Playdough Party with Junko
2024-07-03 13:30 - 14:30, 2024-07-10 13:30 - 14:30 (America/Chicago)
Join Junko in the Art Studio Classroom each Wednesday to create your own scented playdough that’s a squishy, smush-able sensory delight.

This event is free with general museum admission.

Insect Scavenger Hunt
2024-07-03 13:30 - 15:00, 2024-07-04 13:30 - 15:00, 2024-07-05 13:30 - 15:00, 2024-07-06 13:30 - 15:00, 2024-07-10 13:30 - 15:00 | Madison Children’s Museum, 100 N. Hamilton Street, Madison, WI, 53704, United States
Be very, very quiet… we’re hunting insects! Join us in the Urb Garden, where we’ll sharpen our observation skills and search for bugs hiding in the plants. Gentleness is encouraged—no insects will be harmed in the making of this program.

This program is free with general museum admission.

Cabin Life: Beads & Baubles
2024-07-03 14:00 - 15:00 | Madison Children’s Museum, 100 N. Hamilton Street, Madison, WI, 53704, United States
Get decked out with wooden beads and sinew thread while exploring early jewelry-making. Flex your fine motor skills and practice hand-eye coordination to design custom bracelets and necklaces out of natural, historical materials.

Cabin Life invites you to try your hand at crafts and activities from around the time our original log cabin was built in the 1840s.

This event is free with general museum admission.

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MCM Roadshow: Parks Alive at Hammersley Park
2024-07-03 17:00 - 20:00 | Hammersley Park, 6114 Hammersley Road, Madison, Wisconsin, 53703
Join MCM Roadshow and other local favorite organizations at Hammersley Park, starting at 5 pm. Parks Alive builds stronger neighborhoods and connects neighbors to their parks through fun, family-friendly activities, movies, and free food.

Fourth of July: Museum Open!
2024-07-04 09:00 - 20:00
Enjoy a sunny Fourth of July with MCM! The museum will be open today for our typical Thursday hours, 9 am to 8 pm, with free admission 4 pm to 8 pm.

Sensory Worlds with Junko
2024-07-04 13:30 - 14:30 | Madison Children’s Museum, 100 N. Hamilton Street, Madison, WI, 53704, United States
Join Junko in the Urb Garden as we explore different sensory materials every week!

This event is free with general museum admission.

Wild Wonders: Mini Stick Flags
2024-07-04 17:00 - 19:00 | Madison Children’s Museum, 100 N. Hamilton Street, Madison, WI, 53704, United States
Let your twig flag fly! Create colorful banners of your own design, mounted on sticks gathered from the museum’s gardens.

This event is part of our free admission Thursday evenings, 4 pm-8 pm. Image credit: Bonnie Scorer

Music with Junebug
2024-07-05 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.

Music with Junebug takes place in our Celebrations room, and is free with general museum admission.

Clay Day: Ceramic Pinch Pots
2024-07-05 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 “clay it forward” with ceramic clay pinch pots.

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.

Kamishibai Storytelling with Junko
2024-07-05 13:30 - 14:30
Join Junko each Friday for interactive storytelling with Japanese kamishibai cards!

This event is free with general museum admission.

UPDATE! Live from the Wonderground: Red Rose
2024-07-05 17:00 - 20:00
Every first Friday this summer, enjoy free concerts at MCM featuring an eclectic mix of Madison bands. Adults get to dance and chat, kids climb and play, and caregivers enjoy low-stress social time in an outdoor play space like no other!

UPDATE: Don’t Mess with Cupid will be unable to perform due to illness. We send healing thoughts their way and welcome Red Rose, fronted by Cupid member Raquel Aleman, for an evening of live looping Space-Funk/House/Trip-Hop. Ice cream from Dairy Godmother is available for purchase, and a cash bar featuring alcoholic and NA beverages.

Live from the Wonderground admission is free! You may choose to provide a donation at the door, but no entry fee is required. Proceeds benefit the work of Madison Children’s Museum and allow us to bring accessible programming to our community. All tickets are at the door, no advance registration. Please enter at the Wonderground gate on E. Dayton Street, by the Log Cabin.

Live from the Wonderground brings music, dancing, food, and drinks for all ages to Madison’s most creative play space and part-time concert venue, the Wonderground.

This free first-Friday concert series features local bands, drinks, light snacks, and fresh air fun. Events take place from 5 to 8 pm, with bands performing two sets from 5:30 to 7:30 pm. In between sets, “A Drop in the Bucket” features a unique mini-set performed in the Wonderground’s Giant Bucket.

Learn more and view upcoming Live from the Wonderground events.

July Member Morning
2024-07-06 08:00 - 09:00 | Madison Children’s Museum, 100 N. Hamilton Street, Madison, WI, 53704, United States
Enjoy exclusive, members-only time in the museum for a great addition to your Farmers Market family outing. There’s no better way to play before the museum gets busy! Enjoy complimentary coffee and delicious donuts while supplies last.

July is Member Appreciation Month! Look forward to extra-special perks and events just for our fabulous museum members, all month long. 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.

Boat-Building Bonanza
2024-07-06 10:30 - 12:00 | Madison Children’s Museum, 100 N. Hamilton Street, Madison, WI, 53704, United States
All hands on deck! Channel your creativity and engineering skills to build your fastest and float-iest vessel. Test your boat in the pond and don’t be afraid to cast away old designs. Experiment with different shapes and materials to see how they float, sink, capsize, or glide in the water.

This event is free with general museum admission.

Saturday Art Adventures: Basket Making
2024-07-06 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. Embark on projects with a wide variety of art media and processes for all ages and abilities. Materials are included—and the best part? We take care of cleanup! Today, let’s weave handmade baskets.

This event is free with general museum admission.

Exploration Station: Boat Building Bonanza
2024-07-07 10:30 - 12:00 | Madison Children’s Museum, 100 N. Hamilton Street, Madison, WI, 53704, United States

Let's Make! with Lexie
2024-07-07 13:00 - 15:00
Explore new materials and creative techniques through facilitated art activities and bring home hand-made treasures. Projects vary each week and may include sculpture, painting, comics, printmaking, and more!

This event is free with general museum admission.

Tuesday Member Morning
2024-07-09 09:00 - 12:00 | Madison Children’s Museum, 100 N. Hamilton Street, Madison, WI, 53704, United States
Enjoy exclusive, members-only time in the museum each Tuesday for Member Appreciation Month! There’s no better way to play at MCM, especially for our young visitors who are easily overwhelmed by crowds. Stretch out, enjoy the exhibits at your own pace, and enjoy a chilled-out morning together in the museum.

Not a member yet? Become one today! Membership starts immediately, so you can visit for free on Member Morning or any other time the museum is open. Learn more about membership.

Creative Movement & Dance: Bee and Insect Dances (Member Morning!)
2024-07-09 10:00 - 10:45
Celebrate the Nice Age Trail and deepen our connection to nature with Isthmus Dance Collective! Each Tuesday, these imaginative, immersive, and active classes will allow kids and their grownups to explore the Trail’s themes with curiosity, creativity, and exposure to dance concepts from local dance experts. Today’s theme explores teamwork and collective action through mimicking true-to-life bee and insect dances.

Creative Movement and Dance events will continue through July as part of MCM Member Appreciation Month! Channel that active energy with our friends from Isthmus Dance Collective, and enjoy three dedicated hours of play in the museum each Tuesday (9am–12pm) just for our museum members.

MCM Roadshow: Parks Alive at Aldo Leopold Park
2024-07-09 17:00 - 20:00 | Aldo Leopold Park, 2906 Traceway Drive, Madison, Wisconsin, United States
Join MCM Roadshow and other local favorite organizations at Aldo Leopold Park, starting at 5 pm. Parks Alive builds stronger neighborhoods and connects neighbors to their parks through fun, family-friendly activities, movies, and free food.

Early Explorers Playgroup
2024-07-10 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.

Exploration Station: Catapult Crafting
2024-07-10 10:30 - 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.

This event is free with general museum admission.

Music Time with Tim!
2024-07-10 11:00 - 11:30
Explore the world of music and rhythm! Join Tim in the Celebrations room each week to enjoy play-based songs, games, and stories.

This event is free with general museum admission.

Baby Beach Party!
2024-07-10 17:00 - 19:30
Join the hottest party in town—MCM’s Baby Beach Party! Babies and toddlers take over the Wonderground for an evening of fun in the setting sun. Bring a swimsuit or change of clothes so your little one can really dive into the activities! Enjoy sensory play with taste-safe “sand”, custom footprint crafts, music time with Junebug, splashing around in our water features, and live summer tunes with the lei-wearing Melvis. Snacks available for purchase in the Lunchbox cafe.

Recommended for babies and toddlers, age 3 and under. A family ticket costs $10, or $5 for Access member families. All members enjoy 10% off.

SOLD OUT

MCM Roadshow: Parks Alive at Meadowood Park
2024-07-10 17:00 - 20:00 | Meadowood Park, 5810 Thrush Ln, Madison, WI 53711
Join MCM Roadshow and other local favorite organizations at Meadowood Park, starting at 5 pm. Parks Alive builds stronger neighborhoods and connects neighbors to their parks through fun, family-friendly activities, movies, and free food.

Dino Days at MCM (July 11–July 14)
2024-07-11 09:00 - 2024-07-14 16:00 | Madison Children’s Museum, 100 N. Hamilton Street, Madison, WI, 53704, United States
Join MCM for four days of prehistoric play! Enjoy dino dances, raptor rhythms, cretaceous crafts, and more from July 11 through July 14.

Thursday, July 11:– Messy Art with Laurie: Dinosaur Printing– Dino Scavenger Hunt– Wild Wonders: Frozen Dinos!– Dino Dance Party: Angela Puerta Band

Friday, July 12:– STEAM Time: Tiny Dino-Ramas– Clay Day: Dinosaur Cut-Outs– Dino Scavenger Hunt

Saturday, July 13:– Exploration Station: Dino Fossils– Saturday Art Adventures: Mini Dino-Ramas– Dino Scavenger Hunt

Sunday, July 14: – Exploration Station: Dino Fossils

This event is free with the cost of general museum admission.
