Minnesota Music Listen Live Blog ›
Music for kids and their adults Listen Live
Acoustic, Americana and Roots Listen Live
Exploring the musical legacy of Prince and beyond Listen Live
The Current’s annual free, no ticket required Rock the Cradle event for kids and their grownups to explore music, art and culture returns Sunday, March 24 to the Minneapolis Institute of Art and Children’s Theatre Company. Enjoy annual favorites such as the Kids’ Disco and Pop Up Story Time with The Current’s DJs plus live music and more. Rock the Cradle is perfect for kids up to age 8.
Presented by The Current and Children's Minnesota.
The Current works closely with the Minneapolis Institute of Art and the Children's Theatre Company to ensure an enjoyable experience for all guests. To help us reach this goal, please note the following items when preparing for your visit.
Parking: Street and ramp parking are available around Children's Theatre Company and Minneapolis Institute of Art sites. Event parking is available in the ramp next door to CTC and nearby surface lots for a fee of $10/day.
Alert: Due to MNDOT’s closure of 28th Street across 35W, please plan extra travel time during Rock the Cradle. Additional free parking is available at the nearby Wells Fargo lot with shuttle service that will run 9:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Shuttle Route: Approximate driving time: 15 minutes
Strollers and such: In order to make this event as pleasant as possible for all guests, we request leaving strollers behind unless necessary. Note that strollers cannot go into the Pillsbury Auditorium.
Refrain from carrying backpacks, large bags and umbrellas. There is a limited (and free) coat and bag check available at the museum; please plan accordingly. For safety reasons the museum reserves the right to inspect all items carried into or out of the museum. Small bags and purses are welcome.
Keep a safe distance from artwork. To protect the art, stay at least one foot away and do not touch the art.
Supervise children at all times.
Babies may be worn, but only on the front. Strollers are also allowed, though during busy times and in certain activity areas inside the Minneapolis Institute of Art and Children's Theatre Company, they may be restricted.
Keep food and drink out of galleries. Food and drink may be purchased at the museum cafes and taken into designated areas in the lobby. Food and drink may be enjoyed in the Kids' Disco and Snack Bar in the Cargill Stage at the Children's Theatre Company.
Be aware of emergency procedures. Should a child become separated from their parent or guardian, please notify the closest Minneapolis Institute of Art, Children's Theatre Company or The Current employee and go directly to the security desk in the Mia's outer lobby. Security procedures will be put into place and all employees will be alerted.
Thank you to all of our sponsors for making this event possible and special thanks to our hosts, Children's Theatre Company and Minneapolis Institute of Art. Enjoy the day!
Location: Cargill Stage
10:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Sponsored by Pizza Lucé, Park Dental/The Dental Specialists, St. Paul Saints, Slumberland Furniture
Let loose in the Kids' Disco with live DJing from The Current hosts. Join Twinkle, the Children's Minnesota mascot, on the dancefloor, or lounge in comfy chairs and play with fun toys. Plus free Peace Coffee and GoGo squeeZ! DJ Schedule
10:30 - 11:45 a.m. – Lindsay Kimball 11:45 - 1 p.m – Jade 1 - 2:15 p.m. – Andrea Swensson 2:15 - 3:30 p.m. – Jake Rudh 3:30 – 5 p.m. – Mark Wheat
Park Dental/The Dental Specialists
Check back for activity details.
St. Paul Saints
Check out the St. Paul Saints exhibit, where children can participate and learn basic motor skills with some inflatable baseball activities. Remember: Fun Is Good!
Slumberland and 40 Winks Foundation
40 Winks by Slumberland helps children sleeping on the floor get a new bed of their own to dream in. Decorate a new pillow case to take home and dream on.
Children's Minnesota Prize Wheel
Location: Cargill Rotunda
Give the giant wheel a spin and collect a fantastic prize from Children's Minnesota.
Children's Theatre Company
Flex your artistic muscles with a craft activity inspired by an upcoming show at CTC!
Children's Minnesota Amazing Kid Zone
Location: Wells Fargo Community Room
11 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Children's Minnesota Amazing Kid Zone - Sing, read, play, and share your amazing creativity with Children's Minnesota.
Mia's Family Day
Location: Studios
Paint a picture-perfect portrait with artists and educators from Mia's free Family Day program. On the second Sunday of every month, the museum is filled with hands-on art activities, live music, dance performances, artist demonstrations, family tours and more — all inspired by Mia's incredible collection.
Children's Minnesota Family Room
Location: Family Area
Need a quiet space? Step into the Family Room for a little downtime.
Sing, Play, Learn, with MacPhail Center for Music
Location: Friends Community Room
Join MacPhail Center for Music's early childhood music specialists and explore the magic of music and play. Through hands-on musical play activities, experience music's impact on learning and reading-readiness skills. Together, we'll sing, play instruments, rhyme, read, move and create!
Brains and Brawn with YWCA Minneapolis
Location: Target Wing Rotunda
Celebrate what your mind and body can do! Engage with early learning teachers and yoga instructors from YWCA Minneapolis. Spin the fitness wheel and move your body to kid-friendly exercises and fun yoga poses, and get a small prize!
Call to Mind
Call to Mind is APM | MPR’s mental health initiative to inform and mobilize new conversations about mental health. Call to Mind is bringing MeMoves to Rock the Cradle. MeMoves is a sensorimotor multimedia program that transform the mind and body, and is used in more than 5,000 school districts, therapy centers, hospitals, and homes.
Story Time with local author Joseph Kuefler
Location: Pillsbury Auditorium
11:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m.
Joseph Kuefler is a celebrated creator of books for children. He is the author-illustrator The Digger and the Flower, Rulers of the Playground, and Beyond the Pond, and the illustrator of the forthcoming Caveboy Crush. His work has been published in numerous countries and languages around the world. He lives in the Twin Cities with his family.
Theatre Arts Training
2 p.m., 3 p.m. and 4 p.m.
Join teaching artists from Children's Theatre Company to activate your body, voice and mind. Become characters and act out stories on an adventure into your imagination.
Minnesota Waldorf School
Location: Fountain Court
11 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Let's get crafty and construct Rock and Roll Royalty crowns!
All Energy Solar
Learn about the wonders of solar energy! Take an adventure alongside a solar pioneer via our activity books, with fun such as coloring pages, solar word searches, an energy maze and more.
Art Carts
Location: Galleries 259 and 377
12 – 4 p.m.
Explore and handle specially selected art objects from around the world: America's Art Cart, gallery 259 China Art Cart, gallery 218 Modern Art Cart, gallery 377
Live Music
Location: Reception Hall
11:15 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Sponsored by Creative Kidstuff, Parent Aware & Think Small
Dance and sing along to music that kids and their grownups will both enjoy! Live music Schedule 11:15 - 11:45 a.m. – Aby Wolf 11:45 - 12:45 p.m. – DJ Hampsterdance 12:45 - 1:15 p.m. – Aby Wolf 1:15 - 2:15 p.m – DJ Hampsterdance 2:15 - 2:45 p.m. – Andy Cook and Friends 2:45 - 3:45 p.m. – DJ Hampsterdance 3:45 - 4:30 p.m. – Andy Cook and Friends
Creative Kidstuff
Join Creative Kidstuff in celebrating all things Baby Shark – felt hats, origami, face painting, temporary tattoos and more! Dive into the hype of Baby Shark because remember: You are never too old to play!
Pop Up Performances from Cameron Kinghorn and Friends
Location: Various
12 p.m. – 3 p.m.
Listen for music throughout the museum! Cameron Kinghorn and Friends will wander the galleries to play short horn-filled sets for kiddos and their grownups to enjoy.
DJ Kool Akiem
Location: Gallery 363
11:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
DJ Kool Akiem is a renowned DJ, music producer and pioneer of the Twin Cities Hip-Hop community. He has shared stages with artists like Atmosphere, Public Enemy, The Roots and many more. Kiddos can collaborate with DJ Kool Akiem to explore the art and science of DJing – scratching, mixing, beat-making with digital and analog sources.
Blooma
Location: Baroque Gallery
Join Blooma for pop-up kids yoga! Kids yoga teaches body awareness, self-control, flexibility, and coordination in a way that helps little yogis carry these skills beyond their mats and into their daily routines – just a small taste of Blooma’s regular class offerings.
Classical MPR
1:30 p.m, 2:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.
Listen along with Classical MPR performances by Border CrosSing, a group who brings together audiences and musicians of different backgrounds with Latin American choral music.
Pop Up Story Time
Location: The Silver Court
11:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
The Current DJs will read their favorite kids' stories alongside new books about music from our Rock and Roll Book Club. Schedule 11:30 - 12 p.m. – Jay Gabler 12 - 12:30 p.m. – Andrea Swensson 1 - 1:30 p.m. – Jill Riley 2 - 2:30 p.m. – Brian Oake 3 - 3:30 p.m. – Sanni Brown
Presented By
Rock the Cradle is presented by Children's Minnesota.
Event Sponsors
MacPhail Center for Music
Pizza Lucé
Park Dental
The Dental Specialists
YWCA Minneapolis
Peace Coffee
GoGo SqueeZ
With Additional Support From:
Minneapolis Institute of Art
Follow #RocktheCradle and @TheCurrent on Twitter and Instagram.
Additional musical activity is made possible in part by the State of Minnesota Legacy Amendment's Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.
You must be 13 or older to submit any information to American Public Media. The personally identifying information you provide will not be sold, shared, or used for purposes other than to communicate with you about American Public Media programs. See Minnesota Public Radio Terms of Use and Privacy policy.