What happens in early childhood plays a significant role in lifelong health, well-being and learning. The first five years of a child’s life are when the majority of brain development takes place. There are lasting impacts for children who are not kindergarten ready. Research shows children with higher levels of school readiness by age five are more successful in elementary school and beyond.
In the last year as our community and nation dealt with a pandemic and community needs abruptly changed, Discovery Center quickly adapted to continue serving children and families. The award-winning children’s science museum found new ways to reach families, including the creation of free online science activities, story times, and art projects, virtual learning programs for schools and libraries, and STEM activity kits distributed to families utilizing the YMCA mobile lunch program last spring. Today, Discovery Center, with support from the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois, is announcing the implementation of Discovery at Home activity kits to engage parents in understanding the value of play and quality time – shaping positive early learning experiences for children to prevent educational disparities in the future.
Data from the State of Illinois' Kindergarten Individual Development Survey shows that in the Rockford Public School District, only 25% of incoming kindergartners demonstrated readiness in math, reading, and social-emotional development. With the over 50% decrease in children enrolled in early learning programs in RPS #205 this past year, Discovery Center wanted to find ways to reach those families, and empower parents to become their child’s first teacher and better understand the importance of brain development for their young child.
The free Discovery at Home activity kits contains activities as well as links to virtual story times. One thousand children aged 3 - 5 and their parenting adult will receive a Discovery at Home kit and participate in themed activities to engage in quality, virtual informal play experiences. The kits will contain all needed materials to participate in 15 play-centered learning activities such as creating an shape finding and sorting, counting hopscotch, flashlight alphabet hunt, letter search, play dough writing, and more. Kits contain alphabet cards, high quality markers, crayons, construction paper, scissors, glue sticks, masking tape, flashlight, mirror and more. Virtual playtime activities include story times with corresponding activities and materials included in the kits.
Why is Play Important for Children?
Play—both unstructured and learning-based—can be crucial for child development.
1. Play Builds Imagination and Creativity
During play, children often mimic adults and create make-believe games. When a child does this, they’re stretching their imagination. They create complex narratives around these roles and learn to think in abstract ways. This abstract thinking is the foundation for more advanced learning and problem solving.
2. Play Fosters Cognitive Growth
A variety of experts agree that play is essential for brain development. Free play positively affects neurological development by influencing how the neural circuits of the brain are wired. Free play has a beneficial impact on confidence, intelligence and communication.
3. Play Reaps Emotional and Behavioral Benefits
Regular play can reduce anxiety, stress and irritability for children while boosting joy and self-esteem. It improves emotional flexibility, resilience and provides an increased ability to deal with change. Through play, children can confront life’s challenges in a way that they can understand and process.
4. Play Facilitates Group Interaction
Group play is where kids are introduced to social roles and cultural norms. They develop the skills necessary to play cooperatively within group structures. It also gives them an opportunity to learn about self-control, test relationships and understand acceptable group behavior. The skills learned in group play can help form the basis of a child’s social skills.
5. Play Encourages Greater Independence
Solitary play can be just as valuable as group play. It helps kids to prepare for social situations by providing a stronger sense of independence and promoting creativity. Children who choose to play alone at a playground can also learn social cues by observing other group interactions from afar.
6. Play Promotes Physical Fitness
Kids love to be active. Exercise helps to promote physically fit and healthy children. Play encourages this activity, giving kids the opportunity to sharpen reflexes, work on movement control, improve gross motor skills and develop greater balance. They also build strong muscles, improve bone-density and increase cardio-vascular function. Encouraging active play can have positive far-reaching health effects.
Discovery Center is more than a tourist destination for families and schools. It also shares the role of education laboratory, community resource and advocate for children. “Particularly during the past year, our role as been to support parents and caregivers – to find ways to be a social and informal learning safety net,” explains Executive Director Sarah Wolf. “Play is a child’s work. As children play, explore and discover, lifelong learning is nurtured. Our goal with this program is to connect with families of preschoolers and provide resources to facilitate educational play,” Wolf adds.
Discovery Center is partnering with several local organizations to aid in the distribution of the kits, including the Rock River Valley Food Pantry, Boys & Girls Club of Rockford, Easter Seals, Family Peace Center, and Strong Neighborhood Houses.
ABOUT DISCOVERY CENTER MUSEUM
Discovery Center Museum is a children’s science museum providing hands-on math, science and art experiences for all ages with over 250 hand-on exhibits, planetarium, special area for children under five, and an outdoor science park. Discovery Center Museum is the nation’s 5th Best Museum for Families according to USA TODAY/10Best.com, and one of 12 museums included in Forbes.com’s article, The 12 Best Children’s Museums in the U.S. In 2020 Discovery Center earned the Trip Advisor Traveler’s Choice distinction. The Museum is located inside Riverfront Museum Park, 711 North Main Street, Rockford, Ill. General admission to the Museum is: $9 adults, $9 children (ages 2 to 17), free to Museum members and children age 1 and younger. Discovery Center is open Wednesday-Sunday with advance reservations only. For additional information or to make reservations, call (815) 963-6769 or log onto our website at www.discoverycentermuseum.org.
ABOUT COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF NORTHERN ILLINOIS
The mission of the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois is to serve as a catalyst for giving in order to attract, preserve, and grow an endowment for the current and future needs of the people of Northern Illinois. Since its founding in 1953 CFNIL has granted more than $75 million for charitable purposes. Learn more about CFNIL’s grantmaking and commitment to endowment at www.cfnil.org.