Moco Kidsco

KID MUSEUM IS AN ESTABLISHED, EDUCATIONAL NONPROFIT IN THE WASHINGTON, D.C. METRO AREA THAT OFFERS HANDS-ON, INTERACTIVE LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN. ITS UNIQUE PROGRAMS FOCUS ON ENGAGING YOUTH IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, ART, AND MATH (STEAM), BUILD ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AND HELP DIVERSIFY THE TALENT PIPELINE OF THE FUTURE. SINCE ESTABLISHING A PROOF-OF-CONCEPT SITE IN 2014, KID MUSEUM HAS SERVED MORE THAN 300,000 VISITORS. DURING FY21, KID MUSEUM BEGAN LAYING THE GROUNDWORK FOR ITS NEW FLAGSHIP SITE, A 28,000 SQUARE FOOT FACILITY TO FOSTER THE MIND OF A MAKER AND EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATION WITH THE SKILLS TO INVENT THE FUTURE. THE STATE-OF-THE-ART MAKERSPACE IS PURPOSE-BUILT FOR KIDS AGES 4-14 TO EXPLORE CODING, ROBOTICS, ENGINEERING DESIGN, AND HANDS-ON MAKER LEARNING.

IN ITS SEVENTH YEAR OF OPERATIONS AT ITS PROOF-OF-CONCEPT LOCATION, KID MUSEUM IS OPEN FIVE DAYS A WEEK, SERVING THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN, FAMILIES, AND EDUCATORS EACH YEAR WITH A RANGE OF INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS. OUR PROGRAMS ARE BUILT AROUND HANDS-ON, TRANSFORMATIVE LEARNING EXPERIENCES THAT BUILD SKILLS IN CODING, ENGINEERING DESIGN, AND INVENTION, AND PREPARE KIDS TO TAKE ON LIFES CHALLENGES WITH CREATIVITY, CURIOSITY, AND COMPASSION.1) OUT OF SCHOOL TIME PROGRAMSKID MUSEUM PROVIDES YOUTH WITH THE SKILLS AND MINDSET TO BECOME INNOVATORS OF THE FUTURE THROUGH ENGAGING, HANDS-ON PROGRAMMING FROM WEEK-LONG SUMMER CAMPS, TO DAILY CAMPS, AND MULTI-WEEK AFTER-SCHOOL CLASSES. IN ADDITION, THE MUSEUM PROVIDES VIBRANT WEEKEND EXPERIENCES DESIGNED TO ENGAGE THE WHOLE FAMILY. IN FY21 DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, KID MUSEUM EXPANDED ITS ONLINE PRESENCE, BUILDING OUT THE MAKER PLAYGROUND SECTION OF ITS WEBSITE TO PROVIDE FREE ACCESS TO MAKER LEARNING ACTIVITIES ONLINE.2) SCHOOL PROGRAMSKID MUSEUM OFFERS RIGOROUS, CURRICULUM BASED PROGRAMS, WITH A SERIES OF EXPERIENCES THAT COMBINE TECHNICAL SKILLS (EG. CODING, ELECTRONICS, ENGINEERING DESIGN) WITH 21ST CENTURY LEARNING LIKE CRITICAL THINKING, CREATIVITY, AND COLLABORATION. THE INVENT THE FUTURE CHALLENGE BRINGS THESE LEARNING EXPERIENCES TO THOUSANDS OF AREA MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS THROUGH A PARTNERSHIP WITH MONTGOMERY COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THE MUSEUM ALSO PROVIDES RIGOROUS, STANDARDS-ALIGNED CURRICULAR PROGRAMS FOR ELEMENTARY STUDENTS, REACHING THOUSANDS OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS FROM TITLE I AND HIGH-POVERTY SCHOOLS.3) TEEN PROGRAMSKID MUSEUMS APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM TRAINS HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO GUIDE YOUNGER CHILDREN THROUGH HANDS-ON EXPLORATIONS, WITH OPPORTUNITIES TO SPECIALIZE IN AREAS SUCH AS CODING OR WOODWORKING. THESE TRAINED STUDENTS THEN SERVE AS ACTIVITY FACILITATORS DURING AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS, FAMILY WEEKEND PROGRAMS, AND AT CAMPS.4) EDUCATOR PROGRAMSKID MUSEUMS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROVIDES EDUCATORS WITH THE SKILLS, RESOURCES, AND INSPIRATION NEEDED TO SUCCESSFULLY INTEGRATE STEM-BASED MAKER EDUCATION INTO EVERYDAY CLASSROOMS. IN FY21 KID MUSEUM LAUNCHED A MODEL FOR SUPPORTING SCHOOLS IN SYSTEMIC INTEGRATION OF MAKER LEARNING IN THE CLASSROOM. TEACHERS DELIVERED A STUDENT CURRICULUM, PARTICIPATED IN COHORT-WIDE TRAINING WORKSHOPS, AND PARTNERED WITH KID MUSEUM FOR INDIVIDUALIZED COACHING.