Children learn ways of the Force
Lily Pham was practicing her best “Star Wars” move, flipping her head back and forth to try out her new Yoda ears at a craft table at the Children’s Museum of Houston on Saturday. She glued the green ears of the wise and powerful Jedi Master from the movie franchise onto a band that fit around her head.
“I think my floppy ears will make me fly,” said the 8-year-old from Pearland who, along with her family, was visiting the “Star Wars” activities at the Children’s Museum on Saturday as part of the 50th anniversary of the moon landing.
The Children’s Museum provided craft projects from the movie franchise that began four decades ago about a galaxy far, far away, and children, along with their parents, drew masks of the villain Darth Vader, put together Yoda ears and made lightsabers out of construction paper, tape and foil.
Lily’s brother, Joshua, was first in line to meet several “Star War” characters at the museum and came dressed himself as Kylo Ren, the character introduced in the 2015 film “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” who is drawn to the dark side. Joshua was able to stand next to another Kylo Ren for his photo opportunity.
Julia Abila, 4, and her 7-year-old brother, Jose, were excited about making lightsabers.
Julia chose purple for her saber. Jose pointed to yellow.
“Good color choice!” said Rosemarie Lau, educational events assistant at the museum, who helped the pair roll the paper, tape it up and attach foil to make it look spacelike.
It didn’t take long for Julia and Jose to try out their new lightsabers as the pair, visiting Houston from Monterrey, Mexico, batted the sabers back and forth in a realistic “Star Wars”-like move.
The museum has been celebrating movies this summer; earlier this summer, crafts centered on the “Spider-Man” movie franchise and next month will be “Harry Potter.” “Star Wars” was the logical pick for July to mark the anniversary of the moon landing.
The “Star Wars” theme also appeals to parents because it’s a good way to introduce their children to the movie franchise, said Emily McWilliams, education events manager for the museum.
The Won children — 3-year-old Eon and 18-month-old Euan — are too young to have seen any of the “Star Wars” movies or even understand who the key characters are as they made Darth Vader masks at one of the craft stations. But their father, Alex, is a big fan.
“I can’t wait to share it with them,” he said.