February 14th-16th | Cayton Childrens Museum, Level 3

Emotional intelligence is often discussed as an abstract concept, but at Cayton Children's Museum, we treat it as a tangible skill set that requires practice. Our Big Feelings Weekend series is designed to move emotional development out of the theoretical and into a physical, play-based curriculum.

For February, we are focusing on Kindness & Caring through a lens of science and engineering. By grounding these concepts in technical activities, we give children a concrete way to understand how their actions affect the world around them.

This month’s Big Feelings Weekend activities include:

• Science | Heart Beats: Using stethoscopes to observe how the body physically reacts to caring for others.

• Technology | The Circuit of Connection: Using their bodies and energy sticks to complete a circuit, children see how energy—and kindness—requires a direct connection to flow. It is a physical demonstration that supporting one another creates a powerful, collective spark.

• Engineering | Bridge of Friendship: A collaborative build requiring children to negotiate and problem-solve together to connect two sides.

• Art | Chain of Kindness: Help us create our “Chain of Kindness” by writing or drawing moments of kindness that you’ve felt or seen. Then bring it to a Facilitator to add your link to the chain.

• Math | A Recipe for Kindness: Scoop, count, and measure your way to a colorful collage plate made with care! Sharing your creations and trying new “recipes” is a fun way to connect with family and create new friendships.

• Experience-led learning allows children to build a "toolkit" for navigation. When we teach a child to build a bridge or track a heartbeat, we are teaching them the foundational work of being a compassionate member of a community.

Join us this weekend to see these social-emotional building blocks in action!