The Roger R. and Theresa S. Thompson Endowment Fund announces the awarding of $119,000 in grants to six non-profit organizations in New Hampshire and Maine: Berwick Academy, Children’s Museum of NH, Pine Tree Society, Crotched Mountain Rehabilitation Center, Future In Sight and Strawbery Banke Museum.

The Trustees of the Trust approved a grant to the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire, Dover NH to support the “Enhancing Family Play Interactions through Signage” project, using best practices to provide insight, prompts and suggestions to help children and caregivers explore the Museum. This is the first major signage upgrade since the Museum’s move to Dover in 2008.

Museum president Jane Bard noted,

“This project focuses on two efforts—replacing the signage and several components in existing exhibits that have been impacted by our second-floor expansion project, which is nearly complete and will open in February 2025.  And second, updating dated signage throughout the Museum, to focus content on enhancing caregiver/child interactions. We are grateful to the Thompson Endowment Fund for their important support, which will enable us to provide an enriched experience at the Museum for the over 100,000 visitors we welcome each year.”  

Theresa Thompson established the endowment fund in memory of her husband Roger, to make a difference in the local community by rewarding six specific educational and charitable organizations whose work was having a positive local impact on the Seacoast communities of NH and Maine. It was important to her to retain local administration of the grants so that there was a direct connection between the Trustees and the organizations she believed were the best able to create a lasting legacy in the names of Roger R. and Theresa S. Thompson. Although the six organizations named in the Fund are set, the Trustees determine each one’s eligibility for grants on an annual basis, reviewing not only their proposals but their achievements working with previous grant funds.

In making the announcement, Thompson Fund Managing Trustee Charles B. Doleac commented, “The Roger R. and Theresa S. Thompson Endowment Fund Trustees are pleased to recognize the work of the six Thompson Fund beneficiaries by awarding this year’s grants. Since 2015, the Thompson Fund has awarded close to $1 million to the six beneficiaries. These annual awards ensure that the legacy the Thompsons intended is sustained: 1) to help local organizations advance their core missions with innovative programs; 2) to build local Board leadership; and 3) to provide an example of a successful independent, directed philanthropy that others might follow.”

The distributions are not guaranteed and the non-profits named in the Trust must apply each year to be considered for the beneficiary awards that are paid from the income of the Roger R. and Theresa S. Thompson estate trust fund.  To learn more about Thompson Fund beneficiaries and prior grant-funded initiatives, please visit ThompsonFund.org and follow the Thompson Fund on Facebook. 

The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire (CMNH) was recently awarded a $140,000 grant via a partnership between the Granite United Way and the Community Development Finance Authority to support play-based learning for family-based childcare providers across New Hampshire.  With this funding, CMNH is providing play-based learning (PBL) kits of materials, activity guides and training, workshops and ongoing support for 100 at-home providers throughout the state, impacting the 846 children that they serve. 

This project is the next step in a progression of initiatives to advance knowledge and utilization of PBL in childcare centers and classrooms in NH.  “The Children’s Museum is an expert in play-based learning—which is simply learning through play,” said Xanthi Gray, Director of Education at CMNH.  “We have been working for several years with partners across the state to share that knowledge with childcare centers, preschools, public libraries and family resource centers to support their utilization of PBL.  The end goal is helping all children be better prepared to succeed in school, and beyond.”

The current project aims to support the many providers operating small family-based childcare centers out of their home.  “These providers face unique challenges in operating as a small business and educator with limited support or flexibility to attend in-person professional development activities,” said Melissa Latham, Director of Communications and Policy at CDFA.  “The Children’s Museum has developed a series of creative outreach activities to deliver important training for these providers, which in turn furthers CDFA's goal of supporting family-based childcare providers with resources and meaningful connections to a network of educators.”  The CMNH project offers in-home providers ongoing support with 10 months of PBL activity guides, virtual workshops with information catered to their at-home environment, an online community to share ideas and network, and in-person workshops both at the Museum and in locations throughout the state. 

“We are grateful to the Community Development Finance Authority for their support of this work,” said Jane Bard, CMNH President. 

“With every initiative we undertake to expand the use of play-based learning, we positively impact children who will pass through those classrooms for years to come.  Family-based providers are filling an important gap in childcare right now, and we are happy to be able to support their efforts.”

Over the next few months, CMNH will be hosting PBL workshops in every county of the state, open to participants in this program as well as other family-based providers.  Workshops have been confirmed in Portsmouth on November 12, Keene on November 19, Plaistow on December 3 and Rochester on December 4^th—all workshops will be from 6-7:00pm and held in that town’s public library. Details about additional upcoming workshops will be posted to the Museum’s website when available.  You can learn more about the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire and their play-based learning resources online at www.childrens-museum.org.

Kids in our Afterschool STEAM Club created these coral habitats and hid wooden fishes with color camouflage! Can you spot the fish, because we are stumped by some of them! What a fun project!

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Popular Dover Museum expanding with two new exhibits opening in 2025

The Children's Museum of New Hampshire in Dover, a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit, was chosen to be a recipient of The Brook's charitable gaming proceeds for a ten day period in June 2024. This is the second year the museum has been chosen as a recipient, and the donation comes in time to support their expansion efforts.

"A very big 'Thank You' to The Brook, an employee-owned family business, for choosing CMNH as a recipient of charitable gaming proceeds," said Monique Deforge, CMNH's Director of Development & Community Engagement. "This donation of $154,935 will support the expansion of our second floor this fall, helping us to serve more families. We are so grateful and look forward to welcoming you to our new exhibits!"

Construction on the museum's two new exhibits begins this September, and will be ongoing through the remainder of 2024, opening in early 2025. "Little Farmers" is an exhibit designed for children ages 0-5, and caters to young children's fascination with farms and farming. "The Play Loft" is a creative open space dedicated to flexible and changing exhibits that inspire movement and gross motor development. The expansion plans were developed by ARQ Architects, and construction is contracted through DeStefano & Associates, Inc. The museum will remain open during the majority of the construction.

IMAGE: Monique Deforge, Children's Museum of New Hampshire Director of Development and Community Engagement, holds a check from The Brook, an employee-owned family business, representing a donation of charitable gaming proceeds.

An emotional well-being initiative for families will launch in the Fall

In recognition of May being Mental Health Awareness Month, the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire (CMNH) has announced a new emotional well-being initiative for families they are designing called “Wonder & Wellness”, funded by a generous $30,000 grant from the Kennebunk Savings Bank Foundation. 

“We need to prioritize children’s emotional and mental wellbeing in the same way we prioritize their physical health,” said Brad Paige, CEO of Kennebunk Savings. “The Museum’s ‘Wonder and Wellness’ initiative will provide children and their caregivers with the tools they need to foster positive social-emotional wellbeing through playful enrichment experiences. This is a powerful initiative that will do a lot of good in the community.”    

As part of a planned expansion project happening this fall, CMNH surveyed daily visitors and members to help identify the changing needs of families with young children and how this expansion could best support those needs. Among top desires was an exhibit focused on supporting children’s emotional well-being. This, in addition to the persistent news covering the sharp rise in mental health concerns in children post-pandemic, and a greater incidence of emotional challenges in younger children, solidified the intent to incorporate a mental health component into not only the new exhibits, slated to open in early 2025, but to go further and also overlay positive emotional health educational information, strategies, and take-home materials for families throughout the Museum.  

While not a substitute for professional services, CMNH serves as a partner in a network of mental health support systems for families. “The Museum is seen as a safe place, free of stigma, and strives to normalize family discussions about mental health and emotional well-being,” shared CMNH Education Director, Xanthi Gray. “Offering information and activities at a place of play will provide a pathway to opening up these conversations that is friendly and accessible.”

According to CMNH President, Jane Bard, funding received will support a multi-faceted approach to incorporating ‘Wonder & Wellness’ strategies at the Museum. “We’re excited to offer these tools and jumping off points to help families discuss emotional well-being,” said Bard. “We are grateful to the support from the Kennebunk Savings Bank Foundation, who recognizes the importance of supporting children’s emotional health and the impactful role children’s museums can have in doing so.” 

Wonder & Wellness plans include installing new signage to be unveiled this Fall highlighting ways parents can support their child’s emotional well-being during everyday activities, plus the release of a take-home educational piece for families. Additional Wonder & Wellness programs are being planned for 2025 including a speaker series and the opening of a low sensory calming space within the new exhibits for children or adults who need a place to recharge during their visit, providing additional educational resources and activities for families.

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Makers of all kinds take over museum exhibits for a day of discovery

This year's annual NH Maker Fest, organized and hosted by the Children's Museum of New Hampshire in downtown Dover, on Saturday, June 1, 10am-3pm, will feature a Rube Goldberg machine expert, bug motels and seed balls, a marimba petting zoo, roaming robots and dinosaurs, a jump rope team, and will culminate with a foam dance party.

"It's a fun and affordable day of discovery for all ages," said Neva Cole, CMNH Communications Director. Admission into the Fest, which takes place inside the museum and outside in the adjacent Henry Law Park, is by a suggested $5 per person donation. Pre-paid donations can be made online, but are not required to enjoy the Fest.

Some Makers will be set-up inside the Children's Museum of New Hampshire's many unique exhibit spaces, like Laura and Sarah from the Creative Guts podcast, or Zach Umperovitch, the Rube Goldberg machine expert. Some Makers will be outside in the museum's Play Patio, like volunteers from Seacoast Permaculture offering bites of wild edible plants or helping to build bug motels. Some makers will be out in the park like volunteers from the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard helping to drive SeaPerch robots around a huge pool. Some Makers will be performing on the stage like Patti and the Pop Tarts musical ensemble. And some Makers will be roaming inside and out, like Star Wars cosplayers from the 501st New England Garrison and a life-size dinosaur puppet from Sages Entertainment. Fat Pockets food truck will be parked along Washington Street and serving authentic falafel pockets.

The education team at CMNH also offers up several drop-in activities and challenges like Tile Tie Dye, a Parachute Challenge, a Bubble Bin, and make-and-take upcycle stamps.

The Children's Museum of New Hampshire, open since 1983, is an award-winning museum featuring two floors of hands-on exhibits for kids ages birth to age 12. The museum's mission is to actively engage families in hands-on discovery. "The NH Maker Fest is just one way we offer up hands-on fun to our visitors," shared Xanthi Gray, CMNH Education Director. "It's fun to mix it up for a day-long event, and invite all ages to take part in the discovery. We hope to see just as many adults as kids enjoying the Fest-ending Foam Dance Party." The Foam experience will be provided by another Fest Maker, Sages Entertainment.

The Museum would like to thank it's 2024 NH Maker Fest Sponsors including Breezeline, NHPBS, Granite State Development Corporation, The State of New Hampshire on behalf of the UNIQUE College Investing Plan, Sprague, Albany Engineered Composites, Chinburg Properties, Eversource, QA Cafe, Novocure, Beswick Engineering, Calling All Cargo, and Martel Plumbing & Heating.