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Apr 16

Fitness: Children’s museum in Chesterfield changes rules for indoor play – Richmond.com

Fitness Comments Off on Fitness: Children’s museum in Chesterfield changes rules for indoor play – Richmond.com

The usual rules for indoor play dont apply at the new exhibit at the Childrens Museum of Richmond in Chesterfield County.

Kids can climb the walls if they want, or ride on scooters and bikes. In fact, that type of activity is encouraged.

Fairytale Fitness opened in March at the museums branch off Hull Street Road with the goal of luring kids into a magical world filled with movement. The exhibit is designed for parents and caregivers to get in on the fun as well.

We designed an immersive space that combines imaginative play with physical movement, said Jenna Petrosino, education manager for the Childrens Museum.

Around the walls are fairy tale stories with colorful graphics of storybook scenes. Kids are encouraged to engage in Peter Pans Pirate Escape by climbing the ship, walking the plank, swinging on the ropes and rowing on the stationary rowers.

When theyre done with that, they can move on to the Gingerbread Race where they can roll in the barrels and scoot on the scooters. Stationary bikes are nearby in case they want to ride to Grandmothers house.

If they still have energy, theres a rock wall on one side of the room where the whole family can try out their climbing skills.

Adult access is intentional here. There is a small door, as well as a large one, into the gingerbread house. The ship is big enough for adults to climb aboard. The rock wall can be used by a person of any size.

When caregivers are involved in learning, Petrosino said, it enhances the experience.

And after all, fitness should be a family affair.

Were talking about healthy living here and that has to happen as a family, she said.

The one thing you wont find in the Fairytale Fitness exhibit is a chair.

Again, thats intentional.

We got one comment from a parent who is also an educator that she found herself getting down on the scooters and climbing the rock wall instead of sitting and observing.

Since there is no place to sit, except the floor, parents are more likely to play with their children, and maybe check out the fitness options themselves, Petrosino said.

Feedback on the Fairytale Fitness exhibit is positive, she said, and the planners will continue to add to and tweak the exhibit to make it better as time goes on.

The exhibit was developed with funds from The Carmax Foundation, Petrosino said, and the museum would be open to involving other supporters in order to enhance the active-living theme.

The Chesterfield museum location, the first to offer a fitness-oriented exhibit, is located at 6629 Lake Harbour Drive in Midlothian. The location has been open since 2012.

Hands-on activities have always been popular at the Childrens Museum. But involving the whole body, with bigger, more cardiovascular movements, is a bit of a new area.

What theyre doing is developing executive-function skills, Petrosino said, and the fairy tale theme ties all the magic together.

Liz Smith, guest services manager at the Chesterfield museum location, said the exhibit is especially popular on rainy days, when children cant get outside and move.

And after school, when the older kids have so much energy to burn off, this is really great, she said.

Maria Howard is a group exercise instructor for the YMCA of Greater Richmond and the University of Richmond Weinstein Center. Her column runs every other week in Sunday Flair.

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Fitness: Children's museum in Chesterfield changes rules for indoor play - Richmond.com

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