ENTER TO WIN: Family 4-pack of tickets to Dino-Light Theater at UMASS Fine Arts Center

Attention all paleontologists big and small -- dinosaurs are coming to the UMASS Fine Arts Center for one performance only this month and I've teamed up with the FAC to offer one lucky winner a family 4-pack of tickets (2 adult and 2 child admissions) to this first family-friendly performance of the season -- Lightwire Theater: Dino-Light on Sunday, October 20. 

Lightwire Theater (of America's Got Talent fame) uses their puppetry-based neon creatures to bring to life the adventures of a friendly dinosaur who wanders away from home and learns what love is through the creatures he meets along the way. The performance takes place at the Fine Arts Center Concert Hall on Sunday, October 20 at 2 p.m. with a pre-performance Family Fest in the lobby at 1 p.m. The performance runs approximately one hour and is appropriate for ages five and up. A food truck with family friendly options will be on the plaza starting at 12:30 p.m.

Lightwire Theater stemmed from a mutual passion for dance and an interest in technology. Co-creators Ian Carney and Corbin Popp share a love for art and theater, and combined the two in a different way through this electronic show of puppetry. With the help of their wives Eleanor and Whitney, the group stumbled upon the “el wire,” short for electroluminescent wire, which is powered by batteries and requires no theatrical lighting to create three-dimensional glowing light thereby allowing their vision to come to life.

Before the performance, ticket holders are invited to enjoy a Family Fest in the Fine Arts Center Lobby starting at 1 p.m, featuring interactive displays and activities for patrons of all ages. The Beneski Museum of Natural History along with the Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association Jurassic Road Show will offer hands-on activities such as rock and mineral testing. The Beneski Museum (located on the nearby grounds of Amherst College) will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. for pre and post-performance visits (admission to the Beneski museum is always FREE). The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art will be on hand with recommendations about dinosaur-themed books along with the Springfield Science Museum with information about their Dinosaur Hall.

To enter the ticket giveaway, use the comments field below to share one tip for how to foster a love of natural history in children. One winner will be chosen at random from all eligible entries. Entry period ends at 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, October 15. Good luck to all who enter! 

Tickets for Dino-Light are $35, $25, $15; Five College Students and youth 17 and under are $15, $12, $10. This performance offers a family pack of tickets for two adults and two youth for $75. For tickets call the Box Office at 545-2511, toll-free at 800-999-UMAS, purchase online, or click on the link at the top right of this page.

You can read all about the entire upcoming season of family friendly shows at the FAC here. 

Comments

[Lauren King]

Create memories visiting different museums each year

[Katelyn Linder]

We read books and get really excited about them. That makes the kids excited too. We try to tie in a real life experience to whatever we are reading about as well! Thanks for the chance!

[Karen Hall]

There are so many ways! Reading together, watching amazing educational programming, and conversations while exploring the world together. Thank goodness for Google because I learn so much from the questions my kids ask! This show looks amazing thank you for the chance!

[Kelly McDonald]

We read books and make frequent trips to the museum!

[Audrey Pratt]

My youngest son is obsessed with Dino's! Would be a joy to take all three of my boys to see!

[Kristy Preli]

We read lots of books and visit local museums to learn about natural history! We also spend lots of time outside enjoying nature!

[Suzanna Hubbard]

Nature scavenger walk...bonus if you know locations with remnants of past civilizations..I.e. Arrow heads..old structures

[Christina Fleming]

We explore museums and national parks - completing the junior ranger programs and taking pictures as evidence.

[Kelly Charest]

We visit museums or places such as Historic Deerfield that offer hands on learning which makes it easier for the younger kids to learn and retain, plus it’s fun for all.

[Amanda]

Reading books and going to the museum to explore in person!

[Kristie steirer]

We go to different museums and talk about what we see. He asks lots of questions so that's always good!

[Amy Tedesco]

We get outside as much as possible and look for different animals/bugs, etc then read and learn more about them

[Autumn]

There are so many ways to foster curiosity and a love for natural history in our children. I think the biggest way is to help them experience it in the most authentic way possible. Bring them places, get outside, get dirty, touch, feel, and smell things. Show a curiosity yourself and your children will follow. Reading and technology is great to supplement but nothing is more amazing than submersing yourselves in it.

[Sara]

As a newly Christian family, I feel that we inspire a love of natural history by taking a deeper walk into our faith. Teaching our children how God created the land and the animals (including the dinosaurs). This prompts much discussion and continual questions. Thank you for such an exciting opportunity.

[Sarah Mancini]

By sharing the experience of all our wonderful museums we have in the are!

[Julie Nolet]

Visit Beneski Museum of Natural History or head down to the Springfield Museums.

[Laura]

We visit local museums and read books. I can’t wait to some day go to the Museum of Natural History in NY. I loved going there as a kid!

[Sara Plante]

I love to bring the kids to museums to look at fossils and animals. The Berkshire Museum is great for that.

[Vanessa]

Experiencing History first hand has always worked best. Going to Washington DC, visiting Shaker Village, watching a reinactment. Because we took the time to do these things, my daughter has a love for history and knowledge well beyond what is found in a book.

[Paige adams]

I follow the lead my 2 children set and stay interested in the subject as an adult. Dinosaurs, outer space, insects, plants and animals are all interesting subjects for adults, too! My excitement from learning with them feeds their excitement, and they want to share more and more what they've learned with me.

[Jennifer Romero Da Silveira]

I started the spark in history by speaking about the history of us, of our family. That led to inquiring minds wanting to know more about other families and other parts of history and has blossomed from there!

[Heather Greene]

Allow children to experience the wonders of natural science hands-on. Take them to museums to see real artifacts. Get outside and show the different classifications of rocks. Go on pinterest and search for experiments that demonstrate natural history. For example, you can hide fossil toys inside of frozen balls of baking soda and have children use chisels to unveil their fossils from the baking soda.

[Jasmin Hampson]

We take our children on trips where they are immersed with nature and history. We love to teach our children by showing them new places.

[Drew]

Take them for a hike. Let them feel the natural history around them as you tell them how old the dirt is or that tree was here during the civil war. I found my so to be more engaged and would want to learn more about subjects on his own

[Tanya Roman]

Reading books, watching tv shows/films & visiting a variety of local museums to get them excited in learning about history & wanting to know more. As well as arts & crafts at home to help them develop their own creativity through their eyes what they are learning will help them to have love & appreciation for natural history.