Talking Back: Cole, Age 3 (and 4!)

It's been quite some time since we've shared the musings of Cole, one of our most prolific and pensive young visitors, who is now older and even wiser. Here are some of his collected thoughts from the year past, left in response to queries on our talk back boards:

How does your family play together in winter?

How do your kids play before or after school?

What are your favorite places to visit in Rhode Island?

  

How do you encourage creative play?

Thank you, Cole (and Cole's dad), for keeping up your correspondence. As always, we enthusiastically await your next communiqué – though we do challenge you to broaden your motifs beyond the recurring hot coffee (and other calming beverages). We expect that you'll more than rise to the occasion.

(PS – A belated happy birthday to Cole!)

Lost and Found?

We have the most wonderfully playful staff. For example, see how one of our Experience Coordinators, Mandy, recently responded to a typical inquiry that came to our reception desk.

The inquiry:
I think we left my daughter's lovey at the museum yesterday. It is a very well loved stuffed dog puppet and it is very important to our family. Do you know if it's been found? It was probably left in the coat check around 3:15. Thanks!

The reply, with photo:
Your lovey is here with us, and is doing very well... in fact s/he's been very helpful with some of the morning's office work. We are open today and tomorrow, 9:00 AM-6:00 PM. Feel free to pick it up at the admissions desk anytime!

The reaction:
We are so delighted that DogDog enjoyed his day at the Museum. We assured Edie, DogDog's BFF, that of all the places he would be taken care of, the Museum was the place. Plus he couldn't find a more fun spot! We were sure he'd be frolicking in the water exhibit or bouncing around the Imagination Playground. We are so glad he was of some assistance around the office. At home he just lies around and eats bones. We look forward to seeing him before six tonight!

Thank you for taking such good care of DogDog,
Edie and her family

PS You guys are the best. I've been chuckling about this ever since you sent it and Edie cracked up.  -Edie's relieved mom

Clearly our visitors are pretty playful, too!

Water Ways Farewell

Last week, Museum staff and visitors bid a very fond farewell to Water Ways (version 1.0).

The last kids to play in Water Ways gave it a fitting sending off – lots of pumping, splashing and laughter as water shot high into the air.

Staff also enjoyed some fun-filled final moments of water play.

After more than 16 years, we all share so many wonderful (and wet!) memories of Water Ways.

What about YOU? Visit our Facebook page to share favorite memories, stories and photos of Water Ways.

And stay tuned for scenes of making Water Ways version 2.0!

"Goodbye wave"

Celebrating Our Playful Volunteers

April 6 to 12 is National Volunteer Week, a time for us to recognize the extraordinary individuals who play an essential role in serving the Museum’s mission to inspire and celebrate learning through active play and exploration.

The Museum simply couldn’t open its doors without the support of a dedicated, playful and diverse team of volunteers.  In 2013, over 300 committed volunteers, interns and college work-study students served more than 13,000 hours.  They engaged children and caregivers in hands-on exhibits and activities and greeted visitors at the welcome desk each day.  Behind the scenes, interns conducted research and evaluation projects and volunteers assisted with fundraising events, prepared mailings, provided office support, and cared for the Museum’s collection of children’s books.

The majority of Museum volunteers are play guides – the playful people in yellow aprons who welcome visitors in exhibits and programs and encourage positive play and learning experiences.  Play guides are adults, college and high school students, and families who expand and deepen visitor engagement by offering challenges, sharing favorite tricks, and inspiring them to consider new ways to play.  Family volunteers (usually adult/child pairs) play together, share their enthusiasm, and invite visitors to get involved, all while modeling ways to play.  Play guides get to know and build relationships with regular visitors, enabling them to encourage individual interests and spark kids’ and adults’ curiosity.

“Volunteers are an essential part of the Museum,” says Volunteer & AmeriCorps Coordinator Julie Burkhard.  “They help us extend our work with children and families and bring their amazing set of individual skills to all aspects of our work.  We have high school and college students, families and community members in our exhibits.  We have students interested in child psychology, retired teachers and even people who want to build their skill set for when they become parents.  Our volunteers not only do good work, but they help the Museum connect to the community we serve.”

Interested in volunteering?  The Museum is always looking for play guides and family volunteers.  Click here or contact Julie to learn about other current opportunities.

Talking Back: Cole, Age 2

We’ve had a mysterious and astute toddler visitor in recent months, known to us only as “Cole, Age 2," who has left several philosophical and eloquent notes in response to queries on our talk back boards:

How do you play with dirt and mud?

What kind of art do you make?

The knowledge – and penmanship – represented in these messages are truly impressive for such a young child. Cole, it’s clear that you’ve experienced a great deal in your first two years, and we eagerly await your next correspondence.

Grown-Ups at Play!

We love it when parents and caregivers have a great time at the Museum – playing with or without their kids! Staff and volunteers shared these stories of "big kids" at play.

A father sat by himself making a kaleidoscopic design in ThinkSpace, stacking and restacking tiles.  Referring to one of the challenge cards, he turned a tile and changed the order of the stack.  After a few tries, he checked the design he made against the original.  He then lifted his head, turned around and looked – perhaps for his family.  Finding no one, he put his completed design on the show-off shelf and selected a new challenge to try.  More than 20 minutes later, he was still in the same spot, working on another design, this time with a kid at his side.

– Robin, Director of Exhibits

I like to engage adult visitors and give them an invitation to play.  A dad and his three girls came into Discovery Studio and I showed them a ball-in-a-cup toy and challenged him to try it. It turned into a family competition, and dad won! I saw them again the next week and he said, “Remember me? I’m the champion!” 

– Wendy, Play Guide

A dad does some SERIOUS block building!

I was in Water Ways and started “seeding” the area with fun surprises.  I was inspired to do one of my favorites when I saw a young visitor using a watering can.  I set up three waterwheels on top of one another and set a watering can down next to them. When I walked by a few minutes later, a mother was pouring water into the wheels. She noticed me, grinned sheepishly and said, "I am such a kid sometimes."   I responded, "Who do you think put it there?"  We laughed together, creating a moment of emphasis on ageless fun.

– Meg, AmeriCorps Museum Educator

Children were playing with homemade play dough in Discovery Studio. A dad with two children (daughter about 5 years old and son about 2) sat at the end of the table and started to work with the dough. “Is that a monkey or a dog?” I asked him. “I don’t know yet,” he replied. When I looked back 10 minutes later, he’d created a dinosaur, three ducks, a dog and a cat and had his beautiful creations all lined up!

– Olga, Early Childhood Programs Developer

PlayWatch: The Things Kids Say…

When you work at a children’s museum, you get to have a lot of wonderful conversations with kids! Here are some great child comments shared by our staff.

There were a few kids playing on Estrella (the Museum’s Super Chairwoman) and one of them was sitting up high saying, "I'm a king! I'm a king!"  He was very excited and seemed to be having a great time playing with his friends.  On my way into Discovery Studio, I smiled at him and asked him if he was having fun.  He smiled back at me, wiped his brow and said, "I always have fun when I sweat."  I knew just what he meant.

– Valerie, Graphic Designer

We were in Fefa's market one afternoon examining a component that needed a little fixing.  We were so focused on the component that we hardly noticed the visitors playing all around us.  One little girl at the cafe counter looked right at us and exclaimed, "Hey, are you going to order something or what?"  We immediately snapped to and ordered something off the menu.  She made us some delicious papaya shakes.

– Robin, Exhibits Director

A 9-year-old was in Coming to Rhode Island with a heap of plastic apples, clams, onions, etc. in her arms, heading toward the Colonial gallery.  "Those French people took the Pilgrims' food!," she said.

– Janice, Executive Director

A 4-year-old boy named Caleb and I were playing in Water Ways, making a road for a dragon from sand bags and the maze tubes. Towards the end of our building adventure, Caleb's mom wanted him to try making a boat move through the maze. Caleb looked up and said, "Kids are smarter than grown-ups because kids know how to play better." His mother and I shared a big laugh and she looked at him and said, "You're right!"

– Megan B., Experience Coordinator

Click here for more clever kid conversations.

Celebrating the Legacy of Dr. King

Each year, the Museum presents a day of special programming to commemorate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Storytellers and actors Rochel Coleman and Valerie Tutson bring history to life through songs and stories as they portray well-known Civil Rights activists and ordinary Americans who changed the world. Families also explore a display about Dr. King's life and work and can choose to participate in an interactive anti-discrimination activity, during which they wear a red or green tag and encounter “red only” and “green only” labels throughout the Museum – on lunchroom tables, bathroom doors, water fountains and more.

The activity and performance inspired reflection, thought-provoking conversations, and these wonderful responses to the question, “What will you do to fight racial discrimination?”:

And what will YOU do?

Thanks to Providence Tourism Council and Herman H. Rose for their support of this event.

Fun for the Whole Family

This article, by Museum Executive Director Janice O'Donnell, was also posted on Kidoinfo.

Adults are an important part of the Children’s Museum audience.  By sheer numbers, nearly half of all our visitors are adults.

We want adults to want to come to the Museum and to enjoy themselves here.  When the grown-ups are relaxed and engaged, kids are able to explore whatever interests them for as long as they want.  So, our answer to the question “What are grown-ups supposed to do here?” is “Have fun!”

Look through your child’s eyes.  It’s fascinating to find out what she’s drawn to, what she’s learning, what she knows how to do.  You can learn a lot about your child by carefully observing her.  Does she do the same activity over and over until she has it mastered?  What perseverance!  Does he charm adults and connect with other kids?  Great social skills!  Does she silently watch what other kids do and then try it herself?  Good learning strategy!  Even if putting the scarves through the air tubes again isn’t that interesting, your kid sure is.

Follow your children’s lead.  Let go of any agenda and follow their whims.  It’s less important to get to every exhibit than to share a good experience.  It looks like he might stay in The Climber for the rest of the day?  Fine – you can enjoy some leisurely time in the garden.

Credit: John C. Meyers

Join in the fun.  It’s not only okay for grown-ups to play, it’s good for you and an important way to interact with your children.  So play!  Climb up on the packet ship and obey your captain’s order to raise the sail.  When the kids are intent on engineering a series of dams and streams, roll up your sleeves and get involved – just don’t take over!

Have some fun of your own.  Your child is building an elaborate block structure.  Sit down and build one yourself.  Share building strategies.  Or get engrossed in something you like to do while your child is busy doing her own thing nearby.  We love to see adults happily creating kaleidoscopic designs while the kids are off playing with the trucks and rocks

We’re glad to see adults enjoying their Museum visit because they’re more likely to come back, but much more significantly, we love that they are doing something really important for their families.  Parents are learning about their kids and kids are feeling paid attention to and cared for.  Together, they’re creating happy family memories.  The American Academy of Pediatrics says play strengthens parent-child relationships, offering “opportunities for parents to fully engage with their children.”  On your next Museum visit – have some fun!

Play for All Ages

This article, by Museum Exhibits Director Robin Meisner, was also posted on Kidoinfo.

At the beginning of a Museum visit, many adults ask, “What is there to do here?” Or more specifically, “What is there for my toddler (or my 6-year-old or my 10-year-old) to do here?” Typically, kids don’t wait for an answer before running off to explore and play. They know what to do – splash, dig, climb, pretend, create and build.

So to our grown-up visitors, here’s some advice. When kids play – here or anywhere – they learn and have fun. And they play in ways that are appropriate for them – for their individual interests and developing abilities. They are adept at choosing activities based on what they like and are capable of doing, often pushing themselves to go a little further, reach a little higher or play a little deeper.

Most of the Museum is created with the development of 3- to 11-year-olds in mind but also includes activities for very young children – so our environments can grow along with your child. Littlewoods, our early childhood space, is designed exclusively for children 4 and under and their adults.

There is no “right” way to visit the Museum. Some kids stay focused in one place for a very long time. Others bounce from one activity to another, eager to try everything. Follow your children’s lead. Enjoy seeing your visit through their eyes!

If they get stuck and need suggestions of what to try next, consider some of the ways you know they like to play. If your child enjoys…

• Exploratory play – he might like to open and close latched doors in ThinkSpace (younger) or build fountains and mazes in Water Ways (older).
• Pretend play – she might like to move rocks with trucks in Iway (younger) or reenact a favorite tale on the ship in Coming to Rhode Island (older).
• Creative play – he might like to create music on the marimba in Underland (younger) or design a magnetic chain masterpiece in Play Power (older).
• Physical play – she might like to hop over the stream in Littlewoods (younger) or climb to the top of the outdoor Climber (older).
• Social play – he might like to read a story together in a book nook (younger) or play the shape talk game with a partner in ThinkSpace (older).

Grown-ups, you can play too… or just have a seat and watch the kids play (or chat with friends or read a book or daydream).

We recently installed a new resource area for adults that includes hint sheets for exploring the Museum with kids of different ages. There’s also a sheet for adults, to share ideas of how you can support your kids’ play.

Next time you come play, try one out and let us know how it works for you – we’d love your feedback!

PlayWatch: Magnet Drawing

Spotted at one of our newest exhibit components – the magnetic drawing table in Play Power...

An 8-year-old girl settled in to one of the activity stations and began using the pieces of colorful metal chain to create a grid of perpendicular lines, one vertical and two horizontal.

She formed a circle around their intersection and, as she began adding other details, it became clear that she was creating a figure, carefully adjusting the lines to ensure symmetry.  Explaining that she’d learned the technique in art class, she circled green strands to create an eye on either side of her vertical line.

After completing all of the facial features, she moved her horizontal guides downward, outlined a torso, and added appendages in varying hues.  Her final step was to fill in the torso, deliberately spiraling strands in alternating colors until her masterpiece was complete.

She worked slowly but with tremendous focus and determination, and it was fascinating to see her make a connection to something she’d learned to do with paper and pencil and apply it to a different medium.  Her parents watched from across the room and checked in with her periodically but mostly gave this strategic artist the time and space she needed to carry out her plan and vision.

– Megan Fischer, Communications & Marketing Director

Talking Back: Playtime

Recently, on the Talk Back board in Play Power, we asked visitors "How do your kids play before or after school?"  Here are some of their responses, in words and pictures: