CHILDRENS MUSEUM OF SOUTHERN MINNESOTA

VIEW OF PLAY AND LEARNING HOW THE MUSEUM VIEWS PLAY AND LEARNING AND HOW THEY RELATE TO ONE ANOTHER PLAY AND LEARNING ARE CONNECTED YET DISTINCT PROCESSES. BOTH CROSS DEVELOPMENTAL DOMAINS AND USE THE SENSES TO INVESTIGATE AND UNDERSTAND THE WORLD. AN IMPORTANT MEDIUM FOR LEARNING, PLAY ALSO OFFERS PLEASURE IN THE MOMENT. OFTEN APPEARING TO BE SEAMLESS, CHILDREN MOVE KNOWINGLY AND UNKNOWINGLY FROM ONE TO THE OTHER. VIEW OF MUSEUM LEARNERS HOW THE MUSEUM VIEWS ITS AUDIENCE AS LEARNERS SOCIAL, LEARNING WITH AND FROM EACH OTHER ACTIVE AND ENGAGED CURIOUS AND INQUISITIVE CREATIVE AND IMAGINATIVE RESPONSIVE TO AND OPEN TO OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPLORE PRINCIPLES OF PLAY AND LEARNING WHAT WE KNOW FROM THEORY AND RESEARCH ON PLAY AND LEARNING IN CHILDREN'S DEVELOPMENT AND THEIR IMPACT ON WELL-BEING 1. PLAY SUPPORTS EXPLORATION OF MATERIALS, ENVIRONMENTS, RELATIONSHIPS, AND IDEAS. 2. PLAY IS AN OPTIMAL MEDIUM FOR LEARNING. 3. CHILDREN FIND NATURAL SETTINGS RESTORATIVE, REDUCING COGNITIVE FATIGUE. 4. PLAY BUILDS ACTIVE, HEALTHY BODIES. 5. CHILDREN ARE CAPABLE, ACTIVE AGENTS IN THEIR OWN PLAY AND LEARNING. 6. NON-COGNITIVE, SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL QUALITIES FROM EARLY IN LIFE IMPACT LEARNING. 7. SPARKING CURIOSITY IS THE BEST WAY TO ENSURE CHILDREN ABSORB AND RETAIN INFORMATION. 8. CHILDREN PLAY AND LEARN THROUGH SOCIAL INTERACTIONS. 9. APPRECIATING AND VALUING CULTURES AND IDENTITIES BEGINS WITH EARLY EXPERIENCES. 10. ELEMENTS OF PLAYCHOICE, A PLAYFUL MINDSET, AND ENJOYMENTADD UP TO FUN. RESOURCES THE MUSEUM CREATES TO DELIVER EXPERIENCES AND ACTIVITIES TO ITS AUDIENCES EXHIBITS AND ENVIRONMENTS PROVIDE THE PHYSICAL CONTINUITY OF RICH AND FLEXIBLE SPACES AND PLACES THAT CAN BE EXPLORED AGAIN AND AGAIN. PROGRAMS AND EVENTS OFFER RELATIVELY FLEXIBLE EXPERIENCES FACILITATED BY SKILLED PLAYWORKERS, EDUCATORS, ARTISTS, AND SPECIALISTS PROVIDING GUIDED ACCESS TO AND EXPLORATION OF MEDIA, TOOLS, OBJECTS, AND PROCESSES. NATURE PLAY TAKES THE MUSEUM OUTDOORS YEAR-ROUND. THE HALF-ACRE NATURE DISCOVERY AREA CHANGES WITH THE SEASONS. LOOSE PARTS PLAY HUB CENTERS AROUND A VARIED, CHANGING, AND MANAGED COLLECTION OF LOOSE PARTSUNSCRIPTED, OPEN-ENDED, FOUND OBJECTS INCLUDING NATURAL MATERIALS, VARIED MEDIA, AND TOOLS. SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE IS A SUITE OF ACCESSIBLE SERVICES AND SPACES THAT SUPPORTS HEALTHY DEVELOPMENT FOR NEURODIVERSE CHILDREN, THEIR PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS. PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS2023 SAW 101,318 TOTAL VISITORS ATTEND OUR PROGRAMS AND EXHIBITS. WE EXPANDED OUR DAILY PROGRAM OFFERINGS FROM 4 TO 8 DIFFERENT PROGRAMS AND CREATED NEW SPECIAL EVENTS. WE IMPLEMENTED OUR PLAY & LEARNING FRAMEWORK WHICH WAS FACILITATED AND CREATED BY JEANNE VERGERONT AND JIM ROE, PROFESSIONAL MUSEUM PLANNERS. OUR PROGRAMS ARE ALIGNED WITH THE MINNESOTA LEARNING STANDARDS AND EARLY CHILDHOOD INDICATORS OF PROGRESS. 3,412 PRE-K - ELEMENTARY AGED STUDENTS JOINED US FOR IMMERSIVE GROUP VISIT EXPERIENCES.