How Learning Comes in to Play!

tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-39639184388591277252009-07-10T11:19:09.149-05:00How Learning Comes in to Play!A blog for our colleagues, museum professionals, parents and caregiversThe DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055dcmblog@dupagechildrensmuseum.orgBlogger52125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-16837428462113545882009-07-10T11:15:00.004-05:002009-07-10T11:19:09.160-05:00Enjoy A Good Story with Your Child!

We all know that reading or telling stories is an essential learning opportunity for children. All humans share the universal activity of reading or telling stories. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends making reading and storytelling a part of your family's activities. Not only is reading good for brain development, but it also promotes a strong emotional relationship between you and

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055dcmblog@dupagechildrensmuseum.org0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-44030575027067560732009-06-26T09:00:00.001-05:002009-06-26T09:13:26.214-05:00Creating Sculptures with Packing Peanuts

A Creative Sculpture You Can Do at HomeA recent Studio drop-in activity, Zoo Art, invited participants to create an animal sculpture with biodegradable foam packing peanuts. Families with children of all ages had so much fun creating our Museum Zoo that we thought we would share the process so you can try it at home too!You will know your packing peanuts are biodegradable if they dissolve when

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055dcmblog@dupagechildrensmuseum.org0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-64100260725396643952009-06-19T10:00:00.005-05:002009-06-19T10:42:59.238-05:00School’s out …but Play Never Goes on Vacation!

(Parts of this post were originally published in the June 2009 issue of Positively Naperville)Play, it is assumed, is a natural part of childhood. Yet most educators would agree that play is disappearing from children’s lives. How children learn is as important as what children learn—and what children learn and take away from play experiences is endless!Recently you may have seen the NBC5 news

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055dcmblog@dupagechildrensmuseum.org0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-65144832644376344232009-06-12T15:00:00.004-05:002009-06-12T15:04:03.440-05:00An Accessible Evening the Entire Family can Enjoy

DCM is dedicated to being accessible to all children and adults and makes a special effort to accommodate our visitors with special needs. Our exhibits offer ways to work on language development, social skills and purposeful play.The Third Thursday evenings from 5- 7 pm are a special time for all families, especially families of children with autism spectrum disorder,visual impairments and/or

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055dcmblog@dupagechildrensmuseum.org0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-64083729237286336872009-06-04T16:45:00.000-05:002009-06-04T16:52:18.722-05:00Making Connections to the Arts

Did you know?The arts can make you smart! Recent research demonstrates a correlation between the arts and higher academic performance. In the report, “Learning, Arts and the Brain,” seven universities presented several studies discussing how visual arts, music, and dance training and skill impact learning (The DanaFoundation, 2008).The focus for the Family Resource Center (FRC) for June, July

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055dcmblog@dupagechildrensmuseum.org0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-85033352886636960832009-05-29T09:00:00.004-05:002009-05-29T09:13:04.599-05:00Puzzle Learning

Have you ever tried to put together a jigsaw puzzle? Puzzle play, at no matter what age, not only is entertaining, but can also provide a variety of learning opportunities.Puzzles exercise memory. Notice how a child delights in remembering how to put together a familiar puzzle. Children will often verbalize or talk about how pieces go together. The use of verbalization with themselves or a play

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055dcmblog@dupagechildrensmuseum.org0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-4385382233219569722009-05-15T09:58:00.001-05:002009-05-15T10:01:10.241-05:00The Art of Eric Carle

A recent weeklong drop-in program in our studio, The Art of Eric Carle, gave our visitors the opportunity to explore the pictures in Eric Carle's books and posters. Children recognize his familiar stories and acclaimed works, such as The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? Eric Carle's illustrations are distinctive and easily recognizable by his collage technique

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055dcmblog@dupagechildrensmuseum.org0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-46029010903931650742009-04-30T12:25:00.054-05:002009-05-01T15:09:41.633-05:00Staying Healthy...Keeping Clean

In light of the recent reporting of Swine (Influenza) Flu outbreaks, families have been asking what are the Museum's cleaning and sanitation policies. Fortunately, for our staff and our visitors, this question was addressed back in 2001, when we moved into our 46,800 square foot building. Museum staff worked with the universal precaution recommendations from the Center for Disease Control (CDC)

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055dcmblog@dupagechildrensmuseum.org0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-79890198993335288812009-04-24T14:00:00.002-05:002009-04-24T14:15:11.812-05:00Discover DCM - Training for Staff and Volunteers

Well-trained and easily recognizable staff and volunteers are vital to DuPage Children's Museum (DCM) daily visitor experiences. You will recognize staff or volunteers at DCM by their name badges (office and program staff) or blue aprons (facilitator and studio staff). All regularly scheduled staff and volunteers are required to attend a two-hour interactive workshop, Discover DCM, Where Play and

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055dcmblog@dupagechildrensmuseum.org0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-50905128542094642892009-04-17T13:53:00.001-05:002009-04-17T12:08:08.212-05:00Children Bring Communities Together!

Celebrate the Week of the Young Child April 19 - 25, 2009The Week of the Young Child (WOYC) is an annual celebration sponsored by the National Association for the Education of Young Children, the nation's largest organization of early childhood professionals. This week long celebration recognizes and honors more than 35 million children from birth through age eight and their families, teachers,

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055dcmblog@dupagechildrensmuseum.org0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-41659542054406908022009-04-03T13:21:00.001-05:002009-04-03T13:21:00.896-05:00Taking the Opportunity to Respond to Visitors

In our last post we discussed the value of comment cards and listening to front line staff when when making conscious design choices for our Museum. In this post we will look at ways DCM takes the opportunity to respond to these comments.How do our visitors know their comments are considered? All visitor comments and suggestions are categorized by specific topics related to the Museum - staff,

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055dcmblog@dupagechildrensmuseum.org2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-87179139972683536002009-03-20T15:40:00.000-05:002009-04-01T13:20:32.574-05:00You May Hear Them, But Are You Listening?

Are you listening? Because we want to create a safe and fun learning environment for families, it's important to "keep up our appearances." Places where children are allowed to be active investigators in playful learning can be places where neatness and cleanliness are sometimes next to impossible. Let's face it, busy play spaces can get messy and dirty. Children's museums are no exception! In

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055dcmblog@dupagechildrensmuseum.org0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-51819977550497995872009-03-05T13:29:00.000-06:002009-03-11T09:57:59.057-05:00The Truth about Clean-up

Whether at home, at school or in our Museum, the truth about clean-up is that it's a natural part of play. Still, if you are like most parents, caregivers or museum facilitators, getting children to clean up after an engaging play experience can be challenging. To support parents and caregivers DCM offers a Just for Grown-up focus sheet, The Truth about Clean-up, which is available on our Web

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055dcmblog@dupagechildrensmuseum.org0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-18560637156775510342009-02-20T14:46:00.000-06:002009-02-20T16:57:20.158-06:00Behind the Scenes at DCM - Conscious Design Choices

This is the first in a series of posts about conscious design choice in a children's museum and how it contributes towards children's play and learning. A conscious design choice begins with the physical environment. Many parents and educators believe in an approach pioneered by parents in villages around Reggio Emilia in Italy. One component of the Reggio Emilia approach is that of the "

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055dcmblog@dupagechildrensmuseum.org0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-43662109563035428342009-01-28T16:44:00.000-06:002009-02-06T13:47:14.351-06:00Developing Children’s Innate Dispositions at DCM

On January 22nd, Lilian Katz, Ph.D presented "Nurture Learning By Developing Children’s Innate Dispositions" as part of DCM's Just for Grown-Ups lecture series. Many thanks to those who joined us, to Door-to-Door Direct for underwriting this special event and to Tellabs for their additional support.During this presentation, Dr. Katz shared her thoughts on providing children with intellectually

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055dcmblog@dupagechildrensmuseum.org0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-29342162596414131852009-01-22T02:07:00.000-06:002009-01-22T14:49:18.593-06:00Embracing the Mess and the Noise: Seeing the Importance of Sensory Experiences

Does your child love to pour, fill and repeat in the WaterWays neighborhood? Does she enjoy making and listening to the rattle, shake, and hum of the instruments in the Music Room? Does he seem entranced by the colors and music of the Color My Way exhibit? Children enjoy (and sometimes even crave) these experiences that stir the senses. And while we as adults do not always crave (or sometimes

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055dcmblog@dupagechildrensmuseum.org0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-86949218175497214672009-01-09T03:00:00.000-06:002009-01-09T03:00:00.966-06:00Make 2009 Your Family's Year to Play!

Looking for a New Year's resolution? According to an article on Psycport.com, Temple University psychologist and past DCM Just for Grown Ups speaker, Dr. Kathy Hirsh-Pasek recently met with parents and psychology and early education experts to discuss the importance of play to innovation and creative thinking. Pasek and others believe that American children will be at a disadvantage in the global

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055dcmblog@dupagechildrensmuseum.org0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-19101130310300608952008-12-30T02:00:00.000-06:002009-01-08T13:28:02.004-06:00Ring in the New Year and Register for Just for Grown Ups with Lilian Katz, Ph.D

"Nurture Learning By Developing Children's Innate Dispositions" An Evening with International Leader in Early Childhood Education, Lilian Katz, Ph.DThursday, January 22, 2009 7:00-8:30 pm at TELLABS (1415 West Diehl Road, Naperville, IL) Register now to ensure you don't miss Dr. Katz's discussion on how to support the inextricable connection between knowledge, skills and dispositions in young

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055dcmblog@dupagechildrensmuseum.org0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-58620715431861071362008-12-19T09:00:00.000-06:002009-01-08T13:27:37.830-06:00Risk-Taking Relates to Creativity and Learning

Allowing children to take some risks is important for their overall development. In fact, Bay Area Discovery Museum recently published its Top 5 Reasons It's Okay for Kids to Take Risks, following the UK's major study by Play England (part of the National Children's Bureau) and an article in Sunday's The Observer.Since then, another blog, Open Education has also discussed learning and growing as

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055dcmblog@dupagechildrensmuseum.org0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-79186521601278345552008-12-05T09:44:00.000-06:002008-12-08T08:38:52.660-06:00This Season Give Toys that Teach

Toys are tools for the young. When chosen according to a child's needs, wants or interests they can inspire curiosity and creativity as well as foster motor development, problem solving and thinking skills. Here are a few tips to guide you as you choose toys that teach your child: Which Toys for What Age?According to NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children), each child

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055dcmblog@dupagechildrensmuseum.org0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-82717106167269353922008-11-21T09:23:00.000-06:002008-12-03T09:50:42.199-06:00

"Nurture Learning By Developing Children's Innate Dispositions"An Evening with International Leader in Early Childhood Education, Lilian Katz, Ph.DThursday, January 22, 2009 7:00-8:30 pmat TELLABS (1415 West Diehl Road, Naperville, IL)DCM welcomes Dr. Katz for a practical discussion of how to apply what parents know to develop an active learning partnership with their children. She believes that

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055dcmblog@dupagechildrensmuseum.org0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-37015555836283269572008-11-07T08:53:00.000-06:002009-02-03T12:06:58.210-06:00Brain-Building Play at DCM

On October 23rd, Jane Healy, Ph.D presented "Your Child's Growing Mind: How Families that Play Together, Build Brains Together" as part of DCM's Just for Grown-Ups lecture series. Many thanks to those who joined us and we offer special thanks to The Christopher Family Foundation for sponsoring this amazing event!During the presentation, Dr. Healy discussed how hands-on, open-ended play

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055dcmblog@dupagechildrensmuseum.org0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-61171220540862134392008-10-15T12:37:00.001-05:002008-11-14T11:07:43.437-06:00Nurturing Children's Curiosity and Wonder in Creativity Connections

(This is the third in a series of postings directly related to each of the DCM neighborhoods.)Creativity Connections was designed on the premise that sensory experiences (visual, sound and tactile) can stimulate children’s understanding of learning concepts. Sensory experiences stimulate children’s curiosity and wonder and can inspire children to ask questions like Why? and How? It is from these

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055dcmblog@dupagechildrensmuseum.org0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-91921676251286418192008-10-10T08:35:00.000-05:002008-11-25T08:34:17.100-06:00Make It a Museum Night at DCM

In a recent post on Museum Audience Insight, the author mentioned her son's excitement for "Museum Night," a visit to the children's museum that has now become a tradition for their family to celebrate over and over again.At DCM, we know Thursday evenings have become "Museum Nights" for many of our visitors. Because of the Museum's extended hours on Thursdays (open till 8 p.m.), many visitors use

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055dcmblog@dupagechildrensmuseum.org0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3963918438859127725.post-81883215216101639132008-09-25T08:10:00.000-05:002008-11-14T11:06:48.555-06:00Experience Play=Learning with FREE* KMI to Kindergarten Classrooms in DuPage

Attention, Teachers and Parents! For the third year, DCM is excited to offer Kindergarten Math Initiative (KMI), a FULLY FUNDED Learning Lab field trip for Kindergarten classrooms throughout DuPage County. *Every DuPage County public school kindergarten is eligible; does not include transportation costs.DCM began offering the KMI Learning Lab with knowledge that there were many schools with the

The DuPage Children's Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08841569518319547055dcmblog@dupagechildrensmuseum.org0