What are some of your favorite musical memories as a child? Many of us have fond memories of singing with our families, playing instruments, or attending musical performances. Music connects the generations, is an engaging educational experience for the entire family, and provides a gateway to the arts. Music not only connects us, but is important for child development. “Music speaks to children in the areas of the brain that process sound and emotion, which are both fully developed at birth.” —Joan Koenig, founder and director of the American Conservatory preschool and kindergarten in Paris a ..read more

A young child presses buttons on the dashboard of the Cirrus Airplace at the DCM For some of us, the giddy excitement of a school field trip to the museum is a treasured memory. We remember what it was like to walk underneath towering dinosaur skeletons, to discover what electrical currents look like, to build teetering contraptions with our hands, and to climb through mazes of tunnels and ladders. We were able to carry forward the feelings of wondrous inner-child awe because of the opportunities we were provided as children. Without a doubt, learning through multi-sensory play-filled experien ..read more

2 children play at a table with play ice cream and play cash register at the DCM Think about the action of giving someone a high five. It seems like a simple action for a lot of people, but it takes a number of skills to do successfully; you need to swing your arm, anticipate where your hands will connect, and modulate the amount of force. You need to take social cues from the other person and make sure it is ok to give a high five and if they are ready for one. It just so happens these are also all skills we learn from playing! Play is an important aspect of human development and can have man ..read more