It's cool to be immature

There’s all sorts of wacked-out zaniness going on at Long Island Children’s Museum. The museum has started off 2017 encouraging families to let their minds come out to play at its newest exhibition, “Klutz Amazingly Immature.”
The traveling exhibit, which opened last weekend, and runs through May 7, is an opportunity to embrace what its creators call “your inner zany genius” while exploring what these behaviors can teach about science, engineering, math and literacy.
“It’s a wonderful exhibit,” says LICM Director of Education & Visitor Experience Aimee Terzulli. “We know it’s really going be a highlight for visitors during their time at the museum.”
LICM’s newest exhibition, based on “Klutz Encyclopedia of Immaturity Vol. 1 and 2,” as well as other Klutz publications, is produced by the Children’s Museum of Houston in partnership with Klutz, the maker of book-based activity kits. The input of the Klutz creative team, renowned for their ability to get people thinking through doing, is evident through this activity-rich exhibit. The diverse stations offer families many learning experiences that connect those all-important STEM subjects with enjoyable hands-on tasks while honing their “immature talents” and creativity.
From designing paper airplanes to mastering the physics of the tablecloth pull, visitors discover that the idea of “immaturity” is positive, fun and has value for everyone, no matter what the age.

“Amazingly Immature demonstrates complex and advanced ideas to children and adults using recognizable and familiar objects,” says Terzulli. “Our visitors will receive unforgettable lessons in topics like geometry, physics and aerodynamics that they will be able to demonstrate in a variety of situations in the years to come — from showing off in the classroom or at camp to demonstrating to business colleagues.”
As everyone makes their way through the many exhibit stations, “families work collectively to accomplish a common goal,” Terzulli explains. “The intergenerational component really stood out to us when we were considering bringing Amazingly Immature here. Everyone will have a lot of laughs, while naturally learning science.”
Throughout their exhibit experience kids and their parents will encounter new ways to stimulate their creativity and problem-solving skills.
Origami comes into focus at the Immaturigami station, when kids can find out what happens you cross immaturity with origami.In Klutz terms, it’s “Immaturigami.” Families can use Klutz-clear instructions to learn origami techniques that transform fake or real money into wearable rings.
A lesson is aerodynamics is easily absorbed at Immaturity Returns. Kids will enjoy learning to make and throw their own (cardboard)
boomerangs.
Try a dinnertime trick at Dinner Disruptors. The Klutz team wants everyone to add a little immaturity to their meals by learning how to make spoons do somersaults and turn a spoon into catapult, all while learning about levers, friction, sound, and projectile motion.
Fly the Immature Skies is another favorite. At this station, visitors can make a high-flying paper airplane while exploring the four forces that make flight possible.
There’s still more flying to be done at Straw Shooter Jets. With a bit of engineering, a drinking straw, and some memo sheets, kids make creative little flyers and learn about Newton’s Third Law of Motion.
At Photo Follies, families can develop their photography skills and learn how to manipulate perspective to create photo illusions.
Sports fans will enjoy Table Top Football. Here’s a chance to bring Paper Football back to the lunchroom while gaining an understanding of friction, force, and those all-important Newton’s Laws of Motion.
Or be a Noisy Annoyer. Find out how to fold and cut memo-sized sheets of paper to make super-loud annoyers while exploring the science of sound.
And don’t miss out on some Tablecloth Trickery. Ever wonder if you could yank out the tablecloth without breaking the dishes? Try it out with Long Island Children’s Museum’s “good china” while discovering the importance of inertia.
Discover a fascinating trick with your drink cup at Snap Lids. Learn how to make the lid to your that cup fly with a snap of your fingers (and a little gyroscopic motion).
Don’t miss out on the chance to become a Card Shark by mastering the challenging technique of throwing playing cards. Air resistance and surface area make them a lot harder to throw than a ball, but you can still get pretty accurate using Klutz’s technique (and some practice).
Test reaction time at Reflex Ruler. See just how alive friends and family are by putting their reflexes and reaction time to the test. Find out if they are a ninja master or one of the living dead.
Also, see what your loose change can do at Quarter Catch. Determine just how many coins you can catch off your elbow. Stack them up and let inertia help you grab them out of the air.
Or try some Juggling for the Complete Klutz. Learn to juggle scarves with step-by-step video instructions.
And become an inventor at Immature Inventions. Inspired by Klutz’s Book of Inventions, kids can create their own invention mash-ups and share them.
“Kids and families are learning sophisticated science concepts naturally, using the way they play,” says Terzulli. “The whole idea is getting families together to have fun together. This exhibit shows us that it’s okay to be goofy. Silly play is important, it helps us be creative and is part of life.”
As always, the museum’s staff has planned themed activities to enhance the exhibit experience. Upcoming programming includes a “Mad Props” workshop on Feb. 25, March 5 and April 16. Participants can make “Mad Props” (mustaches, bowties and lips from paper and coffee stirrers and take selfies to post to the national #amazingly immature social contest.
At the “Film Canister Rockets” workshop, on March 19, families can explore the reaction between two household kitchen ingredients in an explosive production of gas. “Take Home Snot,” on April 1, is timed, of course, for April Fool’s Day. Kids can fool their friends with some “take home snot.” Learn about chemical changes, the immune system and how to gross people out by making “snot.”

‘Klutz Amazingly Immature’
Where: Long Island Children’s Museum, Museum Row, Garden City.
Fee: $13 for adults and children, $12 seniors, free to museum members and children under 1 year old. Additional fees for theater and special programs apply. View the LICM events calendar at www.licm.org for additional information or call
(516) 224-5800.