Valentine’s Day Cookie Decorating at the Mid-Hudson Children’s Museum
During the first two Wednesdays of February, the Mid-Hudson Children’s Museum provides the opportunity for pre-school aged children, and their parent or guardian, to celebrate Valentine’s Day with Valentine’s Day cookie decorating. In its third year, the event is hosted by the Making Masterpieces Program and strives to introduce the concept of Valentine’s Day to the young children of Poughkeepsie.
Peter Jacobson, the director of education at the Mid-Hudson Children’s Museum, begins the program at 2:30 p.m. with the reading of “If You’ll Be My Valentine,” By Cynthia Rylant. “This is a really good one because it introduces kids to the concept of Valentine. It is about a little boy who makes a card for everybody he knows,” shares Jacobson, “so its an easy one for kids to identify with”. Poems fill the pages of the children’s book as the young boy gifts each to an individual on Valentines Day. Overall, the plot promotes the idea of doing something nice for someone else on the holiday.
In past years, the event has seen attendance range from 12–20 children. When attendance is on the higher end of the spectrum, Jacobson continues with the reading of “The Day it Rained Hearts” by Felicia Bond. As the children’s book unfolds, a young girl catches raining hearts and decides to gift them to others on Valentine’s Day rather than keeping them for herself. The moral of the story once again displays the notion of generosity.
Following the readings, the children arrive to a table of cookies and an array of frosting and sprinkles. The cookies are provided by La Deliziosa Italian Pastry Shoppe located at 10 Mt. Carmel Place in Poughkeepsie. “The idea is that they decorate two cookies. One that they can eat themselves and then one that can give to someone special, “ says Jacobson, “which is usually the grown up that is sitting right next to them”.
The Making Masterpieces Program teaches generosity through the extra cookie as they start to think about someone other than him or herself. “That is the one thing with kids at this age,” shares Jacobson, “they have many opportunities to gift something to someone else. It makes for something special they can give to someone else.”
The Making Masterpieces Program runs each month and caters their events towards holidays and important historical figures. “I think the best ones are the months that give the kids the most creative freedom,” states Jacobson.
From clay sculpting to splatter painting, the program pushes kids to think creatively and visually. While working with their hands, the Mid-Hudson Children’s Museum hopes to develop fine motor skills.
“I think that The Making Masterpieces Program is a great community builder because families work together,” says Jacobson, “Different grown ups get to meet each other and different kids get to meet each other”.
