Group Information

Group Admission fees:
Museum group rates apply for groups of 10 or more individuals. Group visits are limited to 2 1/2 hours in the museum. More time can be added to a group visit for an additional fee.

$4.00 per person for groups
(i.e. church groups, daycare's and scout troops)

$3.00 per person for school groups

$2.00 per person for Bradley or Bourbonnais Township groups and school groups

Children must be accompanied and supervised by an adult while at the Exploration Station...a children's museum. And, on the same note, adults must be accompanied and supervised by a child in order to visit the museum.

Tuesday Donation day does not apply to groups of 10 or more. Group admission does not include admission to the live animal room.

Chaperone Requirements
Required group chaperones (1 adult for every 5 children) and bus drivers receive free admission. Additional adults accompanying groups are welcome and will be charged the group admission rate.
The museum requires a 1:5 adult to child ratio. For every 5 students that pay the admission fee, you receive 1 free admission for an adult chaperone.
Additional Adults are welcome and will be charged at the group admission rate. Teachers and staff are included in the adult chaperone count.
Groups with special needs are allowed a 1:1 adult to child ratio.

Groups who do not have the appropriate number of chaperones may be subject to additional fees.

Deposit:
A $25.00 booking deposit is required for all group visits and must be received at least two weeks prior to your visit. Deposits must accompany a Reservation Contract. Please remember that group visits are limited to 2 1/2 hours of exploration time in the musuem including lunches

Book your Visit:
Book your field trip today by calling the museum program and trip coordinator Tammy Anderson at (815) 933-9905 ext 352 or send an email to tammya@btpd.org.
Office hours are Tuesday-Friday 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
Facility hours are 10:00 am-5:00 pm Tuesday-Saturday and 1:00 - 5:00 p.m. on Sundays.

Teacher Tips:
When you are ready to book your field trip please have the following information ready:

• Group/School Name
• Phone Number
• Dates interested in scheduling a visit
• Time of arrival and departure
• Lunch plans and times (50 max capacity in lunch room at one time)
• Name of program (if interested)
• Number of children
• Number of special needs children
• Number of adults (we require 1:5 ratio)
• Age of children

Don't forget to check out some of the other opportunities just outside the children's museum including the Perry Farm playground, farm animals and hiking trails.

• Remind your students about the three main museum rules: No running, Stay with your adult leader and Pick up after yourself.
• Chaperones are required to supervise their assigned children in all areas of the museum.
• Help your children pick up before leaving there play area.
• Food and drinks are not allowed in the museum. play area. Food and Drinks are only allowed in the lunchroom (multipurpose room) during there assigned lunch times.
• Children must be accompanied by an adult in the museum gift shop.
• Questions can be directed to the front desk/admission clerk or any museum staff member.

Remember:
Although the museum is a hands-on experience, children must be guided to recognize the difference between freedom to explore and freedom to do whatever they choose. It is important to emphasize good social skills and respect for other visitors and museum property.

Unruly or destructive groups will be dismissed from the Exploration Station and the Perry Farm Park without a refund.

Group Reservation Benefits:

• Use of the Multi-Purpose Room free of charge for lunch
• One free adult chaperone for every five paid admissions
• Exploration Station staff will give your group an orientation before entering the building
• Express check-in
• 2.5 hours of playtime in the museum

Lunch Room:
Groups may use the lunch room during their visit to eat. Groups of up to 50 people get 1/2 hour time slots for lunch. Groups may bring a snack, a sack lunch or purchase a meal from the museum kitchen. All meals must be arranged in advance.

Meal Options:
Groups may purchase a hot lunch from the museum for $2.85 per child. Prices are subject to change.
Lunches must be ordered at least one week prior to your visit. Groups may choose one meal choice for their group. Meal choices are Hot Dog Meal, Cheese Pizza Meal, or Chicken Nugget Meal. All meals include a snack, a juice pouch, and a dessert.

Picnic Lunch:
Weather permitting, groups may opt to eat lunch outside under the pavilion or on picnic tables located throughout the Perry Farm Park.

2010-2011 Group Programs:
For an additional $2.00 per student, your group may add a program to your museum visit.

All About Animals- Children will learn characteristics about: fish, birds, amphibians, mammals and reptiles. Participants will have an opportunity to see and feel some of our live animals that live at the museum, plus there is a snake skin, sheep and leopard pelts, feathers and more textural examples for children to experience. The program concludes with animal craft. Be sure to stop by the live animal exhibit to see more incredible animals.

For those with a fear of snakes, rest easy... this program does not include live snakes. But it does include other really wild animals that you will have to see for yourself!

Illinois Learning Standards for Early Elementary: 11.A.1b, 12.A.1a, 12.A.1.b, 12.B.1a
Illinois Early Learning Standards: Benchmarks: 11.A.ECa, 12.A.ECa, 12.C.EC

Food Helps Us Grow-What do boys and girls need to get bigger? That's right, food! Children will learn that food comes from animals and plants, and why it's important to be clean and careful when preparing food. Participants will also categorize food items on the nutrition pyramid.

Illinois Learning Standards for Early Elementary: 12.A.1b, 12.B.1b, 13.A.1a
Illinois Early Learning Standards: Benchmarks: 12.A.ECb, 12.B.EC, 13.A.EC

Story and a Craft-Enjoy the story of "The Frog Prince", told on a felt story board. Then make a frog sand art necklace to take.

Illinois Early Learning Standards: Benchmarks: 1.A.ECa, 1.A.ECb, 1.B.ECa, 1.C.ECa, 1.C.ECb, 1.C.ECc

Spinning Art-Want to add a beautiful art project to your visit? Children can use our spin art machine to create works of art. The machine spins the paper and the child squirts paint on the surface. The colors swirl and blend making a colorful picture. The program also includes a sand art bottle project

China - Lanterns to Umbrellas-Locate China on a world map, learn about the Chinese culture, see authentic items from China, and learn about the adorable panda. Children will make a craft to take home.

Illinois Early Learning Standards: Benchmarks:
17.A.ECb, 18.A.EC

A Visit from Bamboo the Panda-Visit with our adorable Panda mascot, Bamboo! Listen to a bear story, follow Bamboo as he dances and does the Limbo. A panda craft will also be included.

Illinois Early Learning Standard: Benchmarks:
19.A.ECa, 19.A.ECb

Under the Sea-The instructor will give descriptive clues about 20 sea creatures. The children will place shell markers on the pictures of the animals being discussed. Posters, models and actual animals can be observed close up. The program concludes with a sand art project.

Illinois Early Learning Standards: Benchmarks:
11.A.ECa, 12.A.ECa, 12.B.EC

Programs and pricing are subject to change. Please call for availability.
To book your group program or for more information please contact the museum program coordinator Tammy Anderson at (815) 933-9905 ext. 352. or email to tammya@btpd.org.
Office hours are Tuesday-Friday, 9:00 am-3:00 pm.

What Can You Learn @ the Exploration Station?:
While visiting Exploration Station’s exhibits you can accomplish:
Illinois Early Learning Standards, Benchmarks
Illinois Learning Standards State Goals for Early Elementary

Exploring the children’s museum meets the following:
5.A.EC    Seek answers to questions through active exploration.
11.A.ECa  Uses senses to explore and observe materials and natural phenomena.
13.B.ECb  Express wonder and ask question about their world.
19.A.ECa  Engage in active play using gross motor skills.
19.A.ECb  Engage in active play using fine motor skills.
32.A.ECa  Begin to understand and follow rules.
32.A.ECb  Manage transition and begin to adapt to change in routines.
32.B.ECa  Engage in cooperative group play.
32.B.ECb  Begin to share materials and experiences and take turns.
11.A.1b     Develop questions on scientific topics.

Community Area
15.A.EC  Identify community workers and the services they provide.
15.D.EC  Begin to understand the use of trade to obtain goods and services.
18.B.1a   Compare the roles of individuals in group situations. (employee/employer)

Shop-A-Lot Market
6.D.EC    Make comparisons of quantities. 
8.A.EC    Sort and classify objects by a variety of properties.
10.A.ECa  Represent data using concrete objects, pictures, and graphs.
22.A.EC    Participate in simple practices that promote healthy living and prevent   illness.
9B.1b      Sort, classify and compare familiar shapes.
15.D.1a     Demonstrate the benefits of simple voluntary exchanges.
15.D.1b     Know that barter is a type of exchange and that money makes exchange easier.

Post Office
8.A.EC   Sort and classify objects by a variety of properties.
17.A.ECb  Express beginning geographic thinking.

Lickety Split Soda Shop and Diner
1.A.ECa   Understand that pictures and symbols have meaning and that print carries a message.
5.C.EC     Communicate information with others.
6.A.ECa   Use concepts that include number recognition, counting and one-to-one correspondence.
8.A.EC     Sort and classify objects by a variety of properties.
15.D.1a    Demonstrate the benefits of simple voluntary exchanges. 
15.D.1b    Know that barter is a type of exchange and that money makes exchange easier.

Invention Center
6.A.ECb    Count with understanding and recognize “how many” in sets of objects. 7.A.ECa    Demonstrate a beginning understanding of measurement using non-standard units and measurement words.
7.C.EC      Incorporate estimating  and measuring activities into play.
10.A.ECb   Make predictions about what will happen next.
7.A.1a       Measure length using rulers.
7.B.1b      Compare estimated measures to actual measures taken with appropriate measuring instruments.
11.B.1c      Build a device using the materials and tools provided.
13.B.1b      Explain how using measuring tools improves the accuracy of estimates.

Safety Place
13.A.EC    Begin to understand basic safety practices.
17.A.ECa  Locate objects and places in familiar environments.
17.A.ECb  Express beginning geographic thinking.
19.C.EC    Follow simple safety rules while participating in activities.
24.C.EC    Participate in activities to learn to avoid dangerous situations.
13.A.1a     Use basic safety practices.
17.D.1       Identify changes in geographic characteristics of a local region (town, community)

Wreck Resort (car care)
15.D.1a    Demonstrate the benefits of simple voluntary exchanges.
15.D.1b   Know that barter is a type of exchange and that money makes exchange easier.

My House (dramatic play)
6.A.ECa   Use concepts that include number recognition, counting an done-to-one correspondence.
6.A.ECb   Count with understanding and recognize “how many” in sets of objects.
7.A.ECb   Construct a sense of time through participation in daily activities.
8.A.EC     Sort and classify objects by a variety of properties.
12.B.EC   Describe and compare basic needs of living things.
16.A.EC   Recall information about the immediate past.
18.B.EC   Understand that each of us belongs to a family and recognize that families vary.

Explore A Lot (castle area)
1.A.ECa   Understand that pictures and symbols have meaning and that print carries a message.
A.A.ECb  Understand that reading progresses from left to right and top to bottom.
1.B.ECa   Predict what will happen next using pictures and content for guides.
1.C.ECa   Retell information from a story.
1.C.ECb   Respond to simple questions about reading material.
1.C.ECc   Demonstrate understanding of literal meaning of stories by making comments.
19.A.ECa Engage in active play using gross motor skills.

Lego Area
8.A.EC     Sort and classify objects by a variety of properties.
8.B.ECa   Recognize, duplicate and extend simple pattern, such as sequences of colors.

Animal Room
12.A.ECa  Investigate and categorize living things in the environment.
12.B.EC    Describe and compare basic needs of living things.
12.lA.1a    Identify and describe the component parts of living things (birds have feathers, people have bones, blood, hair, skin) and their major functions.
12.A.1b    Categorize living organisms, using a variety of observable features )size, color, shape, backbone)

Air Plane
18.B.EC   Recognize similarities and differences in people.

Space Center
5.A.EC    Seek answers to questions through active exploration.
6.A.ECa  Use concepts that include number recognition, counting and one-to-one
correspondence.
6.A.ECb  Count with understanding and recognize “how many” in sets of objects. 6.D.1      Compare the numbers of objects in groups.
10.C.1a    Describe the concept of probability in relationship to likelihood and chance.
10.C.1b    Systematically list all possible outcomes of a simple one-stage experiment (paper airplane flight path)
12.D.1a    Identify examples of motion (moving in a straight line, rotating)
12.D.1b    Identify observable forces in nature (gravity)
12F.1b     Identify and describe characteristics of the sun, Earth and moon as familiar objects in
the solar system.

Water, Sound and Air Center
7.C.EC   Incorporate estimating and measuring activities into play.
12D.1.a   Identify examples of motion (moving in a straight line, vibration, rotating)

Freedom Hall
14.D.EC  Develop an awareness of roles of leaders in their environment.

Art Table
19.A.ECb  Engage in active play using fine motor skills.
25.A.ECd  Visual Arts:  Investigate the elements of visual arts.
26.B.1d      Visual Arts:  Demonstrate knowledge and skills to create visual works of art using manipulation, eye-hand coordination, building and imagination.

Dinosaur Tracks
11.A.ECa  Uses senses to explore and observe materials and natural phenomena.
11B.ECa   Use scientific tools such as magnifying glasses.
19.A.ECb  Engage in active play using fine motor skills.

Move, Goove & Grow Gym
19A.ECa  Engage in active play using gross motor skills.
19.C.EC   Follow simple rules while participation in activities.
20.A.EC   Identify body parts and their functions.
19.C.1      Demonstrate safe movement in physical activities.
20.B.1      Describe immediate effects of physical activity on the body (faster heartbeat, increased pulse rate, increased breathing rate).
23.A.1      Identify basic parts of the body systems and their functions (heart, lungs, eyes etc).

New Exhibit area information coming soon!

For more information on programs or learning standards please contact the Outreach coordinator Tammy Anderson at (815) 933-9905 ext 352 or send an email to tammya@btpd.org. Office hours are Tuesday-Friday 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.