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Our Place Interactive Museum
The Our Place Interactive Museum will provide fun and educational experiences through interactive play in a sensory-friendly environment, for children ages birth to eight, and beyond. At Our Place, children can take turns learning about each others' worlds. Using universal design, children of all abilities will be able to play side by side and learn
through interactive exhibits and demonstrations. What makes Our Place unique to the community is that it is designed for all children, with particular emphasis on children who are differently-abled. Our Place will provide fun and educational experiences through interactive play in a sensory-friendly environment, for children ages birth to eight, and beyond.
This facility will allow children who are differently-able to interact and enjoy exhibits and exploratory areas in a fun and educational environment.
The interactive children's museum, Our Place, is in the initiation and fundraising stages currently and members are working with sponsors, grant funders, and the community to bring Our Place to fruition. The city where Our Place will be located is still under consideration.
Our Place's completion date is contingent upon corporate and government sponsorship, and funding through government, corporate and individual grants/donations.
Find A Way is in the beginning stages of the following process:
- Initiation
- Fundraising
- Planning
- Implementation
- Maintaining
Universal Design Allowing Accessibility to All
This environment will meet our children’s physical, intellectual, emotion and social needs so vital to their development. Recent research has shown play to be as important to a child’s development as any of the basic necessities and the foundation for all learning. No child should be deprived of play opportunities, so Our Place will be based on a universal design to allow accessibility to children of all abilities.
Children Playing Side by Side
Children with typical development and children with disabilities will be able to play side by side, reducing social exclusion and promoting the acceptance of diversity.
To address sensory integration issues, so common in children with autism, Our Place will utilize such details as:
- Indirect lighting
- Building materials to dampen noise, especially low frequency rumbles
- Fire alarms that play music
- Windows high off the floor to avoid distracting street scenes
Trading Spaces and Wheelchairs
Children who are developing typically will have the chance to experience riding in a wheelchair, reading Braille or communicating without spoken language to foster empathy and understanding of their counterparts who triumph over these challenges every day.
Scheduled Completion Date
Our Place's completion date is contingent upon corporate and government sponsorship, funding through government, corporate, and individual grants/donations.
Find A Way is in the beginning stages of the following process:
- Initiation
- Fundraising
- Planning
- Implementation
- Maintaining
OUT-REACH PROGRAMS
Reaching Out to You in the Community
Our Place will forge an outreach program with the community, focusing on teacher training, parent involvement, and inclusion of those with disabilities in the public school system. Portions of the program will include:
- Professional development for teachers
- Classroom field trips
- Parent-child workshops
- Multiple volunteer opportunities, including academic credit offered for volunteer time
- Employment opportunities for people with physical and developmental disabilities
We need your support in all of the areas above and offer many ways for you to help on both our Donate page on our Volunteer page.
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