By DENICE THIBODEAU
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| Photo courtesy Tom Moore/Imagination Playground |
Enormous lightweight blocks in a variety of shapes will be the centerpiece of a new interactive children’s exhibit at Danville Science Center set to premiere from 9:30 a.m. to noon Saturday.
The Imagination Playground can be set up indoors or out, and Science Center Executive Director Jeff Liverman said the weather will dictate where visitors to the center will find it.
“If it’s raining, it will be set up in the Community Market,” Liverman said. “If it’s nice out, it will be outside.”
Children can build whatever inspires them and play on their creations afterward.
All of this “play” is a cleverly disguised effort to reinforce principals of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) sciences in the young participants.
The block system “allows children of multiple ages to have access to productive and collaborative play while experientially integrating concepts of physics, math and engineering,” according to a news release from the Science Center. “With the full dome theater expansion project slated for completion by the end of this year, our campus at The Crossing at the Dan will include more outdoor areas.
Through this project, not only will STEM learning and cooperative play be enhanced in our community, but as a designated site in Danville’s ‘Play City’ initiative, these new exhibits will nicely support the city’s work in expanding and promoting economically and physically accessible play spaces.”
While the blocks — “There are a whole lot of them,” Liverman said — will be stored at the science center permanently they will not always be available.
“We’ll bring them out for special events. For instance, they will be out at the Carrington Pavilion for children to play with during (the River District Festival, Oct. 3-4),” Liverman said.
Click here to access the original release
