Play and Inspiration at SEEC: Part 2

Kristin Reiber Harris

This is Part 2 (Part 1) of a series of articles about the recent seminar Play: Engaging Young Learning in Object Rich Environments at the Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center in Washington, D.C. These articles are not necessarily in the order of events at the seminar. It was such a rich, inspiring event I have not even tried to prioritize my favorite activities.

On Friday morning, day two, seminar attendees were divided into small groups to visit the SEEC preschool classrooms. My group of three headed over to the visit the Penguins. I was accompanied by an educator from the National Museum of the American Indian and a preschool teacher from the Peabody Primary Capitol Hill Cluster School.

SEEC is no ordinary preschool. Founded by the Smithsonian in 1988, it was established to be a model in museum-based education for young children. Their mission statement indicates their purpose is two-fold. One to provide a model educational program that empowers kids to think, explore and express their potential as well as sharing this educational expertise on a national level.

National Museum of Natural History looking across the Mall from the Castle Photo KH

We headed off across the Mall from the Castle to the Penguin's classroom is in the National Museum of Natural History on the Mall in Washington, D.C. If you have been to Washington in the Spring, May especially, you know how crowded it can be on the Mall. After torrential rains earlier in the week, glorious weather had both tourists, local families and school tours out in force. We navigated no shortage of visitors as we wound our way to the classrooms on the main level of the museum at approximately 9:30am. 

This series of classrooms are one of two centers in the building. The classrooms are built out along a fairly narrow hall. I was a little surprised how small the room was considering there are 12 kids in the class. Although very compact everyone moved around with ease, obviously comfortable within the limited space.

Penguins (between the ages of two and three) were listening to a story by lead teacher Amber when we entered the room. Sitting on the floor around Amber, the Penguins were learning about a hermit crab's search for and found a new shell/home. Camouflage was another component of the lesson. Amber had a basket of shells that were also woven into the lesson. The kids were very engaged and actively participated in the conversation about habitats, coloration and crabs. After a snack the kids would head off on foot with photographs of crabs to the Museum of African Art across the Mall, with an "assignment".

Similar photo to those used by the Penguins at the African Art Museum  Photo:Public Domain

Three teachers and 12 kids walked out of the Natural History building and down Constitution Avenue. Those of us not familiar with maneuvering crowded busy streets with many young children in tow were quite impressed with how skillfully this was done by both kids and teachers. Past the Butterfly Garden and the across the Mall to the National Museum of African Art. Down on the second level (the galleries are below ground level) the children wandered around (still all attached to a teacher or other child). The four children holding the photographs of crabs were invited to find colors and patterns that related to their crab. Orange and beige were located on a contemporary painting and polka dots found on a wooden sculpture.

Wooden painted sculpture  PhotoCredit:KH

This beaded crown from the National Museum of African Art is not one of the objects the Penguins saw on Friday, however it is representative of the artwork available to the kids to look at and match color, pattern and texture for their "assignments".

Yoruba peoples, Ekiti region, Ikere, Nigeria Early 20th century

Photo:Smithsonian Fair Use

The Penguins headed back to the elevator, across the Mall and to their playground along the side of the National National History Museum. Like ducks in water, or penguins on ice, this was the kind of activity they experience about three times a week. 

I was very impressed with how engaged the kids were at every stage of this process, their bright insightful questions and answers and how absolutely lucky they are to experience these collections of art treasures/natural wonders on a weekly basis. I have been thinking about taking my 3 year old friends in the Yellow House at Elizabeth's Early Learning Center to Randolph College's Maier Museum of American Art (luckily within walking distance of their classroom). I hadn't really figured out how I will frame their visit. My experience with the Maier's collection as a docent is introducing students in 2nd and 5th grades with a tour focusing on the SOLs. I now have a treasure trove of ideas about numerous ways the young children from EELC can engage with Maier's collection.