When I Am…
At the Children’s Museum of the Treasure Coast, we believe that play is important to healthy brain and physical development of all children. Play allows children to use their creativity while developing their imagination, dexterity, and physical, cognitive, and emotional strength. It is through play that children engage and interact with the world around them.
How to best use this information:
The information provided here are guidelines that will help you discover activities in which you may engage with your child at the Museum throughout his or her development. Watch them grow at the Children’s Museum!
When I am…One
MOTOR SKILLS IN THE MUSEUM
I am learning to walk with improved balance and can explore new spaces. I might stop to pick up an interesting object.
Activity in the Museum: Push a buggy in the Our Town Market Store to help develop motor skills. Stack blocks in the Florida House. Have a safe space to test your balance in Baby Beach.
LEARNING AND PLAY IN THE MUSEUM
I am discovering things through trial and error.
Activity in the Museum: Next to the Train Exhibit, experiment with linking trains together and pushing them on the tracks.
BRAIN DEVELOPMENT IN THE MUSEUM
I am becoming increasingly aware and interested in living things in my environment.
Activity in the Museum: In the Garden Exhibit, talk about the live animals you may see. Count caterpillars and chrysalis in our Butterfly Garden.
SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE MUSEUM
I am developing my self-confidence. I want try some things by myself, as long as you are close by to help if needed.
Activity in the Museum: Let me try fitting objects through the tubes or build a sandcastle in Baby Beach.
LANGUAGE AND READING IN THE MUSEUM
I am exploring vocabulary and developing an understanding of words.
Activity in the Museum: Grocery shop with your toddler in the Our Town Market, naming items as you put them in your cart. Sit together in the quiet Library to read a book.
When I am…Two
MOTOR SKILLS IN THE MUSEUM
I am expressing my creative side through physical movement. I am continuing to learn how to control my body – including smaller movements.
Activity in the Museum: Head to the Fire Station, climb the historic fire truck and pretend to be a fire fighter. Use a rod to catch fish in the Fishing Pond at the back of the Spanish Galleon.
LEARNING AND PLAY IN THE MUSEUM
I am curious about learning new things and like to experiment.
Activity in the Museum: Fire the cannons at the top deck of the Spanish Galleon. How many cannon balls can you fire?
BRAIN DEVELOPMENT IN THE MUSEUM
I will try to figure out a solution to a problem and might eventually ask for help if I can’t figure it out.
Activity in the Museum: Link the trains together on the train table next to the Train Exhibit.
SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE MUSEUM
I am beginning to develop friendships and relate to adults and to other children.
Activity in the Museum: Explore the Our Town Car Garage. Work with a friend to clean the car and change all 4 tires.
LANGUAGE AND READING IN THE MUSEUM
I am learning to make meaning from words and sentences and follow simple directions.
Activity in the Museum: In the Vet Clinic, grab a wellness check clipboard and a fury friend. Follow the checklist using the veterinary tools.
When I am…Three
MOTOR SKILLS IN THE MUSEUM
Although I am pretty fast, I still need work developing my gross motor skills and confidence.
Activity in the Museum: Go to the Carrot Rock Climber in the Garden Exhibit. See how high they can go!
LEARNING AND PLAY IN THE MUSEUM
I am curious about unfamiliar things in my environment.
Activity in the Museum: Explore the world by sorting the mail. Grab a uniform and deliver the mail to exhibits.
BRAIN DEVELOPMENT IN THE MUSEUM
I am starting to be able to count and I am beginning to create patterns.
Activity in the Museum: Head to the bakery in the Our Town Market. Make a pattern with the bakery goods.
SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE MUSEUM
I continue to improve my social skills with adults and other children.
Activity in the Museum: Take turns pulling the rope raising the cannon ball bucket.
LANGUAGE AND READING IN THE MUSEUM
I am increasing my skill with language – both verbal and non-verbal.
Activity in the Museum: Check out the Homes around the World in the Florida House Exhibit. Compare it to your house.
When I am… Four
MOTOR SKILLS IN THE MUSEUM
I am running, jumping, and really moving my body. I am really beginning to use my fine motor skills and learning to do everything from combing my hair to cooking or measuring and, of course, writing.
Activity in the Museum: Head to the Our Town Bank Exhibit to practice writing out a deposit slip. Or head to the Florida House Exhibit and use the stencils to design a house.
LEARNING AND PLAY IN THE MUSEUM
My attention span is growing, as is my ability to focus on one task and persist after setbacks
Activity in the Museum: The Florida House Exhibit offers so many opportunities to experiment and figure out how to build a house.
BRAIN DEVELOPMENT IN THE MUSEUM
I am learning about the world around me through observations, looking for opportunities to practice counting, create patterns and science concepts.
Activity in the Museum: In the Wellness Center, jump on the bike and watch how the body moves when peddling.
SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE MUSEUM
I am learning about roles at home, in school and in the community. I am also learning to share and relate with my friends.
Activity in the Museum: Look for places around the museum to play pretend: be a Fireman at the Fire Station or the Veterinarian in the Vet Clinic.
LANGUAGE AND READING IN THE MUSEUM
As a developing reader, I am beginning to recognize simple words and also symbols that represent words. I like hearing and trying new words, too!
Activity in the Museum: Use the realistic food and labels in the Our Town Market to get all the items on your grocery list. You could also sort the foods by restocking the shelves.
When I am… Five
MOTOR SKILLS IN THE MUSEUM
I am still running, but now I might be able to catch a bouncing ball, climb trees and balance on one foot for as much as fifteen seconds! I am able to button and zip my own clothes and cut with scissors.
Activity in the Museum: Meet Spiffy in the Garden Exhibit. He teaches us about balancing food and exercise. Can you balance on his board?
LEARNING AND PLAY IN THE MUSEUM
I can understand the difference between fantasy and reality, but I still enjoy make-believe and experimenting with different roles during play.
Activity in the Museum: Look for places around the museum to play pretend: put on a Doctor’s uniform and operate on the patient in the Wellness Center, or be the Dentist and teach the patient how to brush properly.
BRAIN DEVELOPMENT IN THE MUSEUM
I like to count (to 20 or even higher!) and sort and organize things into different categories.
Activity in the Museum: Be the Produce Manager in the Our Town Market. Organize the fruits and vegetables on the shelves.
SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE MUSEUM
I am getting to be good at collaborating with other children and working together.
Activity in the Museum: It takes a team of sailors to fire the cannon balls. Work with others to collect the balls, raise them up to the top deck, and fire them. Teamwork in this exhibit is sometimes necessary.
LANGUAGE AND READING IN THE MUSEUM
I love drawing letters and numbers and am learning to write my own name.
Activity in the Museum: Head to the Our Town Bank Exhibit to practice writing out a deposit slip.
When I am… in 1st grade
LANGUAGE ARTS IN THE MUSEUM
Understand and talk about stories I read.
Activity in the Museum: Several areas in the museum, such as the Spanish Galleon and the Library Exhibit, have signs and books available to read. Have your child practice “reading” by describing the pictures and interpreting the story for you. Later in the school year, if he/she is a reader, then have them read a story to you.
SOCIAL STUDIES IN THE MUSEUM
I can identify, describe, and explain basic economic ideas (goods, services, scarcity, producers and consumers, spending and saving).
Activity in the Museum: Out Town Market can spark so many conversations about our economy. You and your child can talk about how food gets from the farm to the home. As you shop in the Grocery Store, talk about producers and consumers.
MATH IN THE MUSEUM
I can build, draw, and name geometric figures.
Activity in the Museum: Head to the Architectural Station in the Florida House Exhibit and let your creativity flow. Use the stencils then blocks to build and talk about 2D & 3D shapes.
SCIENCE IN THE MUSEUM
I want to find answers to questions by observing and investigating the world around me.
Activity in the Museum: Explore the Butterfly Garden in the Garden Exhibit. Discuss the life cycle of the butterfly and how the garden can be a safe place for them.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION IN THE MUSEUM
I love to move. I can hop, jump, leap, and am proficient in moving different directions at different levels.
Activity in the Museum: Climbing the Carrot Rock Wall in the Garden Exhibit will be challenging and fun.
When I am… in 2nd grade
LANGUAGE ARTS IN THE MUSEUM
I am able to read high frequency words and second grade text (including text features such as captions and bold print) with appropriate speed, accuracy, and expression.
Activity in the Museum: Look for text throughout the museum space that your child can read to you. Exhibit information and directions (in the Florida House, for example) will help guide your visit and add an additional learning layer to your experience.
SOCIAL STUDIES IN THE MUSEUM
I will learn about the geographic regions and maps.
Activity in the Museum: As you sort the mail at the Mail Stop you and your child can engage in rich conversations about the different continents. Discuss places you would like to visit in the future.
MATH IN THE MUSEUM
I can think about and figure out problems involving money.
Activity in the Museum: At the Our Town Bank learn how to deposit money in the bank or cash a check. Talk about and add the money using math vocabulary.
SCIENCE IN THE MUSEUM
I will learn about different sources of energy. I will often raise questions about the world around me and seek answers through observation and exploration.
Activity in the Museum: Go to the Wind Tunnel in the Florida House Exhibit together. Talk about how the wind pushes up the parachutes.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION IN THE MUSEUM
Performance and dance are some of the various ways I can express my creativity and movement.
Activity in the Museum: Head to the hop scotch path in the Garden Exhibit. Explore different movements of animals in each turn you take.
When I am… in 3rd grade
LANGUAGE ARTS IN THE MUSEUM
I am able to read a variety of text.
Activity in the Museum: Encourage your third grader to be the tour guide for your family. S/He can read the labels to you and his or her younger siblings.
SOCIAL STUDIES IN THE MUSEUM
My understanding of the economy will expand from buying and selling to global concepts such as trade.
Activity in the Museum: Head to the produce stand in the Our Town Market, identify different items that are not native to our local region. Discuss where they may have come from and what the costs in the trading may have been.
MATH IN THE MUSEUM
I will explore many different new mathematical concepts in 3rd grade including operations and algebraic thinking, fractions, and geometry.
Activity in the Museum: Integrate math vocabulary into conversation and highlight mathematical thinking as you are playing together. Weight the produce in the Our Town Market, Build structures in the Florida House, or help a customer deposit money in the Our Town Bank.
SCIENCE IN THE MUSEUM
The major concepts I am learning in 3rd grade science are those about the Earth and about physical and life science. It is best when I am encouraged to be curious and use resources to find solutions to problems.
Activity in the Museum: Head to the Vet Clinic together. Hold up the X-rays to the light. Identify the features of the animals. How would you solve their injuries?
PHYSICAL EDUCATION IN THE MUSEUM
I am working to participate on teams or in group activities involving physical activity.
Activity in the Museum: Work together on the Top Deck of the Spanish Galleon. Lower or raise the anchor, the flags, and the sails.
