The Newsletter of Providence Children’s Museum
Fall 2013 Volume 16 Number 4
Learning About Learning
For more than a decade, Providence
Children’s Museum has opened its
doors to developmental psychologists
who study what young visitors
know and how their understanding
develops and changes as they grow.
Researchers from Brown University
and Providence College conduct
studies in the Museum’s Mind Lab
each week to explore how children
think, learn and develop.
In late 2012, the Museum expanded
its work with researchers when it
began a major three-year research
project in collaboration with Brown
University professor Dr. David
Sobel, funded by a $713,000 grant from the National Science Foundation, to study
how children develop scientific thinking skills and understand their own learning
processes. The Museum is examining what children, caregivers, and informal educators
understand about learning through play in its exhibits and how to support children’s
metacognition – the ability to notice and reflect on their own thinking – and adults’
awareness of kids’ thinking and learning through play.
The Museum brought on Project Researcher Dr. Suzy Letourneau, who began by
reviewing existing knowledge of how children learn through play, how they develop
an awareness of their own thinking, and how peers and adults can support playful
learning. Drawing from fields including developmental psychology, informal education,
museum visitor studies and early learning, she looked at studies about types of
learning that naturally occur through play, when children start to become aware of
their own thinking, and how the design of museum environments encourages visitors
to reflect on their learning.
Over the summer, the research
team conducted observations of
play and learning in three exhibits
– Play Power , ThinkSpace and
Water Ways – and documented
how children interacted with exhibit
materials and the people around
them. They looked for indicators
of children’s learning through play,
such as critical thinking and problem
solving. Next, Suzy interviewed
parents and caregivers about what
they notice children doing in the
exhibits, asking them to reflect
on their children’s thinking. The
ultimate goal is to evaluate the
effectiveness of the methods the
Museum currently uses to make children’s learning visible, like exhibit signage and
resource materials.
Beginning in the fall, the Museum will use this information to test and develop new
tools to encourage children and adults to notice and appreciate the learning that takes
place through play, and that caregivers can use to document their children’s learning.
And before the project comes to a close in 2015, the Museum will share its findings,
creating a model for other informal learning institutions.
Though this important project is all about making kids’ learning through play
visible, it’s also making the Museum’s learning visible to visitors in the process.
In order to study how children learn, we must understand what they know
about learning and what we as parents can do to help them learn. It’s
critical to take what we know from the lab and apply it to environments with
vast learning opportunities, like the Children’s Museum.
– Dr. David Sobel
This project is supported by the National Science Foundation (award #1223777).
More about making learning visible in this issue: From the Director
PlayWatch
Talking Back
Museum Information
From the Director
Adults are an important part of the Children’s Museum audience. By
sheer numbers, nearly half of all our visitors are adults.
We want adults to want to come to the Museum and to enjoy
themselves here. When the grown-ups are relaxed and engaged, kids are
able to explore whatever interests them for as long as they want. So,
our answer to the question “What are grown-ups supposed to do here?”
is “Have fun!”
Look through your child’s eyes. It’s fascinating to find out what
she’s drawn to, what she’s learning, what she knows how to do. You can learn a lot about your child by carefully observing
her. Does she do the same activity over and over until she has it mastered? What perseverance! Does he charm adults
and connect with other kids? Great social skills! Does she silently watch what other kids do and then try it herself? Good
learning strategy! Even if putting the scarves through the air tubes again isn’t that interesting, your kid sure is.
Follow your children’s lead. Let go of any agenda and follow their whims. It’s less important to get to every exhibit than
to share a good experience. It looks like he might stay in The Climber for the rest of the day? Fine – you can enjoy some
leisurely time in the garden.
Providence Children’s Museum
100 South Street
Providence, RI 02903
www.ChildrenMuseum.org
(401) 273-KIDS (5437)
Fall Hours:
Open Tuesday - Sunday and Monday
school holidays, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM,
and select Fridays until 8:00 PM.
Admission:
$9.00 per person 12 months and older.
Members are always free.
For more information:
General Information, Birthday Parties
& Group Visits
Reception ext. 234
[email protected]
Membership
Stacy Greenberg ext. 221
[email protected]
Join in the fun. It’s not only okay for grown-ups to play, it’s good for you and an important way to interact with your
children. So play! Climb up on the packet ship and obey your captain’s order to raise the sail. When the kids are intent on
engineering a series of dams and streams, roll up your sleeves and get involved – just don’t take over!
Volunteer Opportunities
Have some fun of your own. Your child is building an elaborate block structure. Sit down and build one yourself.
Share building strategies. Or get engrossed in something you like to do while your child is busy doing her own thing nearby.
We love to see adults happily creating kaleidoscopic designs while the kids are off playing with the trucks and rocks.
Development
We’re glad to see adults enjoying their Museum visit because they’re more likely to come back, but much more
significantly, we love that they are doing something really important for their families. Parents are learning about their
kids and kids are feeling paid attention to and cared for. Together, they’re creating happy family memories. The American
Academy of Pediatrics says play strengthens parent-child relationships, offering “opportunities for parents to fully engage
with their children.” On your next Museum visit – have some fun!
Julie Burkhard ext. 144
[email protected]
Education
Cathy Saunders ext. 136
Jennifer Laurelli ext. 120
Fundraising Events
Sara Clarke ext. 121
Communications & Media Relations
Megan Fischer ext. 126
To contact staff members by email, use last
name @ChildrenMuseum.org. For a full staff
phone directory, visit the Museum’s website.
– Janice O’Donnell, Executive Director
Stay Connected
A Whole New Look
The Museum lobby is getting a makeover this fall! Changes to be completed as of midOctober include a new birthday party space, which replaces the current gift shop; a selection of
merchandise will still be available. Also look for an expanded coatroom, just in time for cooler weather!
Another new lobby addition is a parent resource board, offering guides for using the Museum with
different age groups – toddler, preschool, ages 5 to 8, ages 9 and up. A resource sheet just for
grown-ups shares ideas for adults’ roles and encourages them to notice, appreciate
and support their kids’ play and learning throughout the Museum.
The mission of Providence Children’s Museum is to inspire
and celebrate learning through active play and exploration.
Join the conversation with
Providence Children’s Museum and others
who care about kids’ play and learning:
PlayWatch community discussion listserv
www.PlayWatch.org
Sign up for the Museum’s monthly e-newsletter
(at www.ChildrenMuseum.org) to keep up
with the latest news and events!
Editor:
Megan Fischer
Designer:
Valerie Haggerty-Silva
Stories about the power of children’s play, observed by Museum staff and volunteers
An 8-year-old girl settled in at the new magnetic drawing station in Play Power and began using the pieces of colorful
metal chain to create a grid of perpendicular lines, one vertical and two horizontal. She formed a circle around their
intersection and, as she began adding other details, it became clear that she was creating a figure, carefully adjusting
the lines to ensure symmetry. Explaining that she’d learned the technique in art class,
she circled green strands to create an eye on either side of her vertical line. After
completing all of the facial features, she moved her horizontal guides downward,
outlined a torso, and added appendages in varying hues. Her final step was
to fill in the torso, deliberately spiraling strands in alternating colors until her
masterpiece was complete.
She worked slowly but with tremendous focus and determination, and it was
fascinating to see her make a connection to something she’d learned to do with paper and
pencil and apply it to a different medium. Her parents watched from across the room and checked in with
her periodically but mostly gave this strategic artist the time and space she needed to carry out her plan
and vision.
– Megan Fischer, Communications & Marketing Director
Museum News
Building a Movement for Play Museum staff were part of a team invited to participate in a Playful City USA Leader Summit presented
by KaBOOM!, the national nonprofit dedicated to saving play. The summit brought together communities from across the country, using
Providence as a case study of partners working together to raise public awareness of the need for play – a recognition that grew from the
Museum’s play advocacy efforts over the past five years.
Playing Across Providence This spring and summer, the Museum brought unstructured play
to Providence parks for a second year, taking Imagination Playground blocks, fort building and
other open-ended fun with loose parts to neighborhoods throughout the city. The Museum
provided creative play experiences for 930 kids and family members, thanks to the support of
the Providence Department of Parks and Recreation and the Partnership for Providence Parks.
Supporting Summer Learning The Museum’s AmeriCorps Museum Educators facilitated engaging summer enrichment activities for 250
children at nine sites in Providence and Pawtucket. Programs for elementary school-age kids were designed to combat summer learning loss
– an average of two months of grade-level equivalency in math skills and three months in reading. As part of a new pilot program through
Providence’s Children and Youth Cabinet, the Museum supported literacy with play-based art and science for rising kindergartners at Asa Messer
Elementary School.
Exploration: Museum Art
One of Providence Children’s Museum’s defining features is the quality and beauty of its learning
environment. Since opening in 1977, the Museum has commissioned or accepted donations of work by
artists – many of them local – for its exhibits and public spaces. These vibrant murals and paintings,
intricate sculptures and carvings, and more contribute to the Museum’s creative aesthetic while
introducing children to art and artists.
The Museum recently welcomed new artworks to its atrium walkway. Commissioned from Providencebased Mid-Ocean Studio, a team of artists who create public art internationally, Space Debris responds to and expands on the
idea of shapes in space as explored in the new ThinkSpace exhibit. The intriguing sculptural installation consists of three cloud-like
structures with embedded images that refer to geometric concepts. Mid-Ocean Artistic Director Brower Hatcher called the creations
“experiments with geometric systems” and described the design process as “three-dimensional weaving” and “my own kind of play.”
Hanging nearby are four ceramic murals loaned to the Museum by Massachusetts-based artist Judith Inglese, who “enjoys depicting
the role of creativity, imagination and discovery in the life of the child.” The panels
To view a slideshow of Museum artwork,
represent music, dance, opera and theater, each created in bas-relief and featuring
visit www.ChildrenMuseum.org/Art.asp
whimsically detailed images and a variety of vibrant glazes.
2013 OC TOBER
SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
1 Play and Learn
2 Animal Adventures
3 Animal Adventures
7 Museum Closed
8 Play and Learn
9 Wood Works
10 Wood Works
11 Toddler Try-It
13 ImaginationPlayground 14 Super Structures
15 Play and Learn
16 Wood Works
17 Wood Works
18 MetLife Family Friday 19 After the Beanstalk
Family Film Night
6:00 - 7:00 PM
10:30 AM - 2:00 PM
Ages 3 and up
20 Chinese Crafts
21 Museum Closed
22 Play and Learn
23 Spooky Studio
24 Spooky Studio
25 Spooky Studio
26 Creepy Creatures
27 Boo Bash
28 Museum Closed
29 Play and Learn
30 Spooky Studio
31 Spooky Studio
Making Music
10:00 AM - Noon
6
Cardboard Challenge
11:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Ages 5 and up
11:00 AM - 2:00 PM
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Ages 5 and up
11:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Ages 4 and up
11:00 AM - 2:00 PM
SUNDAY
MONDAY
Let’s Move!
10:00 AM - Noon
Ice Cream Shop
10:00 AM - Noon
Bugs in Boxes
10:00 AM - Noon
Animal Tales
10:00 AM - Noon
TUESDAY
in Discovery Studio
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
in Discovery Studio
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
in Discovery Studio
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
in Discovery Studio
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
in Discovery Studio
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
in Discovery Studio
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
in Discovery Studio
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
in Discovery Studio
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
in Discovery Studio
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
11:00 AM - 2:00 PM
10 Air Play
4 Museum Closed
In the Kitchen
10:00 AM - Noon
Animal Stories
10:00 AM - Noon
Sandpaper Sensation
10:00 AM - Noon
in Discovery Studio
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
5
Cardboard Challenge
11:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Ages 5 and up
12 ImaginationPlayground
11:00 AM - 2:00 PM
10:00 AM - Noon
2013 NOV EMBER
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
6 Nature Investigators
in Discovery Studio
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
FRIDAY
1 Toddler Try-It
Spooky Painting
10:00 AM - Noon
7 Nature Investigators
in Discovery Studio
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
8 Toddler Try-It
Nature Play
10:00 AM - Noon
SATURDAY
2 ImaginationPlayground
11:00 AM - 2:00 PM
9
Air Play
11:00 AM - 2:00 PM
12 Play and Learn
13 Nature Investigators 14 Nature Investigators 15 MetLife Family Friday 16 After the Beanstalk
17 After the Beanstalk 18 Museum Closed
19 Play and Learn
20 Magnet Play
21 Magnet Play
22 Toddler Try-It
24 Magnet Play
26 Play and Learn
27 Magnet Play
28 Museum Closed
29 Native American Tales 30 Stick Structures
11:00 AM - 2:00 PM
11 Air Play
5 Play and Learn
4 Toddler Try-It
SATURDAY
in Discovery Studio
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Program calendar subject to changes and additions; visit www.ChildrenMuseum.org
for full descriptions and the most up-to-date information.
3 ImaginationPlayground
FRIDAY
11:00 AM - 2:00 PM
10:30 AM - 2:00 PM
Ages 3 and up
in Discovery Studio
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
25 Museum Closed
Fishing Fun
10:00 AM - Noon
Bounty of Beads
10:00 AM - Noon
Ramps and Balls
10:00 AM - Noon
in Discovery Studio
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
in Discovery Studio
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
in Discovery Studio
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
in Discovery Studio
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
in Discovery Studio
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Kids’ Health Fair
5:30 - 7:30 PM
Magnet Magic
10:00 AM - Noon
1:00 & 2:00 PM
Ages 3 and up
10:30 AM - 2:00 PM
Ages 3 and up
23 Movie Magic
11:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Ages 6 and up
11:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Ages 5 and up
2013 DECEMBER
SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
1 Stick Structures
2 Museum Closed
3 Play and Learn
4 Think Shapes
5 Think Shapes
6 Toddler Try-It
8 After the Beanstalk
9 Museum Closed
10 Play and Learn
11 Think Shapes
12 Think Shapes
13 Toddler Try-It
16 Museum Closed
17 Play and Learn
18 Collage Creators
19 Collage Creators
20 MetLife Family Friday 21 Collage Holiday Cards
22 Collage Holiday Cards 23 Block Party
24 Museum Closed
25 Museum Closed
26 Block Party
27 Sparky’s Puppets 28 Rolie Polie Guacamole
29 ImaginationPlayground 30 The Rhythm Room
31 Happy New Year!
1 Happy New Year!
11:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Ages 5 and up
10:30 AM - 2:00 PM
Ages 3 and up
15 Think Shapes
in Discovery Studio
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
in Discovery Studio
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
1:00 & 2:00 PM
Ages 3 and up
Bugs in Boxes
10:00 AM - Noon
Around the Town
10:00 AM - Noon
Making Music
10:00 AM - Noon
Noisemakers
11:00 AM - 2:00 PM
WEDNESDAY
in Discovery Studio
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
in Discovery Studio
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
in Discovery Studio
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
THURSDAY
in Discovery Studio
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
in Discovery Studio
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
in Discovery Studio
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
FRIDAY
Shape Sort
10:00 AM - Noon
Stacking Cups
10:00 AM - Noon
Free admission!
5:00 - 8:00 PM
1:00 & 2:00 PM
Ages 3 and up
SATURDAY
7 After the Beanstalk
10:30 AM - 2:00 PM
Ages 3 and up
14 Think Shapes
in Discovery Studio
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
in Discovery Studio
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
1:00 & 2:00 PM
Ages 3 and up
Museum Open
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Fall/winter hours: Open Tuesday - Sunday and Monday school holidays, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, and select Fridays until 8:00 PM.
100 South Street Providence, RI 02903 (401) 273-5437 www.ChildrenMuseum.org
Cool Stuff
10/5 & 10/6 Cardboard Challenge
11/9 - 11/11 Air Play
Kids collaborate to invent original creations using
cardboard, recycled materials and their imaginations.
Construct games, gadgets, robots, rocket ships and
much more! The event is part of Global Day of Play, a
worldwide celebration of child creativity.
Investigate the awesome power of air! Kids build
flyers and discover the playful possibilities of
ordinary materials as their inventions soar, float and
twist through wind tubes in wacky ways.
11/23 Movie Magic!
10/14 Super Structures
Discover the world of the moving image! Try hands-on activities
exploring film with the Providence Children’s Film Festival.
Explore an intriguing assortment of 3-D design and
construction challenges big and small! Build with wooden
dowels, rubber bands, fabric and other intriguing “loose
parts,” connect marshmallows and toothpicks, and more!
11/29 Native American Tales
Storyteller Thawn Harris shares his Narragansett
culture through songs, dance and stories and
invites visitors to join a traditional Native
American social dance.
10/18 Family Film Night
Kids ages 6 and up stay out late and see a free screening
of Your Shorts are Showin’, popular live action and animated
short films presented by the Providence Children’s Film Festival.
Haunted Happenings!
10/26 Creepy Creatures
This Fall in Discovery Studio
Lizards, snakes and frogs – oh my! Kids meet some
captivating critters – prickly, hairy but not too scary!
Work with wood and tools, investigate slime and other spooky
fun, create with and investigate natural objects, experiment
and sculpt with magnets, explore shapes, patterns and
puzzles, and more! Discovery Studio is open for self-guided
exploration most days from 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM; check the
website for additional details.
10/27 Boo Bash
Play bewitching games galore, explore an eerie environment,
and mix it up in the mad scientist’s laboratory. Come in
costume and have a blast at the Museum’s annual
Halloween bash!
For the Museum’s smallest visitors
School Vacation FUN!
12/23 & 12/26 Block Party
Mix and match colorful blocks and other creative building materials.
Try different story-based Play and Learn activities for preschoolers
(ages 2 - 4) in Littlewoods on Tuesday mornings and a variety of
hands-on Toddler Try-Its (for 18 months - 3 years) in Discovery
Studio each Friday morning.
12/27 Sparky’s Puppets
See playful performances of favorite children’s tales. Meet Mother Goose and Little Red Riding
Hood, laugh at the antics of the Three Little Pigs, and follow the adventures of the Gingerbread Man.
12/28 Rolie Polie Guacamole
This energetic trio from Brooklyn entertains audiences with an interactive
show that mixes funk, rock and folk music with humorous original tunes.
12/29 Imagination Playground
Build and create with huge blue foam blocks and an array of loose parts.
12/30 The Rhythm Room
Feel the rollicking rhythm of world percussion, horns, drums, guitars, piano and join the band to try out different percussion instruments.
12/31 Happy New Year!
Create noisemakers and join a ball drop to ring in 2014 at noon & 2:00 PM!
Program sponsors include Dominion Foundation (After the Beanstalk, Imagination Playground), National Grid (spatial thinking activities) and Providence Tourism Council (Creepy Creatures and school vacation performances).
Most Museum programs are planned to accommodate a wide range of ages and abilities and can easily be adapted or extended.
While the calendar recommends specific ages for some programs, older or younger children are welcome to try most activities.
Talking Back
Meet Suzy Letourneau, a Museum
researcher working on the National
Science Foundation funded project
to make kids’ learning visible, in
partnership with Brown University.
As a researcher, how
did you end up working
in museums?
I was getting my PhD at Brandeis in cognitive
neuroscience, looking at how people recognize
faces and facial expressions in particular, and
wanted to get outside of the lab, to apply what
I was doing to something in the community. I
found an internship that led to a fellowship at the
Museum of Science in Boston. They had started
a program working with scientists studying child
development and needed someone to act as a
liaison, to translate what they were doing for
museum visitors and into exhibit materials. I did research
in an educational psychology lab for a few years after that
and when I saw this job – learning about how kids learn in
the Museum – I thought it was perfect.
Describe your role in the project to make learning visible.
I’m trying to learn as much as possible about what
and how kids learn through play and how we can see it
happening. I’ve read research on how kids learn in formal
and informal environments and how they think about
their own learning. I’ve talked with educators about how
they see kids learning and what it looks like. I’ve observed
kids playing and talked with parents about what they
see their kids doing and what they think they’re thinking
about. Basically, my role is to connect the research with
the practice of what we’re doing in exhibits.
Part of your work is in Dr. Sobel’s lab at Brown University.
What does that involve?
I’m collecting data for a few different studies that are
related to the same grant as the work that we’re doing
at the Museum, about how kids think about learning as
a concept. We’re asking kids what they think learning is
and for examples of things they remember learning and
how they learned them. Part of what we want to know is
how kids’ awareness of their own thinking develops, which
happens between the ages of 4 and 10 – kids start to
reflect on what they’ve learned.
I have one Mind Lab shift per week at the Museum
and recruit kids and parents for the studies. Back at
the lab, I analyze and code the data and eventually
we’ll publish articles with our findings.
Children’s Museum!
PART Y atMakeProvidence
your child’s next special occasion a day to remember by celebrating
with a Museum party. Enjoy unlimited playtime in vibrant indoor and outdoor
exhibits, use of a party space for 90 minutes, and a Museum t-shirt for the
birthday child. Customize the celebration with treats and favors, or with one
of these exciting educator-led activity parties:
Imagination Playground Party
Art Party
Kids ages 5 and up stack and build with
huge blue foam blocks, wheels, spools and tubes
in an exclusive 30-minute facilitated play
session. Construct castles and forts, invent
interesting sculptures, and more.
Investigate the art and science of symmetry!
During a guided exploration, children ages 3 to 6
listen to a birthday story, experiment with pattern
making and mirrors, and create colorful symmetry
art to take home.
Providence Ch
ildren’s
Come play, come learn! Come celebrate! For more
Museum membe
rs receive
a discount on all
information about all of the Museum’s birthday party packages or to
parties!
inquire about party availability, visit www.ChildrenMuseum.org/Parties.asp
or contact [email protected] or (401) 273-5437 ext. 234.
How did you decide what to look for in your
exhibit observations?
I looked at how scientists have quantified kids’ learning
through play and the skills they observed and spoke with
Museum educators about what it looks like when they see
kids thinking really carefully. I came up with a list of 18
particular behaviors and we observed 80 different kids
over the summer, making notes of what materials they
were using, what they did, how they interacted with other
people. Then we took the entire narrative of their time in
the exhibit and tallied examples of each behavior.
The skills we were looking for are around kids noticing
their own thinking because that’s something we want to
encourage them to do more – if you notice and reflect on
your thinking, you can have deeper learning experiences.
We were looking at how they think ahead or plan, how
they control what they’re doing in the moment or
strategize, and then how they reflect on it afterwards.
What are you most looking forward to?
I’m excited to start testing out new materials in the
exhibits and find different ways of showing what kids
are thinking. I’m hoping we can come up with something
really engaging that will help kids notice their own
behavior a little more and encourage adults to do what
I’ve been doing, to step back, watch and notice things
they might not have noticed before – to observe almost
scientifically. It’s interesting, when adults saw me noticing
their kids’ play, they started to notice more as well.
Read the full interview with Suzy on the Museum’s blog.
On Display
Three recent displays showcase objects from the
Museum collections, including antique toys, Victorian
dollhouse furniture, puppets and props, and more:
• Peer into the atrium walkway
window boxes to Spot the Robot
and follow his mischievous
adventures through the
Museum at night.
• Shift perspective when viewing
Upstairs/Downstairs – two
versions of the same room at
different scales, featuring the
Museum’s collection of Betty Huestis marionettes.
• Discover Blooming, a scene in the lobby display case that
celebrates the wonder of nature and its power to inspire
the imagination.
Grants & Gifts
Support Smart Play
$1,500 or more for non-capital campaign support
received June 8 through September 9, 2013
Play builds intellect for all children. Early hands-on experiences build
connections in the brain, for a healthy strong foundation. Kids play to learn!
Bank of America
Charitable Foundation
$10,000 for general operating support
Make a gift to support the hands-on, minds-on play that Providence Children’s
Museum provides every day. Contributions can:
Dominion Foundation
$10,000 for Play Power upkeep,
Imagination Playground, No Time
to Waste and After the Beanstalk
• Stimulate the next generation’s thinking
• Provide access to the Museum for a family in need
UnitedHealthcare of New England
$8,000 for free RIte Care member admission
• Celebrate a relative or friend
Textron Charitable Trust
• Honor a child
$7,500 for Head Start/Good Start
and Learning Clubs
Individuals honored by a gift of any amount will be listed in the Museum’s
Annual Report; donors of $100 or more (the value of a charitable membership) will also be named.
National Grid
$6,000 for ThinkSpace upkeep
and spatial thinking activities
Help kids grow! Give online at www.ChildrenMuseum.org/Support.asp or send a tax-deductible gift to Providence Children’s
Museum, 100 South Street, Providence, RI 02903.
Neighborhood Health Plan
of Rhode Island
$5,000 for free NHPRI member admission
Golf Tournament Sets a Record
In August, more than 120 golfers took part in Providence Children’s Museum’s 30th anniversary Allen H. Chatterton Jr. Memorial
Golf Tournament, held at Wannamoisett Country Club in Rumford, RI. The tournament netted a record $46,700 to benefit the
Museum’s hands-on exhibits and innovative educational programs. The Museum
gratefully acknowledges Allen H. Chatterton III, who chaired the tournament for the
24th consecutive year in memory of his father, and major event sponsors Admirals
Bank, Delta Dental, Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island and Nortek Inc. Thanks
to all of the other generous sponsors, in-kind donors, committee members, volunteers
and participants who made the tournament a success!
Visit the Museum’s website for a full list of event sponsors,
tournament winners and committee members.
Special Offer Become a member or renew
Member Corner
in October and receive two free admission
passes to share with guests!
Bring a Friend! Members, on Sunday, November 10,
Need the perfect gift for a special child or family? Give a
full year of imaginative play and learning with a Museum
membership – a fun-filled gift that keeps on giving.
All memberships include:
• One year of free and unlimited
Almon & Suzanne Hall
$2,500 for general operating support
Russell B. Gross Jr.
$1,500 for general operating support
The Museum welcomes charitable gifts of
all sizes. For information, please contact
Jennifer Laurelli at (401) 273-5437 ext. 120.
Matthew O. Littlefield, President
Marc A. Crisafulli, Vice President
Christian Leibl-Cote, Vice President
Peter M. Gervais, Treasurer
Suzanne M. Hall, Secretary
Jessica Holden Sherwood, Immediate Past President
Purchase from
November 1 to
December 10
and
give an extra
month FREE!
admission to Providence
Children’s Museum
Newsletters full of great family fun
Invitations to exhibit openings and other special events
Discounts on birthday parties, rentals and more
10 percent discount on Museum merchandise
bring an adult friend and his or her family to the Museum
for FREE to enjoy exciting hands-on fun and other special
offers, plus join a special members’ reception. Look for an
invitation by email.
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Member Savings
From Friday, November 29 - Friday,
December 13, Providence Children’s Museum members
receive a double discount – 20 percent – on Museum
merchandise.
Choose a Family PLUS Membership to give discounted
half-price admission to nearly 200 children’s museums and
free general admission to over 300 science museums and
technology centers nationwide!
Visit www.ChildrenMuseum.org/Membership.asp to join or
renew today. Contact [email protected]
or (401) 273-5437 ext. 221 for more information.
For more information or to buy online, visit
www.ChildrenMuseum.org/Membership.asp.
Credit John C. Meyers
Providence Children’s Museum welcomed
203 new and 213 renewing member
families in June, July and August!
$3,000 for Head Start/Good Start
and Learning Clubs
Board of Directors
Give
the Gift
of Play!
Shaw McDermott, Hope Chatterton McDermott, Polly
Chatterton Handy and Ned Handy
The John Clarke Trust, Bank of
America, N. A., Co-Trustee
Robert T. Banaski
Mervin H. Browning III
Christine K. Bush
Bintou Chatterton
Michael E. Glass
Russell B. Gross Jr.
Michael E. Hogan
John F. Isberg
Elizabeth Lange
Joan D. Martin
Randy R. Martinez
Jeffrey E. Meyer
James J. Nagelberg
Dana Alexander Nolfe
Heather A. Pierce
Marianne Pursley
Linda Rockwell
John A. Rupp
Christopher Shaban
Janice O’Donnell,
Executive Director
Board of Overseers
Margaret Batting
Oliver H.L. Bennett
Leon C. Boghossian III
Elizabeth C. Capozzi
Stephen A. Cardi II
Johnnie C. Chace
Elfriede A. Collis
Patrice E. Cooper
Florence A. Crisp
Bradford S. Dimeo
Jonathan Duffy
Nancy Band Ehrlich
Frances Gammell-Roach
Kathleen C. Goulding
Adam Hamblett
Jay Howell
David C. Isenberg
Joseph H. Kimball Jr.
Melinda Knight
Julie A. Lancia
Diane S. Larsen
Anne Maxwell
Livingston
David M. Madden
Winfield W. Major
Ruth K. Mullen
Ruth Orthwein
Carol A. Peterson
Edward P. Pieroni
Elizabeth H. Roberts
Ellen Mossop Saville
Henry A. Silva
Thomas J. Skala
Andrew Carl Spacone
Neil D. Steinberg
Michael F. Sweeney
Manuel J. Vales IV
Stephen D. Zubiago
100 South Street Providence, RI 02903-4749
Change Service Requested
Seeing Stars?
If your address has
a star ( ) by it,
it’s time to renew your
membership. Renew before
your expiration date and
get an extra month FREE!
Cardboard Challenge
Collect and create with cardboard in its many
wonderful forms!
• Boxes of all sizes – big appliance boxes, shoe boxes,
tiny jewelry boxes and everything in between
• Paper towel, toilet paper and wrapping paper tubes
• Leftover pieces of packaging and the backs of writing pads
Create a cardboard world
• Cut doors and windows in big boxes to make castles, forts or
houses that you and your friends play in. Decorate with
colored chalk, pieces of fabric, ribbon and tape.
• Use small boxes to make a world for action figures, dolls and toy animals.
Use cardboard scraps to create houses, furniture, vehicles and more.
• Make mazes and roller coasters for marbles or small balls. Tape cardboard
tubes together and roll balls through them.
A note to grown-ups
Give your kids time and space to create. If you can, let
them have an area that they can return to day after day.
It will be messy but the best play often is.
Watch to see when and where they need help. Kids’ scissors
won’t cut a window in a big box, so ask your child to draw the
window with chalk and cut it out for him with box cutters.
Take the time to observe your children’s process as well
as their creations. You’ll be delighted by their ingenuity,
persistence and imagination.