WESTFIELD — “Hear Ye! Hear Ye!” Little ones are formally invited to a Royal Tea Party at the Amelia Park Children’s Museum on Friday, May 9 from 10 a.m. to noon. The invitation asks guests to come dressed as royalty or as their favorite fantasy character.
Activities for the Royal Tea Party, all included with regular admission to the Museum, are temporary tattoos and face gems, decorate a mask and paint a teapot. Light refreshments will be served at 11 a.m.
Director Diane Chambers said the Royal Tea Party is a first of such special events during school hours for the Amelia Park Children’s Museum. “It’s an experiment. We have not had one during school,” she said, adding that the special event is one of many weekly activities the museum is doing to increase attendance.
“Every year since COVID, we’ve had an increase of 25% a year,” she said.
Another new attraction is a recently rearranged Pet Vet Center, which is now a Kids and Critter Care Corner. “Kids love to play with baby dollars and animals,” Chambers said, adding that the Museum has been investing in new baby dolls. There is a sink to pretend to bathe them and a changing table in the corner.
Another plan is to enhance the outdoor play and picnic area at the Children’s Museum with new equipment, including wiggler ride ons, a kid’s basketball hoops and a pretend grow garden next to actual flower beds. Families are invited to bring lunch or snacks and each outside during play hours.
Regular weekly activities from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. reflect monthly themes. May is Young and Wild Baby Animals month. During Monday’s build it activities — besides a May 5 Mother’s Day Card workshop — are “Kitten Popsicles” on May 12 and 19. Tuesday’s coloring pages all of May will be baby animals. Thursday’s art projects will be “Baby Owlets” on May 1, 15 and 29, and “Baby Dinosaurs” on May 8 and 22.
Friday STEM science projects on May 2 & 23 will be “Newton’s Bunnies,” on May 9, the “Royal Tea Party” and on May 16 & 30 Tadpole swimming lessons. May is also membership month.
The Amelia Park Children’s Museum at 29 South Broad St. is a favorite destination for children ages 1 to 7 and their families, and has been serving the greater Westfield area and beyond for over 27 years. The museum is dedicated to fostering an enriching environment where children can learn, create, explore and experiment at an affordable price.
Open every day but Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., including school vacation weeks, the mission of the Amelia Park Children’s Museum is to Inspire, educate, and empower the next generation of young learners through creative exhibits and imaginative hands-on activities, which foster a climate of learning and exploration.
Favorite exhibitions include the space exhibit which has rocket blasters and floating balls; the dino dig, where youngsters dig for dinosaur bones, and the cafe grocery store. Added in 2024 was a new train exhibit that opened in April, and the pet vet exhibit in August. Last year, 33,000 visitors came to the museum.
The cost of admission to the Amelia Park Children’s Museum is $8 for adults and children 12 months and older, and $4 for grandparents and seniors over 60. Admission is $2 per person for those with a valid EBT card, and free for infants under 12 months.
Members receive free unlimited admission for one year. More information on memberships is available on the website at ameliaparkmuseum.org.
