New This Month
Deep sea discoveries, Thomas train rides, kiddie Olympic games, "Dreamgirls" & more
Check out what’s new for families in June!
Attractions & Exhibits
Through June 26, Killens Pond Nature Center in Felton displays artwork submitted by local high school students for the Wildlife & Nature Art Competition. Free with park entrance fee.
FREE Vessels, through July 25 at Wheaton Arts & Cultural Center in Millville, features colorful vases, bowls & other containers made from glass, ceramic & wood by several different artists.
The 10th annual ABC Games return to the Please Touch Museum in Phila., June 4-27. Little ones can test their sporting skills through an obstacle course, a rock climbing wall & other challenges in the Rainforest Rhythm Gallery. Opening day festivities include a parade & the lighting of the ABC Games Torch. Free with admission, $15. 
Steel Currents at the Delaware Museum of Natural History in Wilmington, June 4-July 18, displays welded steel sculptures created by Stan Smokler that abstractly represent a crab, lobster & other marine life. Also, in Tree Houses, through Sept. 6, families can explore an indoor tree house & discover tree animals by using viewfinders & tracking clues, natural artifacts & sound. Free with admission, $5-$7.
The National Geographic exhibit Cleopatra: The Search for the Last Queen of Egypt comes to The Franklin Institute in Phila., June 5-Jan. 2, 2011. Explore the life of the Egyptian queen, check out more than 250 ancient artifacts & learn about current archaeological expeditions. $19.50-$26.50.
Explore Creatures of the Abyss, a new exhibit focusing on lesser-known deep sea life, at The Academy of Natural Sciences in Phila. A life-sized model of a colossal squid, light shows & submarine rides are among the highlights of Creatures, which opens June 5. Free with admission, $10-$12.
Daily programs for the summer season at the Brandywine Zoo in Wilmington begin June 7. “Keeper Watching” at 11:30am & 1:30pm offer opportunities to learn fun facts about animals & how zookeepers care for them. Free with admission, $3-5.
FREE Nature photographs by Richard Schwartzman will be on display at the Chadds Ford Gallery, June 11-27. 
Thomas the Tank Engine rolls into the Strasburg Rail Road in Lancaster County, June 12-20. Kids can ride a full-size operating steam locomotive based on the storybook character, meet Sir Topham Hatt & visit the Imagination Station, an arts & crafts and activity center for kids. Starting at $18 for ages 2 & up.
Works by Impressionist great Renoir will be on view at the Philadelphia Museum of Art during Late Renoir, June 17-Sept. 6. The exhibit features eighty of the artist’s paintings, sculptures & drawings. Free with admission, $12-$16.
A new Stringray Beach Club opens June 18 at the Adventure Aquarium in Camden, NJ. The tropical experience, complete with palm trees and a touch pool, offers kids opportunities to feel & feed stingrays. There’s also a play area with a 13-ft. tall sand castle, toy stingrays & interactive water elements. Free with admission, $17.95-$21.95.
Performances
Village Productions presents Ragtime, the musical about immigrants seeking success in America, June 3-20 at the Tri-County Performing Arts Center in Pottstown. Study guides for parents & teachers available online. $13-$23. Ragtime also runs June 4-13 at the Kelsey Theatre at Mercer County Community College in West Windsor. $12-$16. 609-570-3333, www.kelseyatmccc.org
There’s more time to find out what happens If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. Arden Theatre Company in Phila. has extended its production of the family play based on the best-selling children’s book. Performances have been added for June 15-27, along with a behind-the-scenes Family Salon event, June 12. $16-$32.
The humorous tale The Emperor’s New Clothes takes the main stage at People’s Light & Theatre Company, June 16-July 11, as part of the Target Family Discovery Series of shows. Ages 5 & up. $20-$29.
See Dreamgirls, the hit musical about the friendship & fame of a ’60s singing group, June 22-27 at the Academy of Music in Phila. $25-$100.
Stephanie Halinski is calendar editor of MetroKids.
