Sixty-one Pre-K students recently engaged in hands-on activities that mirrored real-life situations in a visit to The Children's Museum of Houston.
The children from the Early Childhood Center visited Kidtropolis, which featured a simulated H-E-B Market, Alexander Art Academy and Niki Niko's Diner. According to the museum's website, here's a description of the three venues.
- H-E-B Market: Make a shopping list and find groceries you need! Role-playing is an essential skill that helps toddlers practice and integrate learned skills.
- Alexander Art Academy: Create a unique piece of art using three different colors. Painting helps develop fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination, which are beneficial in future writing and scissor-cutting.
- Niko Niko's Diner: Prepare a meal in the Niko Niko's Diner. This allows toddlers to experiment with role-playing and develop observational skills.
"Kidtropolis mirrors a real city, complete with its own city hall, municipal building, mercantile center, bank, news center, market, diner, art school, and even a vet clinic. Children can even elect a mayor, run for office and decide what ordinances to pass," it says on the website.
After their visit, the students had a picnic at nearby Hermann Park.
Photos by Ms. Pamella Thomas, parent liaison