Press ReleaseICPL Children’s Room to Debut Playing is Learning Exhibit

The Iowa City Public Library will debut Playing is Learning, a new interactive exhibit in the Ellen Buchanan Children’s Room on Sunday, Feb. 8.

Playing is Learning, a collaborative project with The University of Iowa, the DeLTA Center, the Obermann Center for Advanced Studies, the National Science Foundation, The Iowa Children’s Museum, and ICPL emphasizes the importance play has on children’s development. By identifying eight skills that playing builds – creativity, self-regulation, spatial awareness, language, healthy bodies, number knowledge, social skills, and conceptual thinking – Playing is Learning recognizes the role that play has in lifelong learning.

In order to share this information with families, Playing is Learning developed the “Games of Games,” an interactive card game full of creative ways children and adults can play together. Each card contains two parts: “Did you know?” informs about a skill play builds while “Try this at home!” describes games parents and children can play to build each skill.

The Library’s Playing is Learning exhibit includes cards from the “Games of Games” deck. Parents are invited to take a card and play with their child during Library visits or at home. Parents also can purchase the entire “Game of Games” deck for $7 at the Help Desk.

“We are excited to have this exhibit at the Iowa City Public Library, and to provide more opportunities for families to play and learn together,” said Vickie Pasicznyuk, children’s services coordinator.

For more information about the exhibit, call the Library at (319) 356-5200.

For more information about Playing is Learning, visit www.playingislearning.org