LICM visitors will be treated to a variety of workshops and theater performances and it will all end with our big New Year’s Eve celebration! But first this week families can create a fun project using their hand as inspiration, explore the culture of Viet Nam in a fun workshop or enjoy a unique theater performance.

Pilgrim Place “Settlers”

Tuesday, Nov. 29 and Wednesday, Nov. 30 from 2:30-4 p.m. Can you picture yourself at the table with the Pilgrims? Create a personalized Pilgrim napkin holder to claim your special spot at the Thanksgiving feast. All ages. Free with museum admission.

Waving in a Winter Wonderland

Thursday, Dec. 1 and Friday, Dec. 2 from 2:30-4 p.m. Wave in the winter with your very own “hand”-made whimsical tree. Use a variety of fun materials as you stamp a one-of-a-kind snow-covered tree. All ages. Free with museum admission.

The Pink Lotus

Saturday, Dec. 3 at 3 p.m. Discover the culture of Viet Nam in this special workshop celebrating our newest exhibit, Dragons & Fairies. Listen to the fascinating folktales of powerful kings and magical dragons, and learn more about the unique food, clothes and language of Viet Nam. Then take home Viet Nam’s national flower, the beautiful lotus blossom. Ages: 5 and up. Fee: $3 with museum admission ($2 LICM members).

Puppetkabob presents "The Snowflake Man"

Sunday, Dec. 4, 2011 at 2 p.m. Puppetkabob presents "The Snowflake Man" a puppet show inspired by Wilson "Snowflake" Bentley, a self-educated farmer and scientist who attracted world attention in 1885 by becoming the first person to capture the image of a single snow crystal. "The Snowflake Man" is a unique trunk show of Czech-style marionettes and props backed by a pop-up book of water color paintings. This show combines art with history and science through live storytelling. The Snowflake Man was awarded a 2011 UNIMA Citation of Excellence. This show is supported in part by a Creation Grant from the Vermont Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts. Ages: 3 and up. Fee: $4 with museum admission, $3 LICM members, $8 Theater Only.

Traveling Exhibit: Dragons & Fairies: Exploring Viet Nam Through Folktales

Through  Jan. 8, 2012. Enter a magical place where five centuries-old folktales bring to life the culture and traditions of Viet Nam. Aspects of modern day life in Viet Nam are interwoven with the presentation of centuries-old folktale in interactive “theaters” where visitors view presentations of such popular Vietnamese folktales as:

• One Hundred Eggs (Lac Long Quan and Au Co)
• The Story of Chu Cuoi and the Banyan Tree
• The Story of Betel and Areca Nut (Cao sons)
• The Story of An Tiem and the Watermelons (King Hung and An Tiem)
• The Legend of the Rice Cakes (Emperor Hung Vuong and sons)

The facades of the folktale theatres represent three distinct geographic regions.  In one, visitors explore what life is like in rural areas of Vietnam.  In another, visitors experience the “streets” of a city and take part in preparations for Tet Trung Thu (Mid-Autumn Festival). In a third, visitors enter a houseboat and house like those found in Viet Nam’s urban and riverside regions and take part in preparations for Tet Nguyen Dan (Lunar New Year). Traditions explored include wedding ceremonies, ancestral worship practices, cultural dances and the Vietnamese bonds to their land and water. The exhibit demonstrates the connection between folktales and the enduring values and traditions they represent. All ages. Free with museum admission. Dragons & Fairies: Exploring Viet Nam Through Folktales is presented by the Freeman Foundation Asian Exhibit Initiative, administered by the Association of Children’s Museums and created by The Children’s Museum of Houston. Local exhibit support provided by Astoria Federal Savings.

Community Gallery and KaleidoZone: My Country, My Village, My Story

Artwork by the Children from The Thang Long School in Viet Nam.

Through Jan. 8, 2012. Stop by and view original paintings created by students from The Thang Long School in Viet Nam. The students created the pieces using their everyday life as inspiration. All ages. Free with museum admission.

Early Childhood Programs*

stART (Story + Art): Tuesday to Friday from 12:30-1 p.m. †

Music and Movement: Wednesday and Friday from 11:30 a.m. -12:00 p.m. †

Messy Afternoons: Saturday,-Sunday, from 3:30-5 p.m.

†Fee: $3 with museum admission ($2 LICM members).

All activities will be held at the Long Island Children’s Museum, 11 Davis Avenue, Garden City. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Museum admission: $11 for adults and children over 1 year old, $10 seniors, fee to museum members and children under 1 year old. Additional fees for theater and special programs may apply. For additional information, contact 516-224-5800.