Traveling Tuesdays & Thursdays in the Garden
This summer’s Traveling Tuesdays and Thursdays in the Garden provide families and children a fun and creative way to connect with The Preservation Society of Newport County’s multiple properties and launch our youngest visitors’ lifelong journeys of engaging with cultural heritage and nature.
Target age range: 5-7 years old (plus older/younger siblings) and caregivers
Program Duration: 1 hour (10:30-11:30am)
Program Dates: Tues. and Thurs., July 12 - August 25 (7 weeks, 14 programs)
Locations: Green Animals (Thursdays), Rotating houses on Tuesdays (The Breakers, Isaac Bell House, Chateau-sur-Mer, The Elms, Marble House, Hunter House, Rosecliff). ALL PROGRAMS ARE HELD OUTDOORS ONLY.
Price: Members: $5 material fee per child; Non-member: $10 per child (1 caregiver free, $5 for additional caregivers); Advanced reservations only. Register here.
Looking for fun, family-friendly activities this summer? Join us at the Newport Mansions for summer family programming for ages 5-7 (younger and older siblings welcome)!
Traveling Tuesdays will occur from July 12 through August 23 from 10:30-11:30 a.m. Each week the program will take place at a different property so children and their caregivers can enjoy all the Newport Mansions have to offer. Children will learn a little bit about history and connect their crafts to the properties. They will also earn a stamp in their Newport Mansions Passport! After receiving four stamps they will earn a prize.
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Thursdays in the Garden will take place from July 14 to August 25 from 10:30-11:30 a.m. at Green Animals Topiary Garden in Portsmouth. Children will enjoy the outdoor space and gardens and learn more about nature, from hummingbirds to compost! They can also earn a Green Animals stamp in their Newport Mansions Passport! All materials and supplies fee included in your payment.
As a part of post-program activities, children and their families are invited to play with the Newport Mansions cornhole set, made in partnership with Riverzedge Arts in Woonsocket. Celebrating its twenty-year anniversary, Riverzedge Arts’ mission is to use innovative and work-based learning strategies to teach art, design, and critical thinking to the youth of northern RI.
WEEK 1
Kites Take Flight
Tuesday, July 12 | 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
The Breakers
Join us to create your very own "stained-glass" paper kite,
inspired by the stained-glass skylight inside The Breakers! Kids will
have a chance to fly their kite on the lawn and learn about the children
who once lived here. Kids also earn a stamp in their Newport Mansions
Passport.
All children must be accompanied by a parent/guardian.
Sold out
Buzzing Around
Thursday, July 14 | 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Green Animals
This program is all about bees! We will be joined by a
beekeeper from the Rhode Island Beekeepers Association who will share
her knowledge of bees and their importance. You will learn what it is
like to be a beekeeper and then craft your own bee puppet to take
home. Kids can earn the Green Animals stamp in their Newport Mansions
Passport.
All children must be accompanied by a parent/guardian.
Sold out
WEEK 2
Journey to Japan
Tuesday, July 19 | 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Isaac Bell House
Did you know the design of the Isaac Bell House was
inspired partially by Japan? Join us for this interactive introduction
to Japan with our Japanese community partners. Children will learn how
to use chopsticks, try origami, have their names written in Japanese,
and receive a little ninja training! Kids can earn a stamp in their
Newport Mansions passport.
All children must be accompanied by a parent/guardian.
Sold out
Butterfly Hunt
Note: Because of road construction, Green Animals is closed July 21. This event has been relocated to The Elms.
Thursday, July 21 | 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
The Elms
Hunt for butterflies in the garden! We will read a
story before searching for these colorful creatures. Kids will create
their own wings to wear and earn the Green Animals stamp in their
Newport Mansions Passport.
All children must be accompanied by a parent/guardian.
Sold out
WEEK 3
Dream Designer House
Tuesday, July 26 | 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Chateau-sur-Mer
What type of house do you dream of living in? Come to Chateau-sur-Mer to learn all about different houses of the world. We
will be reading A Place Called Home: Look Inside Houses Around the World
and kids will then design their own dream house. Kids can earn a stamp
in their Newport Mansions passport.
All children must be accompanied by a parent/guardian.
Sold out
Plants Dance!
Thursday, July 28 | 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Green Animals
Move and groove in the garden! An instructor from Island Moving Company ballet will lead an hour of
movement and dance on the lawn. Kids can earn the Green Animals stamp in their Newport Mansions
Passport! Please wear active clothes and shoes or socks you don’t mind
sacrificing to grass stains!
All children must be accompanied by a parent/guardian.
Sold out
WEEK 4
Horses, Carriages, and Things that Go
Tuesday, Aug. 2 | 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
The Elms (by the stables)
Join us at The Elms to discuss horses, carriages, and
things that go! This event will take place by the stables. We will look
at historic and modern pictures of transportation for kids to learn from
and talk about. Children will then create a design of their own for how
they would like to travel. Kids can earn a stamp in their Newport
Mansions Passport.
All children must be accompanied by a parent/guardian.
Sold out
Compost Kids
Thursday, Aug. 4 | 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Green Animals
Go green and learn all
about composting! We will be joined by a staff member from Clean Ocean Access who will teach us how we can better take care of our earth. We
will also visit Green Animals’ incredible compost pile, learn what to
compost, how to use it, and make a take-home micro composter! Please
wear clothes you are okay getting dirty. Kids can earn the Green Animals
stamp in the Newport Mansions Passport.
All children must be accompanied by a parent/guardian.
WEEK 5
Teatime Around the World
Tuesday, Aug. 9 | 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Marble House
Learn about Teatime Around the World, right by the Chinese Tea House on the grounds of Marble House! We will read the
book Teatime Around the World. Children can drink pretend tea and craft a
paper teacup of their own. Kids can earn a stamp in their Newport Mansions Passport.
All children must be accompanied by a parent/guardian.
Sold out
Bug Buddies
Thursday, Aug. 11 | 10:30 – 11:30 a.m
Green Animals
Are you a good garden bug? Come and explore the world of
bugs at Green Animals. In this program, we will take to the plants with
magnifying glasses and explore the good and harmful bugs in our garden.
We’ll discuss what we learned and create our own garden bug! Kids can
earn the Green Animals stamp in their Newport Mansions Passport.
All children must be accompanied by a parent/guardian.
Sold out
WEEK 6
Colonial Kids
Tuesday, Aug. 16 |10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Hunter House
Join us at Hunter House, our colonial era property, to
learn what life was like for kids at that time. Since colonial children did
not have computers or video games, they often had to make their own toys. Come try your
hand at making colonial toys and pretend to live in the 1700s for a
short time! Kids can earn a stamp in their Newport Mansions Passport.
All children must be accompanied by a parent/guardian.
Sold out
Music of the Garden
Thursday, Aug. 18 | 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Green Animals
Music is everywhere, especially in the garden! We will read
a book and then make natural music makers from found objects at Green
Animals Topiary Garden. We’ll create our instruments and explore the
garden to hear the sounds and music happening all around us. Kids can
earn a stamp in their Newport Mansions passport.
All children must be accompanied by a parent/guardian.
Sold out
WEEK 7
Collect the World
Tuesday, Aug. 23 | 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Rosecliff
Kids collect all kinds of things! In honor of our current
exhibition, “Anything You Want,” at Rosecliff, we will read the book The
Collectors and talk about all of the things we can collect. Children
will then collect items around the property like leaves and twigs and
make leaf prints on rocks or paper. Kids can earn a stamp in their
Newport Mansions Passport.
All children must be accompanied by a parent/guardian.
Sold out
Hummingbirds
Thursday, Aug. 25 | 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Green Animals
Hummingbirds are small, fast, and the only bird able to fly
backwards. Come to Green Animals Topiary Garden to learn more about
these cool birds. Older kids will make a take-home hummingbird feeder
with a sugar-water recipe and younger kids can craft their own paper
hummingbird. Kids can earn the Green Animals stamp in the Newport
Mansions passport.
All children must be accompanied by a parent/guardian.
Register here.