This fall, with the help of our community, National Children’s Museum is supporting children who are at risk for severe learning loss during the COVID crisis through Wonderkits. Filled with supplies for hands-on projects, Wonderkits invite children to explore science, technology, engineering, arts, and math at home. Read more below
Wonderkits donated to children across the region thanks to your generous gifts!<br><em>hip, hip, hooray!</em>
Thank you, the campaign is now closed. Kit assembly and delivery is underway!
Still interested in supporting our mission to inspire children to care about and change the world? Make a donation today!
the need
As a children’s museum and a science center, National Children’s Museum provides an equitable education for all, which is critical for children from low-income families or backgrounds currently underrepresented in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math). Although our doors remain closed, hands-on learning experiences are especially important for these young learners who are at risk for severe learning loss during the COVID crisis. We know the challenges of this school year may widen the achievement gap for years to come.
To meet this need when in-person field trips are not possible, the Museum will bring the multi-sensory learning experience directly to classrooms and homes across the region. Children are curious and ready to learn, and the Museum will continue to spark an interest in STEAM before the age of 14, when career aspirations are created.
According to McKinsey & Company, the average learning loss if school closures continue intermittently through the 2020–21 school year is seven months, but low-income students could fall behind by more than a year.
During the 2017-18 school year, 77% of students in District of Columbia Public Schools were economically disadvantaged.
the goal
deliver Wonderkits to children across the DC region
Each Wonderkit takes $50 to create. In addition to providing supplies, a gift to the Wonderkit campaign supports the time of talented Museum educators who will work on the curriculum and distribution of kits.
To ensure that Wonderkits reach children who are disproportionately impacted by COVID, National Children’s Museum will use its existing network of community partners and local classrooms. By working directly with organizations that families know and trust, the Museum will deliver Wonderkits quickly and equitably.
the wonderkit
sparks joy and wonder
Gives all the materials necessary for 1-2 STEAM projects, such as building simple race cars, creating eco-friendly paint, or making a simple stop motion video;
Invites children in grades PreK through five to learn with age-appropriate activities that complement virtual learning;
Features curriculum aligned with national and local learning standards;
Promotes literacy skills with enclosed written materials;
Connects and extends learning through the Museum’s complementary digital resources, including 75 STEAMwork videos;
Fosters interest in STEAM: science, technology, engineering, arts, and math.
sample project
race cars + eco-friendly paint
materials:
welcome letter with written instructions + link to STEAMwork visual guide videos
shhh! A surprise!
materials to create your own scientific observation journal
car body block
dowel axels + wheels
objects to investigate weight
pre-measured cornstarch
food coloring
paint brush
the impact of your gift
$50 could create one Wonderkit for a child in the community
$150 could make sure that a child receives a Wonderkit for three months
$250 could enable a family with five children to dive into STEAM learning together
$500 could give Wonderkits to 10 children
$1,500 could help 30 students in one local classroom connect with one another through the Wonderkits
campaign dates:
august 24, 2020 – october 9, 2020
National Children’s Museum is an exempt organization as described in Section 501c3 of the Internal Revenue Code; EIN 23-7423491. Donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.
