Grand Opening Talk And Play Center
The New Talk and Play Center at the Louisiana Children’s Museum is having their Grand Opening Saturday, June 2nd! 11-2pm.
The Center is designed to invite young children (birth – 8) to join in play while strengthening early childhood needs of language and literacy development.
Designed by New Orleans native and renowned cardboard artist Jacques Duffource, the space replicates scenes from the locally beloved children’s book, The Cajun Little Red Riding Hood by Berthe Amoss.
The grand opening event will feature celebrity readings and signings by local children’s authors, literacy activities throughout the Museum, and additional programming. This event is open to the public.
Located on the second floor of the Louisiana Children’s Museum at 420 Julia Street, the Talk & Play Center incorporates the four key building blocks for language development (vocabulary, storytelling, phonetics and deciphering) into experiential spaces, including a Story Porch, Poet-Tree, Cajun Cottage, Scribble Station and Sapling Stage. Additionally, the Center provides a language-rich environment and resources for parents to engage their child in literacy development. Almost all of the activities can be replicated at home for families to continue the learning lessons.
“The Museum aims to teach not only children, but also their parents,” said Julia Bland, executive director of the Louisiana Children’s Museum. “Parents are their children’s first – and most important – teachers. Equipping them with knowledge about the role of play in building pre- literacy skills is critical to a child’s readiness for entering Kindergarten. Through word play, storytelling, puppetry and poetry, children’s language skills are developed in the optimal manner. It is our hope that parents will take the activities and resources to continue the learning process – and the fun! – at home.”
Designed by New Orleans native and renowned cardboard artist Jacques Duffourc, the space replicates scenes from the locally beloved children’s book, The Cajun Little Red Riding Hood by Berthe Amoss. In fitting with the marsh scene, the Talk & Play center is a “green” space. The artist used recycled cardboard and repurposed exhibit pieces to construct a natural Louisiana wetland. Visitors can walk into the pages of the story and start their own adventure, where they can explore Cypress root tunnels, dress-up and perform a play, read quietly in several reading nooks, recite rhymes, make music, enjoy a story on the Lily Pond and more.
The Museum has established itself as a playful place for local and visiting families to discover, learn and have fun. From piloting a boat down the Mississippi to pretending to be an ophthalmologist in Eye to Eye, the Louisiana Children’s Museum offers a place for all family members to learn and play. The Talk & Play Center complements the Museum’s current exhibitions, including Body Works, the Bubble station, Safety Zone, Art Trek, Little Winn-Dixie Grocery Store, New Orleans: Proud to Call it Home Architecture Exhibit and more.
“As a national leader in early childhood development, the Museum prides itself on offering well-rounded programming that covers our five strategic initiatives – Literacy; Health and Wellness; Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics; Arts and Culture; and Environmental Education,” said Julia Bland. “We hope the Talk & Play Center will serve as an inspiration for strengthening language and learning skills even before a child reaches reading age.
Admission to the Louisiana Children’s Museum including the Talk & Play Center is $8.