Alison Gopnik*, a leader in understanding how children think and learn, summarized her latest study as follows: "when children play spontaneously (‘getting into everything') they are also exploring cause and effect and doing experiments - the most effective way to discover how the world works."
This is being proven in the Discovery Village test laboratory as well (read my dining room). As we create the hands-on Neighborhood Pizzeria exhibit one thing is for sure – it will get messy, it will get used, and it will be an exploration in how things work! The entire exhibit space is designed to be touched, used, and lived-in. Best of all, our children are having so much fun they don’t even realize they’re learning :)
If you know of a preschool or kindergarten class that might be interested in a great hands-on field trip let us know or pass along our email – info@discovery-village.com. We’ll be well prepared for field-trips starting in January 2011.
*(Alison Gopnik’s website - www.alisongopnik.com)