JANUARY 23, 2026 THINGS TO DO As I entered the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum, I greeted a huge silver tree with the mind's eye of a child. I saw sparkling fairies dancing in the tree with a huge fairy door at the base of the tree. It was mesmerizing and captivating. The Hands-On Museum is a modern kaleidoscope of excitement and fun. It is a visual, tactile, sound and social learning location for young and old. I watched all ages taking part in a variety of activities. The very first activity is walking up to the first level; a wonderful happy sound emanates from each step you take on the stairs. With each step the sound of your own personal song is created by you. On the right side is a very fun interactive water world room called "H2Oh!" What fun with water! It consists of a series of pools with connecting channels that participants can interact with, though not immerse themselves in. This area shows the power of water in many ways — rushing rivers, tornado power and how water moves. Magnet fishing is all the rage for young kids. There are colorful balls that float on the water that are clearly the focus of activity in the huge mechanised water machine showing the power of water flow and movement. Kids use the mechanics to cause balls to flow from one area to the next. One spigot pushed the ball up into the waterpool and we watched the ball get sucked into the funnel down into a ladder to another location. It was very fun to watch. The next activity showed the power of light and solar power, with CINDY GERE Groundcover vendor No. 279 fun buttons to push that showed how light exists in our world today. In this area there is a rock climbing wall for the brave. I walked back to the music stairs and saw huge human teeth to walk through. As I walked through the teeth, I reflected on the importance of teeth. When I was a young kid, the dentist used to have a pirate treasure box with small toys. I remember my dentist told me good teeth are good health. Looking at the display with the drinks, the sugar content is a real wake-up call — clean water is truly clean health. They go hand in hand. So next time you want that cola or party drink, hit the water. It goes with long life. As I walked around I discovered that the All About You room is a reflection of the human power, body, mind, soul. The strength, the visual, the hearing, the heart, the mind and mobility are all part of the human experience. I watched a child climb into the back part of an ambulance just as a real one drove by blaring its siren outside. What fun. Another fun room was the preschool gallery. This room captivated the very young kids with colorful community EVENTS POSTCARDS FOR PEACE Saturday, January 24, 1-3 p.m. Bloodroot Herb Shop, 208 W. Michigan Ave, Ypsilanti Make postcards urging decision makers to stop the Los Alamos data center. (see previous page) NAMI WASHTENAW X EMU WOMEN'S BASKETBALL Saturday, January 24, 1 p.m. George Gervin GameAbove Center, 799 N Hewitt Rd, Ypsilanti An exciting afternoon of basketball as the EMU Women's team takes on Northern Illinois University! For each ticket sold, $3 will be donated directly to NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness Washtenaw County. $10. JULIA KEEFE and THE INDIGENOUS BIG BAND: RESILIENCE and BRILLIANCE in INDIGENOUS JAZZ Thursday, January 29, 5:30 p.m. Michigan Theater, 603 E. Liberty St. Free and open to the public. Seating is on a first-come, first-serve basis. Part of the U-M Penny Stamps Speaker Series. The band focuses on reimagined traditional melodies made famous by Indigenous jazz musicians from the past. STOP THE DATA CENTER ASSEMBLY Saturday, January 31, 2 p.m. food and information, 3 p.m. working groups. Ypsilanti Farmers MarketPlace Hall (16 S. Washington St). This is a space for brainstorming, connecting and taking action! ANN ARBOR HAPPY HOUR GROUNDCOVER FUNDRAISER Friday, February 6, 6:30-9 p.m. LIVE Nightclub, 102 S. First Street, Ann Arbor. Close out Vendor Appreciation Week with the Groundcover crew! Live music by Corndaddy and The Medicine Men. Groundcover merchandise for sale. Free. Submit an event to be featured in the next edition: submissions@groundcovernews. com round balls. It was so much fun watching them run after the balls on the conveyor belt equipped with air. All I heard was squeals of delight and there were happy faces as they collected the balls with buckets. My personal favorite fun was the magnetic black goo. Watching the power of magnetic connection on the black goo as it was mopped and connected to the magnet. It was so strange to see kids here discover the real outside world, but by way of interactivity in a very controlled environment. Each activity built more understanding of the greater world, and kids can discover the hows and whys in such a totally empowering education all in one place. The gift store is right next to the ticket desk and the amount of happy kids’ gifts is huge fun. It’s a great location to buy kids birthday and other holiday gifts. If you are into miniatures like me, I found a very small panda that I can keep in my pocket for a good luck charm. Another fun thing is my love for stuffed animals, and the selection is huge. By the time you walk out, you will have likely discovered one more thing you did not know before — such as the black goo that I had no idea was magnetic. So bring your friends, your family and your next door neighbor with you to the museum next time, for the best fun in Ann Arbor, Michigan. AAHOM offers discounted admission to individuals and families with an EBT card. The cost of discounted admission is $3 per adult or per child aged 2+. The discounted price can apply to up to 6 people per visit. GROUNDCOVER NEWS Fun fun fun at the Hands-On Museum What’s Happening at the Ann Arbor District Library Open 10am–8pm Daily Visit any of our five locations across town to browse books, magazines, newspapers, and more. Check out movies, CDs, art prints, musical instruments, or even home tools—you name it! Enjoy fast and free WiFi, study and meeting rooms, and plenty of comfortable spaces to relax or hang out. Unusual Stuff to Borrow There’s more to borrow at AADL than books, music, and movies. To name a few, there are games, telescopes, stories-to-go kits, and home tools. Check out these unusual yet handy items during your next library visit. Washtenaw Library for the Blind & Print Disabled at AADL This free service loans books, magazines, & videos in alternative formats (audiobooks, large print, braille books & magazines, and descriptive video) to individuals who are unable to read or use standard printed materials. Visit aadl.org/wlbpd/apply to apply. FEATURED EVENT 5 Sunday, February 8 • 10 AM–5 PM • Downtown Library The Ann Arbor Fiber Arts Expo is a fiber-filled day with a full slate of hands-on programs, demos, and a lobby full of local vendors! Learn about knitting, crocheting, weaving, and spinning. Try your hand at macrame, embroidery, and more! Explore aadl.org/aafax for a full schedule of events.
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