Edwardsville Children’s Museum Opens Little Forest Sanctuary Exhibit
New play area focuses on hands-on learning for children ages 18 months and younger.
EDWARDSVILLE – Edwardsville Children’s Museum (ECM) has long ignited the power of play and learning for kids of all ages, and now its youngest visitors have a space to call their own. ECM’s new Little Forest Sanctuary Exhibit, which opened Aug. 25, lets infants and toddlers enjoy nature-inspired sensory play alongside their caregivers. The new exhibit was funded by a $25,000 grant from the PNC Foundation through PNC Grow Up Great®, which since 2004 has helped prepare children from birth to age 5 for success in school and life.
The Little Forest Sanctuary features a variety of tactile activities, including a crawl tunnel, slide, mushroom rocker and reflection mirror – all set in a soft play area that allows for safe, hands-on exploration. In addition, the exhibit is designed around the 3Ts Program, developed by Dr. Dana Suskind at the TMW Center for Early Learning and Public Health at the University of Chicago, to promote parent-child interaction. Signage throughout the Little Forest Sanctuary encourages caregivers to “Tune In, Talk More, and Take Turns” – three key components of enriching a child’s language development.
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“Research from the University of Chicago and elsewhere shows that the more nurturing talk and interaction a baby shares with their caregiver, the better they do in kindergarten,” said Kristen Fries, executive director of ECM. “The 3Ts approach to learning is one that both ECM and the PNC Foundation take to heart, and together, we made it the cornerstone of our Little Forest Sanctuary collaboration. By narrating a baby’s actions and engaging in playful interactions, parents can help their little ones build critical language and social skills.”
In addition to supporting the development of ECM’s Little Forest Sanctuary, the PNC Foundation’s grant will help fund ECM for All, affording families with babies the opportunity to experience this new learning resource. “All of us at PNC recognize that an investment in our region’s youngest citizens is an investment in the future of our community,” said Matt Corcoran, PNC regional president for St. Louis. “We look forward to seeing the impact of this exhibit and the engagement it will foster among Metro East families.”
The Little Forest Sanctuary is limited to children ages 18 months and younger and their caregivers. Socks for both babies and adults are required for play. To learn more about hours and admission, visit the ECM website at www.edwcm.org or call 618.692.2094.
About the PNC Foundation: The PNC Foundation, which receives its principal funding from The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: PNC), actively supports organizations that provide services for the benefit of communities in which it has a significant presence. The Foundation focuses its philanthropic mission on early childhood education and community and economic development, which includes the arts and culture. Through PNC Grow Up Great®, its signature cause that began in 2004, PNC has created a bilingual $500 million, multi-year initiative to help prepare children from birth to age 5 for success in school and life. For more information, visit http://www.pncgrowupgreat.com.
About Edwardsville Children’s Museum: Edwardsville Children’s Museum (ECM) is committed to stimulating curiosity and cultivating learning at the age of wonder. ECM believes that kids of all ages learn through discovery and hands-on play. All exhibits and programs are designed to build happy and curious learners from ages six months to 60 years. Families are invited to explore ECM’s exhibits, discover its seasonal programs, or become members for year-round learning fun. For more information, visit www.edwardsvillechildrensmuseum.org.
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