Community Initiatives

Museum Initiatives

Miami Children’s Museum has a long history of providing invaluable access to play-based learning for all children in our community, both within the Museum walls as well as within our South Florida community. As a nonprofit, the Museum is committed to supporting children of all abilities and backgrounds with resources that celebrate diversity, promote literacy, enhance social and emotional development, build school readiness, and empower children to achieve their highest potential.

To learn more about how to support these Museum initiatives, please contact Daniel Mannina at dmannina@miamichildrensmuseum.org or 305-373-5437 ext. 108.

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Very Important Potential Program

Launched in 2004

The VIP Program reduces disparities in access to arts, cultural and educational enrichment by providing accessible programs and free admission to families whose opportunities are limited by geography, ethnicity, economics, and ability. Scholarships for field trips, camps, and outreaches are also awarded thanks to the generosity of our donors.

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‍S.M.A.R.T Afterschool Enrichment Program

Launched in 2009

The Museum hosts a fee-waived satellite after-school program and mentorship for elementary students that attend Title 1 schools located in Earlington Heights, Brownsville, Liberty City and Miami Gardens. The S.M.A.R.T (Safe, Multicultural, Artistic, Recreational Teaching) After School Enrichment Program is funded by The Children's Trust.

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‍Sensory Friendly Saturday Program

Launched in July 2012

On the second Saturday of every month, Miami Children’s Museum offers a sensory friendly experience for children with disabilities and their families. This fee-waived program provides children with special needs the opportunity to explore the Museum in a sensory-modified supportive setting with limited admission and sound and lighting adjustments.

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Theater Programming

Theater Troupe Established in 2012

Miami Children's Museum believes that children should experience high-quality theater shows to increase children's engagement with the arts. Our award-winning Theater Troupe creates original shows based on picture storybooks and Museum exhibits to provide fun opportunities for interactions with the artists and create awareness of careers in the arts, through the presentation of exciting cultural traditions. Scholarships are provided to schools to receive Theater based Outreaches or in-person field trips.

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‍READy for School

Launched in May 2021

Provides essential educational support for children in kindergarten to fifth grade whose opportunities are limited due to systemic inequalities. READy For School was created in response to how the pandemic deepened the disparity gap and especially affected children's education from disadvantaged communities. With this new program, the Museum directly provides children with tools that benefit their literacy, math, social, emotional, and wellness needs.

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Multi-Sensory Access Programming

One of the cornerstones of the Museum’s mission is our commitment to providing an inclusive environment that ensures high-quality, arts-based programming is accessible to children of all abilities. Based on community needs, the Museum has developed programming specifically for children with autism, sensory processing disabilities, and/or global developmental delays. In addition to supporting children in their development to reach their highest potential, the Museum’s programs also provide support and resources for their families. Our Multi-Sensory Access Programming includes:

o  Therapeutic play guide and sensory backpacks for on-site visitors

o  State of the Art Snoezelen Room (Multi-Sensory Room) for therapeutic, recreational, and educational use.

o  Autism Acceptance Month

o  Monthly Sensory Friendly Saturday Program

o  Community Initiative program for Children with Autism

o   Internships

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Representation Through the Artist's Lens

Launching in March 2022

This new 9-part series aims to empower children through art-based programming to explore diverse education while featuring inclusive representation in the arts. Artist workshops will showcase professional artists of diverse cultural, ethnic, gender, backgrounds working in a variety of disciplines.

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Family Literacy  Nights

Launched in 2017

This bilingual school readiness program serves low-income families with children 5 years of age and younger who attend early childhood centers, live in residential facilities for the homeless families experiencing homelessness or have little access to parenting services. With geographical and financial limitations in mind, we provide the families transportation to and from the Museum for each session. At each session, families are provided with dinner and a resource kit, which include at least two books, and additional materials to ensure caregivers have tools to use at home to help reinforce concepts taught in each class. The sessions model hands-on effective strategies and techniques that build emergent literacy skills.

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Healthy Family Workshop Series

Launched in 2017

Miami Children’s Museum provides low-income families with nutrition and fitness classes by modeling first-hand effective healthy behavior strategies that promote good nutrition and wellness. This bilingual program incorporates a variety of lessons to help participants purchase and prepare nutritious foods, including cooking classes, taste tests, budgeting exercises, yoga and meditation exercises and group physical activity lessons and group discussion. The Museum provides each participating family with resource materials to help them adopt healthy behaviors and make planning for their family easier.

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