Thinkery Asks Kids to Think Outside the Box
A Childhood Paradise
Words by Tejal Thakkar Photos Courtesy of Thinkery
Thinkery, with its iconic red building, is an Eastside favorite for families. The children’s museum (and school) offer a unique approach that prioritizes exploration and a hands-on learning experience for children.
Thinkery has been an Austin staple for close to 40 years and housed in its ‘new’ location on the Eastside since 2013. The building is unmissable, a red cube that has become a landmark in the Mueller neighborhood. Thinkery, with its welcoming setting for kids and families, is a “museum and informal learning center dedicated to STEAM,” says Jeff Dellinger, Director of Marketing and Communications. The museum’s exhibits target kids aged 0-12 and offer a unique experience where children actively interact with the exhibits. Jeff explains that the goal is “learning by doing, experimenting, and building a sense of curiosity.”
One of the exciting initiatives Thinkery unveiled during the pandemic is their Little Thinkers Preschool. The preschool opened in the fall of 2020 with two classrooms and has since expanded to four. The main aim for the preschool is to narrow the kindergarten readiness gap. According to Jeff, “only about 50% of Austin area kids are considered kindergarten ready when they reach that age.” Jeff adds that “the idea behind the preschool is to provide kids, much like with the museum experience, hands-on and inquiry-based activities.” In addition, Little Thinkers has a research partnership with the University of Texas in Austin. As part of this partnership, the University advises on the preschool curriculum, ensuring the classrooms are using best-in-class teaching methods. Then, the school provides “a proof of concept for some of those methodologies and research-based best practices” to then be shared with other preschools and organizations, with a goal to disseminate information in an effort to close that readiness gap across the city.
As the preschool ramps up and COVID restrictions subside, Thinkery has many projects on the horizon. They will be opening a new exhibit in late May called “Notion of Motion.” Thinkery will also be hosting summer camps this year at their Meridith Learning Lab, and Jeff and the team are excited to be opening off-site camps for the first time post-COVID. Six weeks of summer camps will take place in Cedar Park at Reed Elementary. Heading into the fall, Jeff also alludes to a number of other exciting projects that will materialize and align with the organization’s strategic vision to “bring the Thinkery experience outside of the four walls of the museum. There is a lot of work being done to [bring] learning experiences into the broader community.”
Did You Know?
As part of their Open Door Initiative, every Sunday evening, Thinkery opens its exhibits to the neighborhood for Community Night. From 3-5pm, admission is free for all, though donations are accepted. Be sure to arrive early to ensure a fun afternoon, as capacity is limited.
Contact:
(512) 469-6200
1830 Simond Ave.
thinkeryaustin.org
