DISCOVERINGS

VOLUME 23 A Newsletter for The Discovery Center of the Southern Tier ISSUE ONE

2014 Summer of Play

“Play is the highest form of research.” Albert Einstein

Director’s Letter PLAY, PLAY, PLAY, PLAY! Well, that is all I do! And I have been a devoted fan of play since childhood! Is it why I love my job? Does this theme keep my energy level in bal-ance? Does it make me popular with my eight grandchildren and four

great ones? Does it annoy those who want to live in a serious mode? Does it make me a role model? (Doubtful) Does it cure stress and enlighten prob-lems? Do I learn from the playful tack I have adopted? Answer: ALL of the above. Play rules every childrens’ museum in existence. In honor of that theory, we have chosen HOORAY FOR PLAY as the thirtieth anni-versary/birthday theme and will see to it that every-thing we do is very, very playful!! Ralph Waldo Emer-son said it best, “It is a happy talent to know how to play. ” Our year is satiated with happy things to do; some-thing for everyone and more! A Happy Birthday to Us the Dr.Seuss way was a genuinely happy day with a huge cake and a special S.T.A.R. production: a Dr.Seuss commissioned musical about 30 Tigers! We opened the doors for free in March on a signature date of our first opening day! Many well wishers played the day away….some of them remembering our first days’ gymnasium location in the then empty Christopher Columbus School. It was a perfect intro-duction to a future educational resource that today is

a destination for the people of our region, for travel-ers, it is a grandparent’s Shangri-La, a teacher’s inter-active blessing, a rainy day resort and an inside-outside wonder! Highlighting this special year has been a Spring Fling, a delightful evening of camaraderie, delectable food, The Brotherhood and ‘so you know you can dance’ types; the opening of a sensational exhibit, “What’s The Buzz? A Honey Of An Exhibit!” A focus on a small insect that is complicated and has made a great im-pact on our world. What a story this little critter has to tell! We will have a celebratory Summer Carnival on June 30. Included is food, entertainment, games, crafts and just good fun. A special happening that day is introducing Weis Markets to our exhibit gallery. Welcome Weis! Changes also include NYSEG’s Power of Play ; Discovery Airlines; and a resituated Action News. Look for special bee programs, guest educators and memories of the past. Our Almost Annual Golf Tournament will be a September event and a major 30th birthday gala, “High Hats, High Heels, High Times- A Halloween Gala” will be held at The Discovery Cen-ter on October 18 in the midst of our Halloween Hal-lows exhibit. Then it’s our annual Gingerbread display and family New Year’s party and we have played it out!! Will you join us? We have much to celebrate, much to

be proud of and much to play forward for the future.

Our thanks to you all for your support and your love.

Our Summer Hours

Monday—Friday 10am-4pm Saturday 10am-5pm

Sunday Noon-5pm (Closed Sundays July 6 - September 7 except July 13 - Truck Day)

Closed: Sunday June, 15 - Father’s Day; Friday, July 4th; Monday, September 1 - Labor Day.

Special Events Follow the Yellow Brick Road to The Discovery Center’s Summer Carnival

Monday, June 30th rain or shine! We’re off to see the Wizard as we celebrate the end of school and the official start of our summer season! The Discovery Center and the Story Garden will turn into Munchkin Land with fun, games, con-tests, entertainment and special events inside and out. Oz themed carnival booths will be set up for kids of all ages to test their skills and win prizes. Our DJ will fill the air with great music and take us “Over the Rainbow”. Magical John will appear and there will be rides, contests and face painting. Compete in the Emerald City Hula Hoop contest or try your hand at the Flying Monkey Free Throw contest. Visit Auntie Em’s farm animals then join the Munchkins and Doro-thy, the Tin Man, the Cowardly Lion and the Scarecrow for some great food and yummy treats under the outdoor food tent. So click your heels together for some great fun because there’s no place like The Discovery Center and the Story Garden! The Wizard of Oz Carnival Day admission is $8 for nonmembers and $4 for members. Additional cost for food and face painting. Carnival games, Munchkin Land activities, entertainment and contests are included with admission. The Wizard of Oz Carnival runs from 10:00am to 3:30pm. The BC Trolley will be providing transportation to The Discov-ery Center from the Knights of Columbus on Park Ave.. Call 773-8661 for more info.

A Honkin’ Good Time at The Discovery Center and Binghamton Zoo. Truck Day 2014! Join us on Sunday, July 13 (rain or shine) from 10am-4pm to explore Big Trucks, Little Trucks, Fast Trucks, Slow Trucks, Crazy Trucks and other awesome vehicles parked all over Ross Park …plus…both The DC and the Zoo will be open with special activities! This special Horn Honkin’ Fun and Fund Raisin’ Truck Day will benefit both the Binghamton Zoo and The Discovery Center. Families will enjoy an amazing day of exploration as they explore trucks and learn more about their community and Community Helpers. Visitors will get behind the scenes peek into the jobs that trucks do. The Lions Club will be cooking up a storm with

their famous chicken barbeque. Transportation will be available from off-site parking lots via the BC Trolley. Inter-park travel will be aided by golf carts! Price: Kids under 2 are free; $10 per person gets you into the Zoo, The DC and to see all the trucks. Chicken Barbeque extra.

Pastabilities…With a Taste of Tennis Join us on Thursday, July 17th for our annual PASTABILITIES event in conjunction with the

LGT Tennis Challenger at Binghamton’s Recreation Park. We will host a summer evening

under the stars filled with made-to-order pasta cuisine, delectable desserts, legal libations

and great music attracting patrons from throughout the area; friends of The DC, Tennis

tournament followers and, of course, pasta lovers! Come sample delicious sauces from

some of the area’s finest restaurants combined with gourmet toppings prepared by celeb-

rity chefs. All proceeds from this not to be missed after tournament event will benefit The

Discovery Center. The fun begins with cocktails at 6:30pm, dinner at 7:00pm followed by

music and dancing until 10:30. Call your friends make your plans and dial 773-8661 x 204 for tickets or buy

your tickets online at thediscoverycenter.org. Get your tickets early…the event sells out!

Wine & Roses The Discovery Center is hosting a fundraiser to celebrate their 30th Anniversary, An Evening of Wine and Roses. It will take place both inside The Discovery Center and outside in our Story Garden, on Thursday eve-ning, August 7th from 6:00pm to 8:00pm. The event will feature local and Finger Lakes wineries as well as samplings from local restaurants and creameries in the beautiful setting of our award winning Story Garden located on the Ross Park campus. In the event of inclement weather, all activities will be held inside The Dis-covery Center. Advance sale tickets are a donation of $20.00 per adult - 21 and over only! Tickets on the evening of the event are $25.00. 3

Free Programs “Summer of Play” Discovery Days

Spend those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer at The Discovery Center and enjoy our special FREE “Summer of Play” Discovery Days each week! The daily activities match our “Summer of Play” themes, and feature arts and crafts, science projects and out-door fun. Discover a world full of summer fun with our FREE daily programs! Mark your calendars and join us in the morning or afternoon for our “Summer of Play” Discovery Days activities. Contact Gabrielle by phone at (607) 773-8661 x 205 or edu@thediscoverycenter.org for more information.

READING AVENGERS Mondays, 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Grab a cape and train your most important superpower—your brain! Enjoy “Reader’s Theater,” make a superhero mask or bring your own.

TERRIFIC TUESDAYS AND TREMENDOUS THURSDAYS

11 a.m. to 1 p.m. – The annual Discovery Center weekly party is back, and bigger than ever—two days a week! We have wonderful crafts, games and spe-cial guests planned each week. For a complete schedule of Terrific Tuesday and Tremendous Thurs-day offerings, check out our calendar at TheDiscoveryCenter.org

OOEY GOOEY ART Wednesdays, 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Make a mess with us and create a new art project each week. Set your little Picasso free and leave the cleanup to us!

ANIMAL ANTICS Fridays, 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Let’s go on a Story Gar-den Safari! Each week, we’ll explore a new animal, with special guests, crafts, games and all sorts of crit-ter fun.

EXPLORE & MORE There’s something special going on every weekend at The DC! Stop by this spring and visit the Explore & More station for crafts, science experiments and all sorts of fun. Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and Sundays in June only from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. June 7 & 8 – It’s Donald Duck’s 80th birthday! Learn how to draw this beloved character and learn about how ducks swim. June 14 – Celebrate Father’s Day weekend with The DC and The Home Depot as we build wood projects to-gether and learn all about carpentry. June 21 & 22 – How far can you toss a marshmallow with your own homemade marshmallow catapult? Find out as we have fun with physics! June 28 & 29 – Make your own chocolate and vanilla ice cream while learning about the science behind sum-mer’s favorite snack. July 5 – Celebrate Independence Day by making your own patriotic streamer hoops and holding your own Fourth of July parade! Find out what the meanings be-hind our red, white and blue colors are! July 12 – Aloha! We’re bowling for pineapples and learning all about this delicious tropical fruit. July 19 – Hear that buzzing? We’re making edible hon-eycomb patterns in the “What’s the Buzz?” exhibit and learning about bees and tessellations. July 26 – Let’s chalk the walk! Learn what chalk is made of and make your own glitter sidewalk chalk paint. Help us turn the sidewalks outside into a mural masterpiece! Aug. 2 – Make some magic and weave your own Rain-bow Loom bracelets for your favorite family and friends. Learn about weaving patterns from around the world and see what fun patterns you can make. Aug. 9 – What colors, textures and smells can you find in the great outdoors? We’ll learn about some local plant life. Make your own nature scavenger hunt treas-ure box and go on a wonderful hunt here or at home! Aug. 16 – It’s Bubblemania! Join us for a festival of fun as we learn all about the science of bubbles. Aug. 23 – Wow, that sun sure is hot! We’re going to learn all about our very own star and make a sun-catcher to take home. Aug. 30 – Find out who invented the Frisbee, and make

one of your own, just in time for Labor Day festivities!

Discovery Kids Summer of Play Camps 2014 9 Weeks of summer ‘Ed-Venture’ camps to choose from Monday-Friday, July 1-August 29, 2014

Camper Ages: 3-4 year olds Session One only, 5-6 (5 year olds must be registered for fall 2014 Kindergarten), 7-8, and 9-12. Internship program for 13-15 year olds (call 607-773-8661 x 208 for application). Hours: Half day sessions 9am-12pm and 1-4pm with the option for a full day of fun with our back-to-back camps…just bring a lunch! Supervised lunch with exploration of our interactive exhibits 12-1 for campers registered for both morn-ing and afternoon sessions. Early drop off (includes Breakfast Club) and late pick-up available Sessions 2-8. Children registered for early drop off will enjoy a nutritious breakfast to fuel them for an energetic day of camp fun! Early drop-off from 8-9am ($20/session) and late pick-up from 4-5:30pm ($20/session); must sign up for extended camp hours when registering. Camp Fees: All camp fees are due at time of registration including early drop off and late pickup fees. Members $70, non members $75 per weekly half day session. One time $12 registration fee per camper for summer 2014 includes a Discovery Kids Summer Camp T-shirt

July Incetive: Sessions 2-4 only If you register your children for camps by June 30th, for Sessions 2, 3 or 4 only, receive free Before & After Care - a $40/wk value. Save up to $10/week more by becoming a member!

Discovery Interns: for 13-15 year olds! Explore the arts, science, history, drama, and outdoor fun with an inside look at the workings of a children’s museum. Aid with summer camps, try your hand at fun filled activities and meet new friends. Hours: 8:45am- 4:15pm, Sessions 2 - 8 only. As part of the learning process, applicants will be asked to interview and will be required to attend a pre-camp training session. Call 773-8661 x 208 for application and interview. $20/wk members, $25/wk nonmembers.

Galumpha Gang Two Week Performing Arts Camp, July 28-August 8, 9am-3pm

Mark your calendars & plan your vacations around Galumpha Gang. You won’t want to miss out on the wildly amazing

children’s performance camp instructed by the internationally acclaimed acrobatic dance company, Galumpha! Two

weeks of collaborative choreography, dazzling acrobatics & teamwork will have your child performing center

stage. Participants need not know a thing about acrobatics or dance, the fun is in the learning! Children will create a

genuine professional performance all their own! The Galumpha Gang is geared for children 7-13 years of age, with 14-

18 year old interns performing & lending a helping hand. Galumpha Gang will take place at Binghamton University’s

Performing Arts Building. Final performance Friday evening, August 8th. Registration is first come, first serve: camper

fee is $375 members, $400 nonmembers, and internship fee $200.

Session 1: July 1, 2, 3 Ready, Set, Play Pre-K Week! 3 day preschool camp for potty trained 3 and 4 year olds, $40 members,

$45 nonmembers per half day session – Registration fee waived.

Kingdom of Candy, 9am-12pm Find out just how sweet summer can be when you spend it at The DC with a deliciously exciting week in the Kingdom of Candy! Daily crafts and activities will take you on a journey through Candy Cane Forest and over Gum Drop Mountain in search for the lost King Candy. Play games inspired by the classic children’s board game Candy Land and learn about color, counting and sorting with candy math!

Camping A to Z, 1-4pm Hike the Alphabet Trail and explore all the A to Z’s of camping with activities that will leave you asking for s’more! Outdoor fun with creative play based on the children’s books “Numbers in Nature”, “S is for S’more” and “Camp Out” will be our nature guides as we pitch tarp tents, learn about woodland animals and ex-plore the night sky with The Discovery Center’s portable planetarium, The Star Lab.

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Session 2: July 7-11 Aqua Play! Mornings 9am-12pm 5-6 year olds: Creature Power Put on your “creature power suit” and dive into the fun as you investigate what powers animals that swim. This PBS Kids Wild Kratts inspired camp will answer the questions to how a walrus is able to navigate in the water, how polar bears stay warm even in the cold-est of water temperatures and how an elephant is able to draw water into his trunk using suction! Science, art and games will have your head swimming with activity!

7-8 year olds Frozen Set off on an epic journey of super cool fun as we embark on a race to save the kingdom of Arendelle from Elsa’s frosty grasp. Science and art will melt away the summer ho-hums as you experiment with the liquid sci-ences and create some frozen snacks.

9-12 year olds Marine Inventors Oceanic biomimicry? Oceanic what? Oceanic biomimicry is a fancy way of saying inventions inspired by underwater creatures! Find out why Mer-cedes-Benz looked to a boxfish to create the design of a car body and why a closer look at how a school of fish maneuvers through tight spaces lead to automotive safety inventions. How did the study of how muscles at-tach to rocks lead to the development of surgical adhe-sive? And why is it that even when a sea urchin breaks its spines they remain razor sharp? Investigate these fasci-nating inquiries with an exploration of live sea creatures, experiment, games and creative play!

Afternoons 1-4pm 5-6 year olds Frozen Fun Cool off with some frozen fun this summer as we take you on an epic journey in a race to save the king-dom of Arendelle. Frosty snacks and cool science will keep the fun flowing.

7-8 year olds Captain Planet Gaia, goddess Earth, has summoned

you and your planetary friends to help defend the Earth against environmental peril. To accomplish this task you must join forces with your fellow Planeteers in cunning acts of courage. By doing this, you will master the 5 Planetary levels: Earth, Wind, Water, Fire and Heart! With the 5 Earth powers combined the master of environ-mental avengers can be summoned…Captain Planet and the planet can be saved! Environmental study through experiments, crafts and games will earn you your magic Planetary Ring!

9-12 year olds Water Wisdom How water smart are you? Most people

are a little wet behind the ears when it comes to the im-portant role water plays in the lives of both plants and humans. This week we will put the force of play into global investigation as we explore the world’s water. Cre-ate a water filter and learn about the scarcity of clean water in many parts of the world. Explore water power with experiments and learn about water properties through fun and games that help you become water-aware!

Session 3: July 14-18 Adventure Play NIGHT IN THE MUSEUM – Children aged 7 or older

have the opportunity to attend a museum sleepover. Each sleepover is limited to 50 children. You drop off the camper and we do the rest!! Kids arrive at 6pm for din-ner. The themed night Kids Who-Dunnit? is filled with museum play, special activities and fun! Lights out at 10pm-sleepover ends at 9am Saturday after breakfast. Friday, Jul 18, $28 per camper.

Mornings 9am-12pm 5-6 year olds Bad Kitty, Good Fun! Nick Bruel’s hysterically funny

books: “The Uproar at The Front Door”, “Bad Kitty Gets a Bath” and others are the inspiration for this week of fun-filled antics. Learn about pet care with “Uncle Murray’s Fun Facts”, join the Neighborhood Cat Club and mix up some fun in the kitchen as you introduce new food to fin-icky kitty!

7-8 year olds Captain Underpants Tra-La-Laaaaa! Every day is a new

adventure as you join Captain Underpants on five hilari-ous action packed escapades! Duel Dr. Diaper and plot against Professor Poopypants as you create your own flip-o-rama-cartoon book. Toilet talk will be the speak of the week as you investigate the science of bodily functions!

9-12 year olds The Copernicus Legacy: The Forbidden Stone Race

the globe to find the pieces of a mysterious hidden past as you go on a mind blowing quest to unlock an ancient, guarded secret that could destroy the fate of the world! Adventure packed activities, crafts and puzzles based on Tony Abbott’s epic “The Copernicus Legacy: The Forbid-den Stone” will fill your week with code cracking and in-trigue!

Afternoons 1-4pm

5-6 year olds

The Watermelon Seed What happens when you swal-

low a watermelon seed? Find out as you skip to the beat

of comedy with games and activities based on Greg Piz-

zoli’s oh so funny “The Watermelon Seed.” This 2014 Theodore Seuss Geisel Award winning children’s book will have your imagination running wild as you make friends with a crocodile and find answers to questions you never even knew you should ask! Scientific investigation and garden play will all be included during this week in the sun!

7-8 year olds The Mystery of the Great Cheese Pyramid Enter

the world of Geronimo Stilton, where another funny ad-venture is always right around the corner! Help Geronimo Stilton, journalist for the “famous” Rodent’s Gazette, write another Whisker-licking good story as he leaves New Mouse City and takes on a new adventure in Egypt! Learn about camels, hieroglyphics, mummies and more as you unlock the mystery behind the secret of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient Mouse World!

9-12 year olds The Candy Shop War Welcome to the Sweet Tooth Ice

Cream & Candy Shoppe, where the confections are a bit on the . . . unusual side! Learn about the magical side effects of sweets through the eyes of author Brandon Mull with activities based on his book “The Candy Shop War.” We will be mixing it up in the kitchen with rock candy said to make you weightless, jawbreakers that make you unbreakable and chocolate balls that make you a master of disguise! Unlock the mystery of the mysteri-ous man in the dark overcoat and fedora hat! Learn some magic from the magicians that stop by the shop and most importantly find the legendary hidden treasure before it falls into the wrong hands and the creation of candy con-fections!

Session 4: July 21-25 Nature Play! Mornings 9am-12pm 5-6 year olds Luau! Catch the wave…in Hawaii. Explore the spectacu-

lar Hawaiian coral reef, learn about Hawaiian culture and dip your toe in some fun-filled water games! It’s Luau time!

7-8 year olds Cloud Forest You will have your head in the clouds as

you “travel” towards the Equator to a place where the clouds speed across the sky bringing water to the tropical rainforest below. Investigate Costa Rica and the famous Monte Verde Cloud Forest Preserve and The Children’s Eternal Forest through a close look at the animals and plants that live in the clouds. Go on expeditions on the Ross Park grounds to observe the similarities and differ-ences of our environment and that of a tropical rain for-

est and explore the food and fun that can be had in Costa Rica!

9-12 year olds Geocashing All coordinates point to fun as we take treas-

ure hunting to a new level. Join the geocashing craze DC style! This 150 year old game of hide and seek, originally known as “letterboxing” uses navigational techniques to find the hidden “cash.” Using your “log book” campers will solve the clues that will take them on a sleuthing ad-venture. An investigation of geocaching technology and the history of this international craze will include map reading, data collection, teamwork and outdoor games.

Afternoons 1-4pm 5-6 year olds Camping and S’more! Hike the Alphabet Trail and ex-

plore all the A to Z’s of camping with activities that will leave you asking for s’more! Outdoor fun with creative play based on the children’s books “Numbers in Nature”, “S is for S’more” and “Camp Out” will be our nature guides as we pitch tarp tents, learn about woodland ani-mals and explore the night sky with The Discovery Cen-ter’s portable planetarium, The StarLab.

7-8 year olds Orienteers All coordinates point to fun as we take treas-

ure hunting to a new level. Join the geocashing craze DC style! Using your “log book” campers will solve the clues that will take them a quest to find the “cash.” Map read-ing, cunning sleuthing and outdoor games will make this a week you will treasure!

9-12 year olds Honeybee 101 If it weren't for honeybees and their busy

as a bee attitude, we would not get to eat oranges, ap-ples, peaches, strawberries, watermelons, cantaloupes, cucumbers or almonds … along with many other fruits and vegetables. Honeybees are fascinating creatures. Spend the week learning all the sweet stuff there is to know about this amazing creature as we take an in depth look at the social structure of the beehive, their place in history in ritual and culture and learn about the care and upkeep of a honeybee super.

Session 5: July 28-Aug 1 Role Play NIGHT IN THE MUSEUM – Children aged 7 or

older have the opportunity to attend a museum sleep-over. Each sleepover is limited to 50 children. You drop off the camper and we do the rest!! Kids arrive at 6pm for dinner. The themed night Pirate’s Life for Me is filled with museum play, special activities and fun! Lights out at

10pm-sleepover ends at 9am Saturday after breakfast. Friday, Aug 1, $28 per camper.

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Mornings 9am-12pm 5-6 year olds Pirate Camp Yarrr...how you be scallywag? Scallywag,

the word used by pirates for their BFFs is a term of en-dearment for the most mischievous of pirate friends. You and your scallywag BFFs will set sail for a week of pirate adventure this week as we find hidden booty through challenging games and walk the plank right into some get wet fun! Crafts and games will challenge even the crusti-est old barnacle!

7-8 year olds Ghostbusters Camp Investigate what goes bump in the

night in the museum as we shake things up with activities that will make you shiver with excitement! Create a slime blower and make some ectoplasm sure to stop the de-mons in their tracks! Science and engineering will make this a spooktacular week as you explore the equipment used in the popular movie series “Ghostbusters”, now celebrating 30 years since its first release! How does a “proton pack” work? What is kinetic energy? How do simple machines PLAY into the building of a trap box? Become part of the Ghostbuster team and find out!

9-12 year olds Chocolate Town Milton Hershey’s story is one of try, try

again! Investigate what it means to be an entrepreneur through an exploration of the life and sweet success of a man who built a town and a chocolate factory in a corn-field in Pennsylvania! The history of chocolate, chocolate making, crafting and games will make this week simply deliciously!

Afternoons 1-4pm 5-6 year olds Kandinsky for Kids Hear colors and see sounds with

an exploration of abstract expressionist Wassilly Kandin-sky! Music and art will collide with paint and collage in an explosion of color!

7-8 year olds Desperado Camp Think you got what it takes to rule the west? Take a ride into the Wild West, a world of cowboys and Indians, horses and loyal sidekicks while learning about the heroes and villains of the old West. We’ll be herding our way across the prairie whistling Dixie and rid-ing off into the sunset!

9-12 year olds Expressions Dip your brush into the artistic pallets of some of the great artists who dared to be different! We will engage in art in a new way as you experiment, play and create connections between your own creative explo-rations and the ideas and techniques of modern and con-temporary artists.

Session 6: August 4-8 International Play 5-6 year olds Animal Explorers Go on a global adventure as you in-

vestigate the animals around the world. Build a “travelling machine” that will “take you” to new animal habitats and adventures daily. Make your own investiga-tive guide that tracks the similarities and differences of the animal friends you encounter on your “travels” and go on a zoo safari at the Binghamton Zoo to make your scientific investigation complete. Cooperative games and animal behavior games will have you as cunning as a fox!

7-8- year olds Un-Bee-Lievable Honeybees Camp If it weren't for

honeybees and their busy as a bee attitude, we would not get to eat oranges, apples, peaches, strawberries, water-melons, cantaloupes, cucumbers or almonds … along with many other fruits and vegetables. Honeybees are fasci-nating creatures. Spend the week learning all the sweet stuff there is to know about this amazing creature as we take an in depth look at the social structure of the bee-hive, their place in history in ritual and culture and learn about the care and upkeep of a honeybee super.

9-12 year olds Wonders of the World Travel through time to discover

amazing civilizations and technological innovations with hands-on activities that investigate the ancient 7 Won-ders of the World from the pyramids of Egypt and the Hanging Gardens of Babylon and newly recognized won-ders that include the ruins of Machu Picchu and the Great Wall of China.

Afternoons 1-4pm 5-6 year olds Mis Amigos! Make some new friends while investigating

Latin culture. Taste the food, create ethnic crafts, make a little music and end with a fun filled fiesta all while learn-ing the Spanish language!

7-8 year olds Animal Nation Go on a global adventure as you investi-

gate the animals around the world. Make your own zo-ologist’s guide that tracks the similarities and differences of the animal friends you encounter on your “travels” and go on a zoo safari at the Binghamton Zoo! Cooperative games and animal behavior activities will have you as cun-ning as a fox!

9-12 year olds

Time Travelers: Elizabethan England What was it

like to be an ordinary citizen during the time of Queen

Elizabeth of England? Who were the “luminaries” of the period? Shakespeare, Sir Francis Drake and others will be investigated with a look at 16th century England that will include all the smells and sounds of the period!

Session 7: August 11-15 Play Space NIGHT IN THE MUSEUM - Children aged 7 or older

have the opportunity to attend a museum sleepover. Each sleepover is limited to 50 children. You drop off the camper and we do the rest!! Kids arrive at 6pm for din-ner. The themed night A Night Under the Stars is filled with museum play, special activities (Zoo Hike and a Star Lab Experience) and fun! Lights out at 10pm-sleepover ends at 9am Saturday after breakfast. Friday, Aug 15, $28 per camper.

Mornings 9am-12pm 5-6 year olds Operation Buzz Light Year Our friend Buzz is not ex-

actly flying straight these days. He is experiencing a series of intergalactic ailments that require your attention! Play along this week as we investigate things that buzz, beep and light up with a new spin on an old favorite: the game of operation! Simple machines, an investigation of space fueled with our favorite characters from Disney’s Toy Story will be rocketing your summer “To infinity and be-yond!”

Star Wars Camp May the force be with you during

this death defying week of galactic excitement. The chal-lenge to assist the rebels against the evil empire is on for as Yoda says “size matters not, look at me”! Young rebel warriors are needed for this week of mastering the force!

7-8 year olds Star Wars Returns! Jedi Training is now in session!

Star Wars warriors report to duty! Are you ready to leave your home planet and join the rebels to save Princess Leia from the clutches of Darth Vader? Travel across the gal-axies and put your light saber training to use with games, science and crafts that will have you destroying the Death Star.

9-12 year olds We Come in Peace Have you ever looked into the

night sky and wondered if we’re alone? Learn what scien-tists believe and what kind of a planet could create other life forms. Urban legends tell us that we’ve been in con-tact with extraterrestrials many times before. Ancient civilizations shared stories of people from the skies. Hear the stories and learn how to take the next step towards contact as we organize the first “Intergalactic Peace Festi-val,” a way to show all the worlds out there that “we come in peace.”

Afternoons 1-4pm 5-6 year olds Jedi Camp May the force be with you during this death

defying week of galactic excitement. The challenge to assist the rebels against the evil empire is on for as Yoda says “size matters not, look at me”! Young rebel warriors are needed for this week of mastering the force!

Alien Tea Party - You are invited to the greatest

party in the universe! So set your sights on some out of this world fun as we head to the funniest little alien place just on the outer edge of space. The alien people call it Planet Zum-Zee, and they are all meeting there this week for a special picnic tea! You won’t want to miss this week of outrageous fun as we prepare fun foods, play fear fac-tor fruits and vegetables and other out of this world games as we prepare for a picnic fit for even the pickiest alien! Based on the children’s story “Come to Tea on Planet Zum-Zee!

7-8 year olds Space Aces This camp IS rocket science! Become a

member of the high-flying Space Aces through deep-space exploration! You are sure to have a blast as you explore the night’s sky in The DC’s portable planetarium, make a bubble powered rocket and learn about rocket compulsion and study Newton’s Laws of motion through games and activities.

9-12 year olds Who Ya Gonna Call? Ghostbusters Camp Investi-

gate what goes bump in the night in the museum as we shake things up this week with activities that make you shiver with excitement! Create a slime sprayer and make some ectoplasm sure to stop the demons in their tracks! Science and engineering will make this a spooktacular week as you explore the equipment used in the popular movie series “Ghostbusters”, now celebrating 30 years since its first release! How does a “proton pack” work? What is kinetic energy? How do simple machines PLAY into the building of a trap box? Become part of the Ghostbuster team and find out!

Session #8 Aug 18-22 Kids Play Mornings 9am-12pm 5-6 year olds Candy Land Find out just how sweet summer can be

when you spend it at The DC with a deliciously exciting week in the Kingdom of Candy! Daily crafts and activities will take you on a journey through Candy Cane Forest and over Gum Drop Mountain in search for the lost King Candy. Learn about the early editions of this classic board game with challenges that have you involved in some

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sticky business in molasses swamp and take a modern day twist with the Great Lollipop Adventure.

7-8 year olds Sugar World! Calling all citizens of Super Hero City, are

you ready to enter the dream realm on a “Blind Rage Knows No Color” challenge?! Thanos needs your help! Hulk has gone on a sleepwalking rampage and has en-tered the Dark Chocolate Geyser! Together with the powers of the Mind Gem, super hero forces must unite to wake the Hulk from his nightmare in Sugar World! Team games, super mind sleuth solving and colossal craft build-ing will help you bring peace back to Super Hero City!

Mouse Trap The momentum builds as you participate in

a game of cat and mouse! You will need to be as cunning as a cat as you and your team of felines work together to build the perfect mousetrap. Through an investigation of cause and effect, simple machines and the great Rube Goldberg you will piece together a zig-zagging incline that will have your gears spinning! Scavenger hunts and relay races will keep the ball rolling!

9-12 year olds The Game of Life Journey through Life with America’s

first popular board game as you take the twists and turns of college to retirement! Jobs, marriage and possible chil-dren will all be in your future as you travel the road to happiness with activities that will have you choosing a profession, earning a paycheck, saving for a rainy day, buying a car and building your dream house! Chance will rear its head and taking risks will all be part of the game that we call Life!

Afternoons 1-4pm 5-6 year olds Uncle Wiggily’s Adventure! Draw your daily colored

playing card and advance along the track as you race through a week of woodland adventure based on the classic children’s story “Uncle Wiggily.” Uncle Wiggily’s Bungalow will be home base this week as you and your friends follow the clues that will direct your move through the woods to your destination…Dr. Possum’s House for an end of the week party!

7-8 year olds Monopoly Junior! Join Uncle Pennybags for a thrill-filled

time at the Amusements Park as we bring Monopoly Jun-ior, the board game, to life with boardwalk fun! Earn “revenue” with ticket sales through math challenges that will have you designing your own roller coaster, creating arcade games and trying your hand at magic! Win a “free ride” on the miniature train or pay out to visit the rest room by drawing chance cards. One thing is for sure…you will want to pass Go and stay out of Jail! The team that

has the most “money” in their cash box wins the chal-lenge.

Who Ya Gonna Call? Ghostbusters Camp Investi-

gate what goes bump in the night in the museum as we shake things up this week with activities that make you shiver with excitement! Create a slime blower and make some ectoplasm sure to stop the demons in their tracks! Science and engineering will make this a spooktacular week as you explore the equipment used in the popular movie series “Ghostbusters”, now celebrating 30 years since its first release! What is kinetic energy? How do simple machines PLAY into the building of a trap box? Become part of the Ghostbuster team and find out!

9-12 year olds Clue While spending the week at Tudor Mansion your

host, Mr. Boddy, met his demise. Now YOU are a sus-pect! Spend the week in the guise of a clueless character clearing your own good name by solving the “who dun-nit?” mystery! Cunning deduction and strategic sleuthing will be in full play as you and your fellow suspects take on the role of detective as you learn about the history of this English born classic board game Clue!

Session 9: August 25-29 Full Day Play Club for K-5th grade 8am-5:30pm Unplugged Play Campers are going to get unplugged

this week as we turn off the electricity and run on kid power! This multi-aged camp inspired by Bobbi Conner’s book “Unplugged Play: No Batteries, No Plugs, Pure Fun” will explore what kids did for fun before the days of elec-tronics. Outdoor games, water play, hiking and crafting will have you using a whole new outlet! Fee $160 mem-bers, $170 nonmembers: must bring a bagged lunch.

How to Register your Camper Fill out the attached from and mail or drop off at our re-ception desk with your payment to:

The Discovery Center, 60 Morgan Rd. Binghamton, NY 13903

You can also register online through our website:

www.thediscoverycenter.org

All camp fees are due at time of registration and are non-

refundable (program credits only).

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Unlimited admission to the museum (excludes Summer Carnival, Spook-tacular, Holiday Happenings and Egg Hunt)

Discounts on workshop fees

10% discount at Discovery Center museum store

Invitations to member’s only events!

Quarterly subscription to museum newsletter “DISCOVERINGS”

Unlimited reciprocal admission to four upstate NY museums and science centers

The “Bridge Connection”: $2.00 admission per person to the Binghamton Zoo at Ross Park and

Roberson Museum, Kopernik Observatory and Phelps Mansion (excludes special events) when you

present your valid Discovery Center membership card

DISCOVERY CENTER/BINGHAMTON ZOO AT ROSS PARK

JOINT MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS

All of the above benefits PLUS unlimited admission to the Zoo.

MEMBERSHIP CATEGORIES

Individual: Discovery Center $50/Joint $100

Senior: Discovery Center $45/Joint $90

Family: Discovery Center $75/Joint $135

Grandparents: Discovery Center $55/No Joint Membership available

Family Plus: Discovery Center $90/No Joint Membership available

Contributing: Discovery Center $125*/Joint $250

Supporting: Discovery Center $175*/Joint $350

Patron: Discovery Center $300*/Joint $600

* Individuals joining Discovery Center membership programs at a minimum of $125 annually are eligible to participate in the ACM

(Association of Children’s Museums) Reciprocal Membership Program. Present your museum membership card with the ACM sticker on

the back at any of the 112 participating museums throughout the U.S. and Canada and you will enjoy the following benefits:

50% off general admission for up to 6 family members

For complete ACM Reciprocal Membership information, call 607.773.8661. To visit participating museums on the Web, go to

www.childrensmuseums.org and click on “Visit a Children’s Museum.”

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Please detach & return to: The Discovery Center, 60 Morgan Road, Binghamton, NY 13903 (607)773-8661

Name Phone email # in Family

Address City State Zip

Membership Category Amount Enclosed Date Paid

________________________________________________________________________________

Visa, MasterCard, Discover, AmEx Credit card # Exp. Date 04/14

The Discovery Center of the Southern Tier

60 Morgan Rd., Binghamton, NY 13903 607.773.8661 www.thediscoverycenter.org

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION

Annual Benefits

60 Morgan Road Binghamton, NY 13903

Non-Profit Org. US Postage

PAID Binghamton, NY

Permit #192

Thank You For Your Help!!! Michele Swartz, Linda Griffen, Nikki Corgel, Mr. Doug, Dee Shaw, Nancy Bosworth, APO (Binghamton University), Student Volun-teer Organization (Binghamton University), Delta Epsilon Psi Fraternity, Inc., Binghamton Senators, Binghamton Mets, Binghamton University Student Athletes, Subway (Chenango Street), Cortese Restaurant, Chipotle University Plaza, Broome Community College, Early Childhood/Teacher Education Program, Discovery Kids Preschool Families, Mason Foundation, Animal Adventures, Bingham-ton University Crosby's. What’s the Buzz Exhibit; Stewart W. and Willma C. Hoyt Foundation, Inc., Horizons Federal Credit Union, BAE Systems Controls, United Health Services Hospitals, Inc., Broome County Arts Council – United Cultural Fund, “Bee Involved” Donors, NYSCA, Empire State Honey Producers Association, Inc., WSKG Public Telecommunications Council, Four County Library System, Nathan T. Hall Elementary School Art Students, Southern Tier Beekeepers Association, Kutik’s Honey Farm, Lucky Clover Honey & Ryan’s Bees, Joel Babcock and Family & Shelly Boyle, Robert Talkiewicz and Mann Lake, LTD, Burke Pest Control, Endwell Rug, Binghamton University Interns, SUNY Broome Students, Good Shepherd Village, Nikki Corgel, Watson Capstone Sr. Design “Flight of the Honeybee” Team, Bob Nash, Phil Stacconi, David Hogan, Judy Dennis, Joan Hunt and Sue Garing, Kevin Wright, David Dutko, Baked Euphoria, Timothy Eugene Wilson, Home Depot, Lowes Vestal.

Save The Date! The 11th Almost Annual Discovery Center Captain & Crew Golf Tournament

Date: Friday, September 26th, Where: Vestal Hills Country Club, Shotgun Start: 12 noon Cost: $100/person or $400/team includes: Greens fees/Cart, dinner, course beverages, swag bag,

1st, 2nd, 3rd place, longest drive, closest to pin prizes. Join us for a fun day of golf, great food and games/prizes while supporting The Discovery Center!

To sign up your team or for sponsorship information please call 607-773-8661, x 204