Make everyday Earth Day this April and spring into action to support our planet’s many creatures, the environment, and more.

Element of Water: Gillnet and Nesting Awareness
Learn about gillnetting and nesting, along with the animals impacted by these environmental issues, through mindful art making projects in collaboration with CMOM educators!
Tuesday-Sunday, April 2-7 | Museum-wide

Leatherback Turtle Sculptures
Explore a variety of textures to create a sea turtle sculpture while learning about these endangered creatures.
Tuesday-Friday, April 25 | 2:15pm-4:45pm | Drop-in | All ages | 1st Floor | Makerspace
Saturday & Sunday, April 6-7 | 10:15am-12:30pm & 2:15pm-4:30pm | Drop-in | All Ages | 1st Floor | Makerspace

Under the Sea! Marine Life Sensory Bin
Explore marine life through sight, sound, touch, and even scent! Engage in waterplay and scoop out pretend marine animals and corals while making up ocean-themed stories along the way!
Tuesday-Friday, April 2-5 | 3pm-4pm | Ages 4 & younger | 3rd Floor | PlayWorks

Vaquita Paper Plate Puppets
Create a vaquita paper plate puppet and learn more about this endangered animal!
Saturday & Sunday, April 67 | 11am-12:30 pm & 2pm-3:45pm | Ages 4 & younger | 3rd Floor | PlayWorks

Interactive Storytime: The Coral Kingdom by Laura Knowles
Celebrate the diversity of life on a coral reef in this picture book with an important message about protecting these most precious environments.
Tuesday-Sunday, April 2-7 | 4pm | All ages | 3rd Floor | PlayWorks

Operation Joey: Conductive Heat Transfer
As temperatures rise, koalas survive by hugging the trees they inhabit to keep cool– a process known as “conductive heat transfer.” Bring this adorable action to life by crafting cuddly Koala friends.
Saturday & Sunday, April 13-14 | 11am-12:30pm & 2pm-3:45pm | Drop-in* | Ages 4 & younger | 3rd Floor | PlayWorks

Owl Help You!
Deforestation has caused a decline in owl nesting sites due to the major loss of trees. Inspired by Flaco, a famous owl who escaped the Central Park Zoo last year, design an upcycled feeder while learning about how we can protect owls.
Wednesday-Friday, April 10-12 | 2:15pm-4:45pm | Drop-in* | Makerspace
Saturday & Sunday, April 13-14 | 10:30am-4:30pm | Drop-in* | Makerspace

Wildfire Safety Rescue Line
Inspired by Wildfire—a fact-based picture book by Ashley Wolff—educators guide preschoolers to safety and pretend animals to shelter from a forest fire. Use the pretend phone in the PlayWorks Lab to call on firefighters to battle the blaze.
Wednesday-Friday, April 10-12 | 3pm-4pm | Drop-in*| Ages 4 & younger | 3rd Floor | PlayWorks
Saturday & Sunday, April 13-14 | 11am-12:30pm & 2pm-3:45pm | Drop-in* | Ages 4 & younger | 3rd Floor | PlayWorks

Interactive Storytime: Trees and Deforestation by Carol Sutters
Calling all conservation scientists! Join Kate and Tom, two characters from this book, on a pretend walk into the woods! Learn how trees grow and function, their importance in the water cycle, and how their leaves help remove carbon dioxide from our planet’s air. Mortarboard hats are provided.
Thursday-Sunday, April 11-14 | 4pm | Drop-in* | Ages 4 & younger | 3rd Floor | PlayWorks

Element of Wind/Air: Herbicides Awareness
Learn about herbicides—substances used to control the growth of undesired plants— and the little critters impacted by them through mixed media art projects.
Tuesday-Sunday, April 16-21

Monarch’s Milkweed: Flight of the Butterfly
Harsh chemicals in our environment threaten an important plant called milkweed–the only plant where monarch butterflies lay eggs. Learn about the milkweed plant and launch your own 3D monarch butterfly creation into the air.
Tuesday – Friday, April 16 – 19 | 2:15 pm – 4:45 pm | Drop-in* | All ages | 1st Floor | Makerspace
Saturday & Sunday, April 20 – 21 | 10:30 am – 4:30 pm | Drop-in* | All ages | 1st Floor | Makerspace

Perfect Pollinators
Bees are responsible for almost one third of our food by pollinating our fields, orchards, and gardens. Now they face serious threats and need our help. Learn about these little creatures and BEEcome a bee ally while creating puppets that pollinate
Saturday—Sunday April 20 – 21 | 11:00 am – 12:30 pm & 2:00 pm – 3:45 pm | Ages 4 & younger | 3rd Floor | PlayWorks

Interactive Storytime: Air: Exploring the Elements by Simone Akasha Nofel
CMOM educators lead little ones a learning adventure about the element of air. Explore where we can find air in our environment, how it relates to both the human body and human experience, and how we can interact with it in a way that is both safe and fun
Tuesday April 16—Sunday April 21 | 4:00 pm | Ages 4 & younger | 3rd Floor | PlayWorks

Operation Animal Rescue: Gentle Giants
Because forests are disappearing, orangutans, chimpanzees, gorillas, and pandas are in danger of extinction. They need a safe place to live and reproduce. Make a safe home for them using recycled materials and learn how to protect these creatures against forest degradation.
Tuesday-Friday, April 23-26 | 10:15am-4:30 pm | Drop-in | All ages | 1st Floor | Makerspace

Sumatran Ele-fantastic Math Safari
Help transform the PlayWorks Lab into an exciting math safari with a Sumatran elephant-themed counting and sorting activity! Learn about deforestation and use elephant-shaped cutouts and fidgets for hands-on counting practice while sorting objects by size or color.
Tuesday-Friday, April 23-26 | 3pm-4pm | Drop-in | Ages 4 & younger | 3rd Floor | PlayWorks

Bee-Responsible: Bee Hotels
The bees need our help! They provide almost one-third of our food through their amazing pollination abilities, but their populations are rapidly declining due to human intervention!  BEE a hero and help us provide a haven for bee friends by creating a “Bee Hotel.”
Saturday, April 27 | 10:15am-12:45pm | Drop-in | All ages | 1st Floor | Makerspace
Sunday, April 28 | 10:15am-4:30pm | Drop-in | All ages | 1st Floor | Makerspace

Perfect Pollinators
Bees are responsible for almost one third of our food by pollinating our fields, orchards, and gardens. Now they face serious threats and need our help. Learn about these little creatures and BEEcome a bee ally while creating puppets that pollinate!
Saturday & Sunday, April 27-28 | 11am-12:30pm & 2pm-3:45 pm | Drop-in | Ages 4 & younger | 3rd Floor | PlayWorks

Arctic Hide & Seek
Why are so many animals that live in the Arctic the same color? Try to spot some hidden friends and learn about camouflage by exploring snowy landscapes with hidden animal surprises.
Monday & Tuesday, April 29-30 | 10:30am-11am | Ages 4 & younger | 3rd Floor | PlayWorks

Arctic Animal Creations
Create cozy homes for beloved arctic creatures using environmentally safe biodegradable packing peanuts and magic noodles to help your favorite animals stay warm through winter!
Monday & Tuesday, April 29-30 | 11am-12:30pm & 2pm-3:45 pm | Drop-in | Ages 4 & younger | 3rd Floor | PlayWorks

Interactive Storytime: I Am The Elements!: A child’s book of Earth, Air, Fire and Water by R. Aurora Lightbringer SCBS
CMOM educators lead kids a magical journey through the elements! Through poetry and illustrations, this whimsical picture book nurtures young children’s imaginations as they discover the significance of Earth, Air, Fire, and Water.
Monday & Tuesday, April 29-30 | 4pm | Drop-in | All ages | 3rd Floor | PlayWorks