Candyland Children’s Museum (CCM) is the area’s premier stop for hands-on learning for children, with an emphasis on science and the arts. Each month, the award-winning non-profit organizes a detailed lesson plan of events that stimulate the brain and encourages learning through play. This time of year, with popular holidays back-to-back, the museum stays busy, and December is no exception. Despite their business going full steam ahead, the staff have recently been forced to step back and take in all their progress, now with two full years of operation under their belts.

“Candyland Children’s Museum continues to be such an important part of this community, because it allows children to have a space where they can make lasting memories and grow in their love of learning, alongside their families,” Candyland Children’s Museum Executive Director Megan Baum said. “Whether it is through a one-time visit, participation in an after-hours class, a field trip, or one of our monthly family events, the museum offers children the opportunity to create, collaborate, explore, and discover! In a world that is so technologically driven, Candyland is a refuge where kids learn the way that they do best—through play! And, as they do, these children remind us adults of the joy that comes from unplugging and being present to the moment and the people around us.”

Recently, the executive director took to social media to thank the community and reflect on all that has been accomplished since their second anniversary in operation. It has been a month of gratitude for her.

“I feel like we’ve been open less than two years, but also much longer. It was such a good day to sit back and think about when the water table arrived, or the first field trip we welcomed,” Baum recalled. “In fact, the day of our anniversary of our first field trip, the same class returned for a third visit. They come every year. It was great to welcome them in with confidence and knowing what we’re doing now.”

In two years, Baum says she is proud of where they are and what they’ve been able to shape into reality.

“I think it has exceeded everybody’s expectations of it. You know? Kelly and Cindy, who were the founders of the museum, wanted 10,000 guests that first year, but we had 27,000 door swings,” Baum said. “The statistics of that, the amount of field trips we have where we welcome kids who wouldn’t get to come any other way, the drivers from Columbus because they saw us on Trip Advisor; we never expected to grow so fast or see these things so soon, but it feels pretty amazing.”

STEM and STEAM educational practices may seem like a buzzword today, but Baum says there is good reason for educators taking notice.

“STEAM/STEM can be such a buzzword term in today’s educational climate, but there is a reason for that,” Baum said. “STEAM extracurricular activities have the potential to help children develop skills that will benefit them for their entire life—critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, and more. To the kid who thinks classes like this would be boring, I’d encourage them to come see how much fun we have dreaming, creating, and discovering.”

Baum also emphasized the importance of play and socialization in the learning space.

“I, as a mother of four, think our kids are living in such a technology centric culture and that they often feel isolated and aren’t learning the way they do best, which is through play,” Baum said. “I think it is critical to children’s development, but also the development of the community. When you see these families meeting through play at the museum for the first time, and their kids are playing and learning together, they leave as best friends by the end of the day, growing in friendship together.”

Not so long ago, Main Street Portsmouth in Bloom hosted America in Bloom (AiB) judges to give their assessment of the community. AiB is a national membership-based network and awards celebration of communities who are focused on beautification, community development, and more. They assess the health of a community in a multitude of ways. Judges were extremely impressed with Candyland. They nominated the museum for an award and the museum walked away with the national prize of “Coolest Place for Kids.”

“I feel like it is an honor and well deserved, only because of the community that has come behind us,” Baum said. “We didn’t earn an award on our own, but because of families, community support, donors, board members, staff—it is all a celebration of them.”

Being innovators themselves, the people making up the mission of the museum are obviously looking to the future and not just the past. Baum says they have a clear direction of where they need to focus efforts.

“I think our continual forward focus is how we can take the museum to the greater community, how we can reach a population of people who may not be able to get to our physical location. How can we physically go to them?” Baum said. “We’re looking at neighborhood popups and other practices to take Candyland into the community.”

Reach Joseph Pratt at (740) 353-3101, by email at [email protected], © 2023 Portsmouth Daily Times, all rights reserved.