Smokey Bear and Woodsy Owl Make Kohl Children’s Musuem Their “Home Sweet Home” In New Exhibit June 15 – September 26

Glenview, IL – A forest full of adventure awaits children this summer at Kohl Children’s Museum with the arrival of Smokey Bear and Woodsy Owl: Home Sweet Home, a new interactive attraction designed for children ages birth to 8. Smokey and Woodsy, the United States Forest Service’s most well-known mascots, will be on hand to encourage families to spend time together outdoors, and inspire children to discover and care for the natural resources that sustain our world.

The exhibition will open Tuesday, June 15 at 10:30 a.m. with a ribbon-cutting and a special appearance from Smokey Bear who will meet and greet with families and kids. The exhibit, developed by Betty Brinn Children’s Museum in Milwaukee, will remain on display at Kohl Children's Museum through Sept. 26, 2010.

“We are thrilled to have this interactive exhibition, which teaches children the importance of discovering, learning about and caring for nature. The Museum is dedicated to exposing children to nature so they become good stewards of the environment,” said Sheridan Turner, President and CEO of Kohl Children’s Museum.

“Our energy-efficient facility, which is a Silver-level certified LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) building from the U.S. Green Building Council, was built on these principles of respecting and protecting our environment.”

This exhibit lets children explore distinctly unique, yet interconnected living environments for both humans and other living creatures such as animals and plants. Elements of the exhibit include:

At Home in the Urban Forest: A cityscape mural provides the backdrop for a pretend house with a yard and garden shed that encourages exploring the concept of urban ecology.

• The Itsy Bitsy Spider Rain Garden: A small shed and garden set the scene for activities that illustrate the water cycle and the principle of using rainwater.
• A Happy, Healthy House: A pretend kitchen is a perfect setting for children to practice making eco-friendly decisions.
• Would You Believe It Comes From a Tree?: The home’s backyard highlights how important trees are to making a broad variety of consumer products and helps children explore processes that are important to the future of our planet.

At Home in the Great Forest: A forest mural and leafy canopy create the setting for activities that highlight the forest as a home to the creatures that live there, and our shared responsibility to care for the land; educational materials feature local and national resources.

• Welcome Home: Smokey Bear and Woodsy Owl greet visitors as they enter the forest.
• The Ranger’s Station: A log cabin and costumes set the scene for children to explore the roles of the forest ranger, cartographer and firefighter.
• The Campsite: The Campsite reminds visitors about the responsibilities that come with enjoying natural resources.

The Bridge Home: A pretend bridge and stream provide a transition between the cityscape and forest components, and help introduce the concepts of interdependence and our responsibility for protecting both the urban and natural forest.

• Make the Connection: The surface of the bridge changes as it crosses the stream, transitioning from a smooth stone-like surface near the city to a rustic texture as it leads to the great forest.
• Go with the Flow: Children will use a variety of simple levers to explore the water cycle and the flow of a pretend stream.
• Go Fish!: Searching for creatures that live in and near the stream helps children understand the variety of life that is supported by water.
• Drink Up!: Investigating paw and footprints by the stream reminds children about the importance of clean water to an ecosystem.