Support the DuPage Children's Museum

I am writing this letter in support of the DuPage Children's Museum. I have been an educator for 40 years. I have been connected to the museum as both a school district administrator and a community member. Knowing that early education is the key to life-long learning, I see how DCM plays a crucial role in the early development of young children. Anne Haas Dyson, an education professor at the University of Illinois says in a recent study, "Preschoolers and kindergartners need playtime for proper development. Play is where children discover ideas, experiences and concepts and think about them and their consequences." What a treasure we have in DCM. It provides the critical opportunity for children to "play" as they explore math and science. Children need to "play to learn." In the DCM environment, play is structured in order to scaffold that learning. It is developmentally appropriate. DCM also provides critical resources to schools and teachers. Having DCM as a part of a child's learning journey is a valuable resource for our community. I encourage the City of Naperville to partner with DCM to financially support the museum for the students in DuPage. It would be a shame if we lost this marvelous community asset.

Lenore Johnson

DCM board member

Naperville