Boston, MA (PRWEB) February 06, 2013
Boston Childrens Museum, one of the oldest and most influential childrens museums in the world, today kicks off its centennial by announcing an array of events and programs to take place in 2013. The Museum is taking the occasion of the 100th birthday to launch The Power of Play, a new campaign featuring the importance of play in the healthy development of children. The Museum has also unveiled a new website, http://www.BostonChildrensMuseum.org, a robust resource for parents, educators and Museum visitors.
In its centennial year, Boston Childrens Museum will convene academic, medical, community, arts, science, business, and educational partners in a series of events designed to promote early childhood education and support the role of play in the lives of children and families.
The science of brain development provides concrete evidence that there is real power in play. Play helps children develop key skills that serve as a foundation for life-long success, including critical thinking, communication, problem solving, and collaboration. These skills are highly valued in a world that is increasingly complex, competitive, and interconnected.
We believe play is critical to helping children access their imagination, creativity, and curiosity, said Carole Charnow, President and CEO of Boston Childrens Museum. Here at the Museum, active, hands-on play allows children to become the agent of their own learning, building confidence and laying the foundation for a life of learning and achievement.
To promote learning through play in its 100th year, Boston Childrens Museum challenges parents, family members, and educators to dedicate at least 100 hours to unstructured play with their children this year. As inspiration, the Museum is offering a list of 100 ways to play, as well as other resources that will be available on its website and Facebook page.
Boston Childrens Museum has been committed to optimizing child development since its founding in 1913. With support from local museums, members of Bostons Teachers Bureau founded the Museum with the goal of nourishing childrens minds to make them better citizens. In the 1960s, Boston Childrens Museum Director Michael Spock pioneered the concept of hands-on, client-focused exhibitsit was the first museum to eliminate all do not touch signs. Today, the Museum continues to promote hands-on learning and calls on adult caregivers to play alongside their children.
Boston Childrens Museum has served as a cultural icon in the City of Boston for generations and has enriched the lives of thousands of Bostons residents, tourists, and most importantly, its children, Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino said. I am proud of the Museums history and look forward to its future as the Museum embraces the important role of play in early childhood development.
Boston Childrens Museum is among the finest museums in the nation because it is innovative and relevant in a rapidly changing world,” said Janet Rice Elman, executive director of the Association of Childrens Museums. “Within the childrens museum field, Boston Childrens Museum continues to demonstrate its leadership by embracing change and fearlessly reimagining its museum experiences and the value it brings to the community.”
The Museums centennial events will take place throughout 2013 with celebrations in the Museum and community focusing on issues in early childhood development.
Key events marking the 100th birthday celebration include: