Parents

At the Museum

Center for the Young Child (Pond)
Play hide and seek with your baby. Show them a toy or stuffed animal from the basket and hide it under an object. See if they can locate it.

Center for the Young Child (Meadow)
Use the mirrors along the log tunnel for reflection play. Watch yourselves, move around and touch their nose. You can cover and uncover the mirror and bring different items into the reflection.

At Home

• Talk with your baby as often as you can. Point out things you see, describe what you are doing and say words clearly. This will encourage language and communication.
• Nearing 6 months, children begin thinking about object permanence; the idea that something still exists even when it is no longer seen. Drop a toy behind an object or toy behind a box, and let them search and recover the missing item.

 

At the Museum

Center for the Young Child (Pond)
Watch as your baby looks at the mobiles. Respond by saying, “look at the animals spin and twirl.” Use descriptive words and explain what you are doing and what you see.

Center for the Young Child (Meadow)
Select a book from the basket and read with your child. Point at the pictures while you say the words. This allows your child to build vocabulary and connect words to objects at the same time.

At Home

• At this age children begin mimicking speech. They will attempt to “talk” to you, through mostly babbling, they are practicing an early form of literacy. They are also beginning to recognize familiar family names and even simple commands.
• As you take care of ordinary chores and tasks, talk to your child and explain what you are doing. If you’re running the dishwasher or preparing dinner, talk them through each step. They’ll listen and often they will try and imitate you.

 

At the Museum

Center for the Young Child (Meadow)
Stand or sit with your child in front of the mirror in the Meadow and talk, make funny faces and play peek-a-boo!

Center for the Young Child (Grove)
Walk around the Grove with your child to go on a “color and shape scavenger hunt.” See how many colors and shapes you can identify.

See if your child can name the colors of the letter magnets. Help them identify the names of the letters and the sounds they make.

At Home

• At this age children are able to put objects into a container and pull them out again. Let them drop clothespins into a bottle. See if they can shake them back out. You can also give them containers with easy to manipulate lids and they can put the clothespins in and open and close them.
• Children love looking at picture books. Read books together and point out the different pictures and colors you see.

 

At the Museum

Center for the Young Child (Grove)
See if your child can name the colors of the letter magnets on the wall. Help them name the letters and identify the sounds they make

Center for the Young Child (Village)
Help your child learn to sort by color, shape and size using the items in The Apothecary Shoppe. Use the abacus and scale to reinforce concepts of “more” and “less.”

ARTS a la Carte
Sing and dance with your child in front of the mirrors! Experiment with the costumes and encourage pretend play!

At Home

• Between the ages of 18-24 months your child’s thinking skills develop quickly. They begin to use “I” and “me” when talking about themselves. They begin to vocalize their needs, speak in short, two-word sentences, and they begin to sort by shape and color.
• Make colorful cloud paint. Mix one part white school glue with 2 parts shaving cream. Add a dash of food coloring and stir. Use as paint. When it dries, it produces a fluffy, but firm foam picture!

 

At the Museum

Fire Station No. 1
Follow your child’s lead in pretend play and encourage playing with other children. Dress up, make the noises of a fire truck and move the hose.

Center for the Young Child (Village)
Help your child sort by color, shape and size using the wood blocks, chips, and rods while in The Apothecary Shoppe. Reinforce the concepts of “more” and “less” by using the abacus and scale.

At Home

• By the age of three your child will recognize familiar sounds and where those sounds come from. They will hear a siren and know what it is before seeing it.
• At home read aloud from a book. Look at the pictures and see if you can find similar items in your home. A bear in a story could match a stuffed bear at home. Maybe the characters eat off of plates or sit in chairs. Discuss the objects. What are they made of? What are they used for? What do they do?

 

At the Museum

Fire Station No. 1
Ask your child to explain what a Firefighter does. Point out the Firefighter in the exhibit and talk about how they are friends that help people.

Click Clack Train Track
Challenge your child to create a circle with the train tracks so they can keep the train going on the track. Continue to challenge your child to use the stools to expand the loop to another table.

At Home

• During your next trip to the grocery store, challenge your child to find a specific color fruit or vegetable. Talk about how fruits and vegetables are yummy, healthy snacks and what they do for your body.
• Most four year olds can draw basic shapes such as circles and can understand the concept of “same” and “different.” Use paper to trace your child’s hand and allow them to trace yours. Discuss the similarities and differences in your hands.

 

At the Museum

My Market
Ask your child what people do in a grocery store and restaurant (cashier, cook, clean, stock, bag groceries, shop). Encourage them to take a role and you take on another.

Under My Feet & Over My Head
Suggest that your child try on one of the costumes (bird, squirrel, rabbit, etc.) and pretend to be that animal. Discuss areas within the exhibit where animals might find food and shelter.

At Home

• At this age most children understand that there are rules when playing games. They understand that rules are necessary for the game to work and enjoy playing both alone and with others.
• When you’re at the grocery store, play Grocery Store Bingo. Pick up a weekly store advertisement and cross out the items as you find them while shopping (see how many you can find)! Five-year-olds enjoy imaginative play, and their play becomes more inventive and they enjoy playing familiar roles.

 

At the Museum

The Assembly Plant
Challenge your child to invent a new gadget or toy with the materials in the bins (try not to use a plan). Focus on process, not product. Practice using a variety of tools; sawing and clamping wood, using a screw driver and wearing safety goggles.

Under My Feet & Over My Head
Take a look at the Balcony Garden outside this Playscape. Encourage your child to use the CMD Field Guide in the bins to identify a variety of birds! What do you see? Is there a Redwing Blackbird? Can you see a Common Grackle?

At Home

• Children want to feel useful and have a sense that they are contributing to the family. Allow them to choose from a list of household chores. Setting the dinner table and sweeping floors are great examples.
• Children at this age begin to read and write and will become quickly skillful. Ask your child to write you a story and have them read it to you for a bedtime story.
• Encourage quiet reading, painting, puzzles or board games before bedtime.