Long Island Explorium to feature new MoMath exhibits
A girl engages with the "Ring of Fire" exhibit. Credit: Gary Zarr & Associates
Two new hands-on exhibits may help Long Island kids get excited about math.
The Long Island Explorium in Port Jefferson partnered with the National Museum of Mathematics (MoMatch) to bring the "MoMath 2 Go: The Family Math Initiative" outreach program to the LI museum in an effort to help families with children in preschool through second-grade become more comfortable talking about math. The partnership is sponsored by the Heising-Simons Foundation, which works to support sustainability, clean energy, human rights and the education young children.
The program features two engaging MoMath exhibits: “Ring of Fire” and “Miles of Tiles,” which are both currently on display at the museum in Manhattan. In "Ring of Fire," kids can touch the clear 3D shapes to make laser lights appear, creating cross sections and additional shapes in the cubes. “Miles of Tiles” allows kids to create endless designs with brightly colored magnetic shapes. Additionally, the exhibit includes "MoMath 2 Go" special “tip cards," which feature talking points for parents so they can talk about math with their kids more successfully.
“Developing a healthy positive attitude toward math through fun, interactive exhibits help spark interest and sustain engagement in overcoming challenges,” said Angeline Judex, executive director of the Long Island Explorium.
MoMath created this program in collaboration with the University of Chicago Science of Learning Center, who reported that fears of math can be formed in children before kindergarten. For more information, visit momath.org or longislandexplorium.org.
