Princess Jasmine was on to something when she sang, “A whole new world/A dazzling place I never knew.” She seemed instantly struck by the wonderful world around her to which she was utterly unaware, yet entirely eager to dive into head first. If you’re a very lucky child, you’ve traveled to another country before and know the drill. You know that your stomach will drop a bit when the plane rises into the air, that you only get one (or maybe two) snacks before you reach your destination, and the way people talk is not comprehensible to you. AND YOU LOVE IT. If you’ve not yet traveled to another country, the idea may sound a little overwhelming—scary, even—but the Santa Maria Valley Discovery Museum is here to help!
With our new Passport Thursday program, we are traveling the world every Thursday at 11 a.m. without ever leaving the museum floor. That’s right: no early morning wakeup calls, no delayed flights, and no security checks! However, you do need a passport, which you can create right here at the museum by filling in your basic information and taking a picture.
After your passport is complete, it’s yours to keep and bring back every Thursday. After your participation in each weekly activity inspired by a new country, you will receive a stamp just like a real passport except better because once you acquire five stamps, you get a special travel reward!
Recently we traveled to India and learned all about the art of henna. Children drew their own designs on paper and then used watercolor to patiently transfer their designs onto their hands. Ten children got their first stamps that day and were anxious to tell their friends and family they’d been to India that morning!
Passport Thursday aims to enrich children’s lives by exposing them to traditions and customs that are different from their own through art, music, food, crafts, and more. Like us on Facebook at smvdiscoverymuseum to learn more about all our weekly programs.
The Santa Maria Valley Discovery Museum is at 705 S. McClelland St. in Santa Maria. We are open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m.
Erin Kiniry, program coordinator for the Santa Maria Valley Discovery Museum, wrote this week’s Discovery Corner, a weekly column in the Sun highlighting events, science activities, and more. Send comments to discoverycorner@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Jul 3-10, 2014.
