Habitot Childrens Museum

HABITOT OFFERS HANDS-ON EXHIBITS AND LEARNING EXPERIENCES FOR YOUNG CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES. ALONG WITH OUTREACH AND INCLUSION PROGRAMS FOR THE MOST VULNERABLE, HABITOT HAS WELCOMED OVER 1.5 MILLION VISITORS SINCE 1998 AND INFLUENCED GENERATIONS OF CHILDREN AND PARENTS IN RAISING CURIOUS, CREATIVE AND CONFIDENT CHILDREN.

MOBILE MUSEUM TOURIN JUNE 2021, HABITOT LAUNCHED ITS MOBILE MUSEUM TOUR, PUTTING ITS MOST POPULAR EXHIBITS ON WHEELS, AND PRESENTING THEM ALONG WITH ART AND MAKER STATIONS LED BY CORE ART AND EDUCATION STAFF, IN FULL DAY EVENTS IN OUTDOOR COMMUNITY PARKS. EXHIBITS INCLUDED WATERWORKS, A WATER PLAY AND DISCOVERY EXHIBIT; IMAGINATION PLAYGROUND, LARGE FOAM BUILDING BLOCKS; A PAINTABLE WALL; A MAGNETIC BALL WALL; AND A BABY BALL PIT. ART-MAKING STATIONS ENCOURAGED CREATIVITY, AND A BOAT-BUILDING MAKER TABLE FOSTERED INVENTION AND DESIGN. A SLIDING SCALE OF $1-35 PER FAMILY MADE THE EVENTS ACCESSIBLE TO A WIDE RANGE OF FAMILIES. THE TOUR PROVED SUPPORTIVE IN POST-PANDEMIC RECOVERY, RE-ENGAGING FAMILIES AND CHILDREN IN SOCIAL INTERACTIONS, WHILE ALSO STRENGTHENING PARENT-CHILD BONDING. HUNDREDS OF FAMILIES ATTENDED THE EVENTS.

VIRTUAL AND KIT-BASED PROGRAMS FOR FAMILIESWITH FAMILIES ISOLATED AND SOCIALLY-DISTANCED, MANY OF THEM WITH FEW RESOURCES TO HELP THEIR CHILDREN LEARN, HABITOT DEVELOPED AND DISTRIBUTED OVER 950 FREE PLAY AND LEARNING KITS BASED ON MUSEUM-BASED ACTIVITIES IN ART, STEM, DRAMATIC ARTS, AND PLAY. LOCAL SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES, HOSPITALS, AND NONPROFITS HELPED DISTRIBUTE THE KITS TO THE MOST VULNERABLE FAMILIES, PARTICULARLY THOSE IN THE CHILD-WELFARE SYSTEM, CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS, AND PREVIOUSLY INCARCERATED PARENTS. STAFF-LED ZOOM SESSIONS GUIDED PARENTS IN FOSTERING CHILDRENS LEARNING OF MATH AND SCIENCE CONCEPTS, LANGUAGE, AND PROBLEM SOLVING WHILE CREATING A SPACE FOR SOCIAL INTERACTION. AT-HOME ACTIVITIES WERE DISTRIBUTED TO 5,000 READERS VIA WEEKLY EMAIL NEWSLETTERS. ORIGINAL PUPPET SHOWS WERE POSTED MONTHLY ON YOUTUBE.

BIRTHDAY-IN-A-BOX FOR UNHOUSED CHILDRENPRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC, HABITOT ANNUALLY WELCOMED DOZENS OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES LIVING IN FAMILY SHELTERS TO HOST THEIR CHILDRENS BIRTHDAY PARTIES AT THE MUSEUM, WITH HABITOT PROVIDING A GIFT FOR THE BIRTHDAY CHILD, FOOD, DRINKS, A CAKE, AND PARTY FAVORS FOR GUESTS. WITH THE MUSEUMS CLOSURE DURING THE PANDEMIC, HABITOT DEVELOPED THE BIRTHDAY-IN-A-BOX PROGRAM, PARTNERING WITH 10 FAMILY SHELTERS IN ALAMEDA AND CONTRA COSTA COUNTIES TO DELIVER ALL-INCLUSIVE KITS OF REUSABLE AND CONSUMABLE MATERIALS SO SHELTER STAFF COULD HOST BIRTHDAY PARTIES IN THEIR SHELTERS. THESE KITS, VALUED AT $800 EACH, ALSO INCLUDED $15 GIFT CARDS FOR THE BIRTHDAY CHILDREN. THE KITS SUPPORTED OVER 34 BIRTHDAY PARTIES, SERVING AN ESTIMATED 434 CHILDREN LIVING IN SHELTERS, A NUMBER THAT IS LIKELY UNDERREPORTED.