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New learning center set up for kids in Bradenton
Kimberly Kuizon reports.
BRADENTON, Fla. - Off of 9th Street East in Bradenton, you'll find a center set up to help children learn.
It's called the Soar Lab, and it's opening up opportunities for families.
The goal is to help prepare young children for Pre-K and Kindergarten, while teaching them skills that will extend into the third grade.
The lab is open to the community and is an asset that continues to grow.
Walking through the doors of the Soar in 4 Lab, parents and children are met with a welcoming environment.
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It's full of toys, activities and stations that not only offer fun, but education.
"We are actually giving parents the gift of time. This is a no cell phone zone. When families come in, we ask them to be engaged and follow their children and interact with them and have so much fun because they’re learning together," said Dr. Sheila Halpin, the Director of Early Learning for the School District of Manatee County.
The Soar in 4 Lab was a community effort with support from Carolyn and Steve Roskamp, Charles and Margery Barancik Foundation and The Tampa Bay Lightning.
From a tinkering area to an engineering section set up with a life-size light, bright light to Legos and mats for play.
Everything here has a purpose.
"Everything here is very, very intentional. You’ll even see on the walls we have talk, play, learn cards. So if families don’t know what questions to ask while they’re playing, we’ve already given them some tips to do that," said Halpin.
Why it matters:
Children can start coming as soon as they can crawl and keep visiting through the third grade.
The main goal here is to help them prepare for school.
"We want to get all of our children ready to come to pre-k and kindergarten to be the best students they can be. The way that we can do that is by working with their families even before they come to school," said Halpin.
For families like Jean Heredia and her daughter Carolina, the Soar Lab has become part of their routine.
"We are here 3 times a week. It’s a great opportunity for us to try new things, bond and play together in ways that maybe we wouldn’t be doing at home," said Heredia.
You can't put it all into words in just one story.
But it's a place where children and their families are welcome, supported and given the opportunity to learn by exploring.
"You absolutely must come. It’s kind of like a children’s museum, but so much more than that because it’s got these really engaging staff who are so thoughtful about every detail of the facility," said Heredia.
The Soar Lab is located at: 6423 9th Street East in Bradenton.
For more information, click here.
The Source: Information was gathered by FOX 13's Kimberly Kuizon through the Soar in 4 Lab.