Arizona consistently ranks among the lowest in states’ childhood literacy rates. The pandemic didn’t help, deepening education gaps, especially for low-income families.
The Children’s Museum of Phoenix is on the case.
Language and literacy skills taught at an early age can help, the downtown Phoenix-based museum believes.
A $7,500 Season for Sharing grant last year was used to fund the museum’s Raising a Reader program, which provides 60-minute literacy lessons to children ages 0-5. After each lesson, students get a book to take home.
the goal? To teach parents how to improve their child’s literacy and language skills and to provide books for children to build their own home library.
Additionally, the museum offers literacy screenings for children ages 3-5 through its Get Ready to Read Early program. The program provides parents and caregivers with their child’s literacy scores and home activities to improve their child’s scores.
During a typical year, the Children’s Museum serves more than 300,000 children and families. But the pandemic meant it closed for seven months, reopening in May 2021.
The Republic spoke to Marion Wiener, director of marketing and communications:
What need is the Museum meeting? The Children’s Museum of Phoenix provides engaging projects, exhibits and workshops for young children and their families. We educate parents and caregivers about child development and parenting techniques. Our main goals are to make high-quality learning accessible to all children no matter their socio-economic background and to allow children the important opportunity to socialize with one another.
Who do you serve? The museum is designed for children ages 0-10. The museum’s indoor space features three floors of dynamic, evidence-based and educational activities, as well as more than 300 play activities and 17 exhibits. Museum exhibits include dramatic role-play, large-scale building and inventing, collaborative art projects, travel-inspired exhibits for exploring the world’s cultures, urban landscapes for investigation and adventure, and areas just for children under three and their caregivers.
How do you measure success? We … track the number of program participants. We rely on surveys to measure whether caregivers develop the skills necessary to promote early literacy for children at home.
Ways to give to Season for Sharing
- Fill out the secure, online form at sharing.azcentral.com.
- Text “SHARING” to 91-999 and click on the link in the text message.
- Go online at facebook.com/seasonforsharing and look for the “DONATE HERE” post.
- Clip the coupon on Page 4A of The Arizona Republic, fill it out and mail it to PO Box 29250, Phoenix, AZ 85038-9250.
- Scan the QR code with your smartphone.
Roxanne De La Rosa covers the nonprofit community. Reach out to [email protected]. Donations to Season for Sharing are accepted year-round. Make an online gift at sharing.azcentral.com or by texting “SHARING” to 91-999.
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