children’s Museum, 100 N. Hamilton Street, Madison, WI, 53704, United States
Celebrate 50 years of public art and community art-making made possible by the Madison Arts Commission. Join us for a FREE celebration including performances by Madison Circus Space performers and hands-on art-making with artists TetraPAKMAN, Lesley Anne Numbers, Angelica Contreras, and Djam Vivie. Bring your dancing shoes–Madison-based band V05 will transport you back to MAC’s 1974 founding with disco hits for all ages!

Presented in partnership with Friends of Madison Arts Commission.

Music Sprouts with Junko
2024-12-05 13:30 - 14:30 | Madison Children’s Museum, 100 N. Hamilton Street, Madison, WI, 53704, United States
Music and movement for preschoolers!

Join Junko learn and experience to trial for registered class designed especially for 3-5. We’ll focus on singing together, feeling rhythm and music in our bodies, and exploring instruments. It’s a wonderful way to get out of the house and connect with your child through music and movement.

This event is free with general museum admission.

Messy Art with Laurie: Painting with Jingle Bells
2024-12-05 11:00 - 12:00 | Madison Children’s Museum, 100 N. Hamilton Street, Madison, WI, 53704, United States
Join Laurie and our Art Studio staff for a weekly drop-in art experience designed for MCM’s youngest visitors and their caregivers. Through open-ended & process-based projects, empower your little artist to freely explore materials and art-making with their senses. And the best part? We take care of cleanup! Today we’ll paint with jangly, joyful jingle bells.

This event is free with general museum admission.

Li'l Music with Junko
2024-12-05 10:45 - 11:15 | Madison Children’s Museum, 100 N. Hamilton Street, Madison, WI, 53704, United States
Get moving and grooving with your li’l one!

Does your baby or toddler love to move and groove? Join Junko for a free class designed especially for littles! We’ll focus on singing together, feeling rhythm and music in our bodies, and exploring instruments. It’s a wonderful way to get out of the house and connect with your child through music and movement. Just can’t get enough of the wiggles out? Check back for information on Junko’s registered class in January and Febraury, 2025!This event is free with general admission.

Tales with Teresa
2024-12-05 09:30 - 10:00 | Madison Children’s Museum, 100 N. Hamilton Street, Madison, WI, 53704, United States
Join us for story time and hear Teresa read some of her favorite books using her DynaVox. With this speech-generating device, Teresa will share stories and help build listening skills, develop early literacy, and celebrate each other’s differences.

This event is free with general museum admission.

Jump 'n Jive with Junko and Abby
2024-12-04 13:00 - 14:30
Join Junko and Abby in the Wonderground each Wednesday for movement and music games!

This event is free with general museum admission.

Music Time with Tim
2024-12-04 11:00 - 11:30
Explore the world of music and rhythm! Join Tim each week to enjoy play-based songs, games, and stories.

This event is free with general museum admission.

Nice Age Tales
2024-12-04 10:30 - 11:00 | Madison Children’s Museum, 100 N. Hamilton Street, Madison, WI, 53704, United States
Join us for a story and circle time that connects children to kindness and nature. Sing songs, interact with puppets, listen to a story, and move your body in this interactive weekly program.

This event will be held in the Nice Age Trail exhibit and is free with general museum admission.

Early Explorers Playgroup
2024-12-04 10:00 - 11:00 | Madison Children’s Museum, 100 N. Hamilton Street, Madison, WI, 53704, United States
Social time for babies and their grown-ups!

This playgroup is thoughtfully 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 activities that support 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!

This event will be held in the Celebrations Room and is free with general museum admission.

Saturday Art Adventures: Cast Paper Creations
2024-11-30 13:00 - 15:00 | Madison Children’s Museum, 100 N. Hamilton Street, Madison, WI, 53704, United States
Dive into an exciting drop-in art experience each week with Laurie and our Art Studio team. We’ll offer projects in a wide variety of art media and art processes for all ages and abilities. Today, we’ll use paper in a novel way to create multidimensional cast sculptures.This event is free with general museum admission. Image credit: Zofia Chamera

Exploration Station: Pine Cone Bird Feeders
2024-11-30 10:30 - 12:00 | Madison Children’s Museum, 100 N. Hamilton Street, Madison, WI, 53704, United States
Make a pine cone birdfeeder to bring home and provide a food source for our wild feather friend as the weather gets colder.

This event is free with general museum admission.

Clay Day: Polymer Clay Beads
2024-11-29 13:00 - 15:00 | Madison Children’s Museum, 100 N. Hamilton Street, Madison, WI, 53704, United States
Explore the squishy, smudgy, sculptable world of clay! Today we’ll “make and take” custom beads created with colorful polymer material.

Each Friday, join us for a different drop-in clay experience in the Art Studio. We’ll work with a variety of media–ceramic clay, dough, paper clay, polymer clay, and more. This event is free with general museum admission.

STEAM Time: Catapult Crafting
2024-11-29 11:00 - 12:00 | Madison Children’s Museum, 100 N. Hamilton Street, Madison, WI, 53704, United States
3… 2… 1… Launch! Make your own catapult and see how far pom poms and other projectiles can fly. Learn about the physics of force and motion while launching objects of different weights and sizes.STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) activities foster children’s creativity, ignite curiosity, encourage divergent thinking, and increase problem-solving skills as children explore the world around them.

This event is free with general museum admission.

Music with Junebug
2024-11-29 10:30 - 11:00 | Madison Children’s Museum, 100 N. Hamilton Street, Madison, WI, 53704, United States
Join us for Music with Junebug, led by Junko Yamauchi!

This program gives toddlers and preschoolers the opportunity to sing, dance, explore instruments, and play. Music and movement activities promote brain development and connect us to our family and community.

For today’s Music with Junebug location, please ask at the desk! This event is free with general museum admission.

CLOSED for Thanksgiving Day
2024-11-28 00:00 - 23:59 | Madison Children’s Museum, 100 N. Hamilton Street, Madison, WI, 53704, United States
MCM will be closed on November 28, 2024, for Thanksgiving Day.

Normal hours will resume on Friday, November 29 when we re-open at 9 am.

Kids' View Photography
2024-11-27 13:00 - 14:00 | Madison Children’s Museum, 100 N. Hamilton Street, Madison, WI, 53704, United States
Capture the museum through your own “lens” and learn how to take photos on digital cameras and phones! You’ll discover fun ways to take portraits, bring new energy to still life images, and create art from your perspective.

This event is free with general museum admission.
