USE YOUR SUMMER BREAK TO THE FULLEST! Get involved this summer with the wide range of activities available at the Chippewa Valley Museum. (Photo via Facebook)

There’s something for everyone at the Chippewa Valley Museum, and not just the incredible curated exhibits! Kids and teenagers will have several opportunities to learn new skills, go on adventures, and get involved in the community thanks to the museum’s summer programming.

For kids ages 6-12, jump headfirst into summertime adventures with the Time Travelers: Kids Summer Programming series, held weekly from June 26-July 24. Registration for the series will open March 2 and close June 1. Each class costs $8 plus a $5 material fee, but members only pay the material fee. Check out the schedule:

• June 26, Week 1: Art Adventures
  • Kids will be able to meet artist, author, and illustrator Patricia Hawkenson; explore the artwork found in Color the Chippewa Valley-Junior Edition; take a silhouetted shapes tour of the logging camp; and create a souvenir art project to take home. Note: These sessions meet at the Wisconsin Logging Museum.
• July 10, Week 2: History Hide and Seek
  • Summer detectives will be busy searching for rarely seen artifacts in the collection, going behind the scenes to discover special hidden treasures, investigating lighting to learn about the harmful effects of UV rays, and constructing UV-detecting creatures and protective shields.
• July 17, Week 3: All Afloat
  • Journey through the gallery spaces to explore early river navigation; visit our newest exhibit, “On the Water”; design a wooden boat that really floats; and test your bowline and other knot-tying skills.
• July 24, Week 4: Sunnyview Shindig
  • Hear the stories of one-room scholars from long ago, make and eat an edible abacus, experiment with quill pen art, and play an old-fashioned marble game for keeps. Note: These sessions meet at the Sunnyview School House.

Have you ever had the opportunity to learn how to spin wool? Well, here’s an upcoming instructor-led class: Wool Spinning Class with Janie Mininger on Saturday, March 9, from 12-3pm. Guest instructor Janie will offer up to four individuals (ages 13 and older) a hands-on class diving into the historic art form. Each student will receive personalized instruction while learning how to spin yarn on a classic or reconditioned spinning wheel! The cost is $80 per person if they’re a member, $90 otherwise.

Wool spinning at C.V. Museum. (Photo via Facebook)

For teens lookin’ to get more involved with some community and recreational activities, the Chippewa Valley Museums’ Teen Guides Program is perfect for you! To become a Teen Guide at the museum, apply online from March 1-April 20. Up to 15 guides will be chosen to participate in a week-long training camp in early June to immerse themselves into the history, operations, and practices of the museum, and will choose 32 service hours within the museum. Upon completing certification requirements, they are invited to continue working with the museum as volunteers.

“The Teen Guide program allowed me to connect with my community in various ways. I was able to learn more about mom community’s past, share this information with visitors, and connect with those visitors on a personal level,” said Katelyn, a former Teen Guide. “As a certified Teen Guide, I have learned life-long skills that have led me to success.”

Learn more about the Chippewa Valley Museum’s summer opportunities online. For more information, reach out to Angela Allred at a.allred@cvmuseum.com.