Get On Board with Trolley Activities for Kids - at ImaginOn

UPDATED November 19, 2006 -- Charlotte Trolley hosts free learning activities weekly at ImaginOn, in conjunction with our latest exhibit there, "GROWING UPtown."  The exhibit features a kid-scaled version of Car #85, built to allow children, especially those ages 3 to 8, to climb aboard and play. 

Charlotte Trolley’s education staff presents these 45-minute fun-filled learning activities every Wednesday and one Saturday per month at 11:00 a.m., Noon and 1 p.m.  The “GROWING UPtown” activities were designed in partnership with Child Care Resources, Inc. and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools’ More At Four program. They offer a way for kids to learn about neighborhoods, living in the city, safety rules and more.   The schedule of activities is:

• Wed, 11/22/06 — No Activities — Happy Thanksgiving Eve!
• Wed, 11/29/06 — “Birds of the City” — What birds live in the city?  Where do they nest?  What do they eat?  Children explore urban birds through story time and a craft activity.  Story Time:  “Urban Roosts” by Barbara Bash
• Wed, 12/6/06 - "My City at Night" - Children produce artwork of the city at night.  Story Time:  "Wow! City!" by Robert Neubecker
• Wed, 12/13/06 — "Charlotte's Quilt" - Children explore the many threads that make up our city, then create a quilt of Charlotte scenes.  Story Time:  “Charlotte and the Amazing Tapestry” by Sharon Decker
• Sat, 12/16/06 —"Charlotte's Quilt" - Children explore the many threads that make up our city, then create a quilt of Charlotte scenes.  Story Time:  “Charlotte and the Amazing Tapestry” by Sharon Decker
• Wed, 12/20/06— “Welcome to Our City” - Children learn that our city is made up of people  who are different but still the same in many ways.  Story Time:  "Different Just Like Me" by Lori Mitchell
• Wed, 12/27/06 — No Activities — Happy Winter Break!
• Wed, 1/3/07 – “Safe In Our City” – Children discuss rules and signs that keep us safe in the city and create their own safety rules and signs.  Story Time:  “Officer Buckle and Gloria” by Peggy Rathman
• Wed, 1/10/07 – No Activities – Installation of New Exhibit at ImaginOn
• Wed, 1/17/07 – “Where In The World Am I?” – Children examine maps that provide perspective from street-level to solar system and create their own image of themselves in the world.  Story Time:  "Me on the Map" by Joan Sweeney
• Sat, 1/20/07 – “Trolley Works” – Trolleys are machines that use electricity as their fuel.  Children learn the "secret language" of trolleys and other forms of transportation - then make up their own.  Story Time:  "Sail Away" by Florence McNeil & David McPhail or "Barnyard Banter" by Denise Fleming
• Wed, 1/24/07 – “Vehicles In The City” –  Children use the trolley exhibit to identify vehicles that help the city run smoothly - then they create their own favorite form of transportation.  Story Time: "The Mighty Street Sweeper" by Patrick Moore
• Wed, 1/31/07 – “Birds of the City” — What birds live in the city?  Where do they nest?  What do they eat?  Children explore urban birds through story time and a craft activity.  Story Time:  “Urban Roosts” by Barbara Bash

These curriculum-aligned activities are also available to summer camps, daycares and school groups of 10-20 for a fee of $60.  To schedule a group activity, contact Charlotte Trolley at 704-375-0850.

Charlotte Trolley’s “GROWING UPtown” exhibit and activities are made possible by a generous gift from Donna York Gilbert, in memory of her parents, Bill and Maryann York. The media sponsor for “GROWING UPtown” is WKQC-FM K104.7 (www.k1047.com).  Charlotte Trolley, Inc. expresses special thanks to the Arts & Science Council, the staff of ImaginOn: the Joe & Joan Martin Center, the Public Library of Charlotte-Mecklenburg and Children’s Theatre of Charlotte for their support of this project.

Ninety-minute free parking is available everyday at ImaginOn’s underground parking facility, accessible from 6th Street.  For more information, visit www.imaginon.org.

Visit our media sponsor, K-104.7 FM.

Trolleys built Charlotte's earliest neighborhoods - moving people around town and bringing neighbors together daily in their community.  Today, Charlotte Trolley, Inc. continues to bring people together as neighbors, to connect with history, learn and have fun on Charlotte's favorite mode of transportation.  Charlotte Trolley, Inc. is supported, in part, with a basic operating grant from the Arts & Science Council.