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Wednesday, July 11, 2012

AMAZING Places + Spaces for Children








WELCOME TO MY WORLD OF CHILDREN
During a visit to a local child care center this display was centered in front of me the entire time I was singing and telling stories.  It is a reminder that our world is filled with children, children of wonder.  In the past month several people have asked me if I ever get tired of what I am doing and the answer is NO.  Do I get tired – you betcha!  After thirty-five years in Early Childhood Education I still get fired up about the misunderstanding of young children.  The children have not changed the world around them has changed drastically.  We must provide a world of wonder filled with imagination and take the time to engage in conversation for the sake of their futures.
There is a magical connection when you are with young children and you take the time to really be with the children.  Listening, just listening opens adult minds and enables them to understand how powerful the imagination of a child can be.
Where ever you may live find a children’s museum and take children, not once but often. 
This four year old was captivated for 2 full hours at the Wonder Lab – The Museum of Science, Health and Technology, in Bloomington, IN.  The whole building is a WONDER and a LAB for children to explore. 

 
A six year old tries to show his muscle and tried everything challenging in the lab.





 
"I can do that!"  he said to the adult.

 
Watch it go!

The Children’s Museum in Indianapolis, IN is rated #1 in the USA for children’s museums.  It is worth a trip, the time and the dollar.  Adults enjoy this adventure as much as the children.


Madison, WI has a great children’s museum.  Just a few weeks ago I had two days between events and decided to drive up to Madison, WI.  I spent half-a-day at this museum watching and listening to children.  The saddest time for me was when adults would pull out their phones and text or check
 e-mail.   The children did not seem to mind but there was a full length video going on - live right there in the museum and it was filled with adventure, questions and laughter, but the adults were busy on their phones.  I actually said to one lady, “Oh, you missed that!”  “What?” she said.  “Too late, I guess you were busy,” I said and walked away.


 
There is still a lot of summer left to find a museum near you and to experience the wonder of children.  Try leaving your cell phone in your pocket and take along a camera.
Mary Jo Huff,
Author, Storyteller, Teaching Artist and Song Writer
www.storytellin.com





1 comment:

  1. Great suggestions for having positive experiences at children's museums, Mary Jo! My family has so many great memories of children's museums (without cell phones and with plenty of photos)! I stumbled your post. Deb @ LivingMontessoriNow.com

    ReplyDelete

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