Go for a Run, Build Gingerbread Houses This Month with Hands On!

You’ve got to hand it to the folks at Hands On! – the downtown Hendersonville children’s museum has a lot going on this month.

November drew to a close at the museum Tuesday with Crazy Chemists, an activity that lets children learn a little science while creating a crazy concoction. The weather outside may have been horrendous on Tuesday, but the kids who participated stayed dry by creating their own version of a popular children’s toy.

“They’re making funny putty, similar to Silly Putty,” said Hands On! assistant director Katie Clayton. “It’s stretchy, gooey, and you can bounce it and put it on a newspaper and make a copy of the newspaper. We know this time of year kids are out of school, and a lot of people don’t have to work as much, so we want to give families a great, fun place to go and have fun together.”

Having fun won’t be a problem this month as Hands On! Has several events and activities planned, some of it geared around the theme of Christmas. The big event is the second annual Reindeer Run at Fletcher Park, which is a fundraiser for the museum.

“The 5K and one-mile Fun Run is a big fun family event to help benefit Hands On!,” Clayton said. “In addition to the 5K race and Fun Run, Santa Claus will be coming out, and he will kick off the fun run for the kids. Santa’s elves will be doing face painting, and we’ll have a bounce house and DJ playing holiday music.”

The Reindeer Run will hold registration from 1 to 2:15 pm. The fun run gets underway at 2pm, while the 5K race starts at 2:30pm. There will be prizes and awards, and people can purchase jingle bell necklaces and reindeer antlers to benefit the museum.

The cost to enter the 5K race is $30, while the fun run entry fee is $10. You can go to the Hands On! Web site at www.handsonwnc.org to find out more information on how to enter.

Other events this month at Hands On! Include:

* Music and Movement will be led by Jenny Arch on December 3 at 10:30am. Clayton said, “It’s great for kids of all ages but particularly toddlers. They have fun singing, dancing and playing instruments.”

* You can create a corn husk doll ornament with help from the Henderson County Heritage Museum on December 3 at 3:30pm.

* Build a gingerbread house on December 17 at 3:30pm. Call the museum to sign up.

* Play some African drums, learn drum rhythms and make a craft on December 22 at 10am. Call the museum to sign up.

* Make a Christmas ornament on December 23 and 24. On Christmas Eve, the museum is open from 10am-2pm.

* After the holidays, Crazy Chemists will make spray chalk on December 28 at 10:30am. Call the museum to sign up.

* On New Year’s Eve, ring in 2011 with a special event at noon.

Some of these events have extra fees associated with them above the $5 admission fee. To find out more, call 828-697-8333 or visit www.handsonwnc.org.

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