Set Sail for School
Map of how to easily get to get to Port Discovery and Harbor Park Garage for Set Sail for School!


Join Port Discovery on August 26 to kick off the beginning of the new school year!
At Port Discovery, we know that the beginning of the school year sparks a complex mixture of big feelings in children, and we strive to ensure it’s the big positive feelings that get the upper hand. As the school-jitter-storm gathers, consider Port Discovery to be your anchor. Join us at the museum to get excited for the upcoming school year!
Our annual Set Sail for School event brings the Baltimore community together to support this transitional time for children and promote their love of learning and play. Discovery a treasure trove of organizations offering exciting activities, giveaways, and so much more! Don’t miss this decked-out day to get your prepped and ready for the upcoming school year! General Admission ticket purchase ($23.95) covers the cost of the event.
Special Guests & Local Partners
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Baltimore City Early Learning
Bringing fun, opportunities, education, and information to families with young children in Baltimore.
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Bed Time In a Box
Bedtime in a Box is a creative but simple solution that supports the health and educational development of children prior to entering school by providing families with the materials, tools, and training they need to enact a comprehensive bedtime routine, seven days a week.
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Kangaroo Kids
The Kangaroo Kids is a precision jump rope team from Howard County, Maryland. Their rope jumping is choreographed to contemporary and traditional music, where every foot jumps in unison and every rope hits the floor simultaneously. The mission of the Kangaroo Kids is to promote physical fitness and goodwill by example and by demonstration of their jump rope skills.
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Enoch Pratt Free Library
Enoch Pratt Free Library seeks to empower, enrich, and enhance the quality of life for all through equitable access to information, services, and opportunity.
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Irvine Nature Center
Through extensive educational programming, Irvine’s goal is to expose children and adults to the importance of environmental literacy. They show the importance of environmental stewardship and teach a concern for the planet that translates into actions that help preserve our natural world and create a healthier planet.
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LTYC
Through arts education programming, their mission is to encourage youth to use their gifts and strengths by applying the arts and leadership as tools, to help promote success and balance in their lives.
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Maryland Book Bank
The Maryland Book Bank is a nonprofit organization committed to cultivating literacy in children from under-resourced neighborhoods.
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MD Food Bank
The Maryland Food Bank is a non-profit organization leading the movement to end hunger in Maryland. They supply the food to hundreds of food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, and faith-based… Read more
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No Boundaries Coalition
Through training, education, and base building they deconstruct physical and imagined barriers in Central West Baltimore, thereby empowering residents to lead and live sustained community transformation.
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PEP
PEP’s mission is to build strong, harmonious family relationships through parenting education, skills training and support. They help adults foster the values of mutual respect, shared responsibility, competence and cooperation in young people, preparing them to make positive contributions to their families, their communities and the world at large.
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Promise Heights
Promise Heights is Responsive Parenting. Promise Heights invests heavily in parenting programs, from birth to age five, that increase the availability of support for parents and decreases negative parent/child interactions. Parenting education leads to healthier social and emotional adjustment of children which leads to better attendance which leads to improved academic outcomes.
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The Literacy Lab
The Literacy Lab provides students–in communities experiencing racial and/or economic inequities–with evidence-based, culturally responsive literacy instruction as preparation for academic, professional, and personal success.
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Urban Strategies
USI is a national nonprofit with extensive experience in the design and implementation of place-based human capital development strategies in communities that are undergoing comprehensive physical revitalization.
Set Sail for School at Port Discovery offers kids and their families a great start to going back to school and entering Pre-K! It’s all about supporting success in school—from our partners who are there to offer resources and services to our museum activities that reinforce positive parenting skills for caregivers as they develop healthy routines at home. And of course, we will have plenty of fun on hand too, including jump roping, puppet shows and DIY back-to school art projects!
Dr. Rachel Demma, Vice President of Education & Innovation
Port Discovery Children's Museum

Art Projects
Create a Fidget Toy
Get ready for school by making your very own bead snake fidget!
Pencil Case Making
Create a pencil case using household items.

Storytime & Performances
Teddy Talks- The First Day of School
Join us for Teddy Talks! This informative special back-to-school themed presentation will feature puppets, slideshows, and morale boosting lessons for the first day of school good for little and big kids alike.
Adventure Expedition Storytime
Travel back in time with our Education Programming team and listen to exciting adventurous stories based on our Adventure Expedition exhibit.

Hands-On Activities
Seashell the Mermaid Blows Bubbles
Join Seashell the Mermaid for a bountiful bubble blowing bonanza.
Seashell the Mermaid Orbeez
Captain Barnacle has stolen Seashell the Mermaid’s magical sea creatures. Help Seashell find the missing animals in this hands-on pop-up acitivity!
This event is sponsored in part by WBAL Kids Campaign
