'This is their program': Children and families grow alongside Balloon Museum storytelling program

Sep. 18—As dozens of children and their families gathered in the Sky Lounge at the Anderson Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum on Wednesday morning, storyteller and music educator Maryse Lapierre was putting the finishing touches on her reading program.

When the clock struck 9:30 and the front rows were filled, Lapierre greeted the crowd with a big "Hello!"

"Hello!" her audience replied.

It's a greeting Lapierre has given and received over the past eight years, since she took over as the storyteller and music educator for the museum's "Stories and Music in the Sky" program. Started nearly two decades ago, the program features early childhood education activities based on reading, singing and getting the children up and moving. The content is geared toward preschoolers, toddlers, kindergarteners and first graders. Museum admission is free for families attending the reading program.

Lapierre has seen the program become a cornerstone of the museum's curriculum and a staple of many families' Wednesday routine.

"I've been doing this for a while, and I've seen a lot of kiddos move on and then come back and visit with a younger sibling," she said. "It's really cool to have connections that meaningful."

Each Wednesday, Lapierre's program has a theme. The theme this week was "The Nature and Science of Season: Autumn," with the kids being taught what to expect when the season turns from summer to fall. Each theme is picked by the museum's education curator, Anita Fernandez, and Lapierre will build around it. In September, they've held readings on the solar system and the season and are planning to cover animal migration.

"Our themes are based on STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) topics, and while you may think that's hard for a little one to understand, Maryse does a great job showing pictures and making it relevant for them," Fernandez said.

The integration of music and getting the kids up and moving has also helped them stay engaged during the hourlong reading programs, according to Fernandez.

"I think what sets us apart from other reading programs in the city is that we do music and dance that tie in with the theme," she said.

Fernandez hopes the children and their families build a connection, not only to the program but to the museum as a whole. Week after week, she watches as families visit some of the museum's exhibits after the reading is over. She said it's those types of experiences that will build a lasting memory and connection for the kids.

"I really enjoy seeing the kids feel like this is their program, their museum," she said. "They feel comfortable here."

After Wednesday's reading, Lapierre invited the families to create handmade crafts. The audience members were able to create a cutout of a maple leaf, use colored paper strips to make a pumpkin or an apple, or create their own paper wind chime. As soon as the go-ahead was given, the kids rushed to the supply table to grab their materials and scattered to the tables around the room to begin. While they were hard at work, Lapierre was setting up for her next show, which would start in roughly 25 minutes.

If you ask her, there's nothing else she'd rather be doing.

"I like teaching, I like singing and I like being around little ones," Lapierre said. "I like doing this because it's good for my heart. And I think it's good for everyone else's heart, too."