Children?s museums offers fun, healthy alternative to children?s cartoons.
Nearly 1 in 3 children ages 6 to 11 are overweight, and half of those dangerously so, according to the American Obesity Association.
That?s why Port Discovery, the Children?s Museum in Baltimore, offers “Healthy First Saturday” as an alternative to watching “SpongeBob” while downing Fruit Loops on at least one Saturday each month.
“Instilling the importance of healthy living in children at an early age makes the transition into a healthy adult so much more effortless and worthwhile,” said Nora Moynihan, director of Education for the museum.
Young people got thinking about good eating through an interactive story time ? Cook & Tell with Whole Foods Market, during the weekend. In partnership with Whole Foods Market, Harbor East, children and parents gathered in the museum exhibit, “The Diner,” to learn how to prepare a special dish based on the popular children?s storybook “Bugs For Lunch.”
Founded by the City of Baltimore in 1976 as the Baltimore Children?s Museum, Port Discovery became a private, nonprofit entity in 1990 and merged with the Maryland Children?s Museum. Eight years and $35 million in fundraising later, the Port Discovery Kid-Powered Museum opened in the former fish market off the Baltimore Harbor?s East Basin. Since then, the 80,000-square-foot museum has hosted 1.7 million children and been named the fourth-ranked children?s museum in the nation by Child Magazine in 2002.
“Our philosophy is that play is learning. When children come here, we have different activities, different exhibits for children at each and every age,” said spokeswoman Pamela Wagner.
Baltimore Health Care Access, the Baltimore City Health Department?s Childhood Asthma Program, The Tobacco Bus, and the Lead and Immunization Department are working with Port Discovery to provide fun, educational programming for first Saturdays.
More detail
» Port Discovery, the Children?s Museum in Baltimore
35 Market Place, Baltimore
Phone: 410-727-8120
