Preparing young children to enter school to be ready to learn and grow can feel like a big job. As caregivers we are always looking for fun ways to help them build the skills they'll need. One easy (and fun!) way to support early learning is by spending time at a children's museum—especially one designed around early childhood development like the Children’s Museum of Manhattan (CMOM) on the Upper West Side. At CMOM, play and learning naturally go hand in hand, and chances are you'll have just as much fun exploring together as your child.
If you've ever watched your child light up when they discover something new, you'll understand why CMOM’s specially designed exhibits are such a hit. For the Museum’s youngest visitors, the popular PlayWorks™ exhibit was created using research on early brain development and preschool readiness skills for little ones from birth to age four. The exhibit includes a min deli, firetruck, art and sand areas, a soft space for crawlers, and the beloved Alphie—the giant talking dragon who helps little ones build vocabulary by “eating” letters.
As children climb, build, pretend, create, and explore the 4,000 square foot environment of PlayWorks™ they are also developing physical, social, math, art, science, literacy, and problem-solving abilities—as well as the self-confidence, independence and awareness necessary for them to become life-long learners. Most importantly, they're learning through play—the natural way that children learn best.
One of the best parts for caregivers is getting to see how their child learns. Exhibits like PlayWorks™ provide an opportunity to observe each child’s unique learning style while playing together. You don't have to be an expert to help your child learn. By joining in on make-believe play, asking open-ended questions, and allowing them time to explore the exhibit at their own pace, you can turn a museum visit into a meaningful shared learning experience. Sometimes the biggest learning moments happen when you're simply playing and exploring together.
