Published: October 10, 2008 10:49 am            

Harvest Homecoming is more than just food

Learning Center provides children with interactive activities

Kids love the Harvest Homecoming. What’s not to love?

There is junk food galore, a cool midway, and plenty of interesting people to look at.

But Thursday afternoon, the festival provided more than a stick of cotton candy.

For the first time in the 41 years of Harvest Homecoming, children ages 2 to 5 years old had a place to go to dress up as a police officer, doctor or moviestar, and play on an interactive kiosk to help prepare them for the future.

The PNC Mobile Learning Adventure was open on the PNC Bank lot at the corner of Spring and State Thursday — the only day it was to visit the festival. The traveling exhibit has been on the road since April and travels to each of the eight states where PNC is located. The exhibit’s last stop will be Oct. 19 in Philadelphia. Next Thursday and Friday, it will be parked at the Louisville Zoo.

Daniel Garron, field marketing manager for the mobile center, said about 60 people had gone through the exhibit in the first two hours it was open. He said he would have liked to have seen a few more numbers.

“We had like 10,000 kids in two days come through in Wilmington,” he said. “We have had a really good response this year.”

The exhibit not only includes an interactive kiosk for adults as well, but kids are able to dress up as the professional of their choice and have their photo taken which is given to them at no cost. They are also given an activity book.

“This is really great,” said one grandmother who wandered into the mobile center prior to visiting the downtown booths.

Garron said the learning center not only offers fun, but is a learning experience as well.

“It helps them develop reasoning which will help with math skills,” he said. “At the arts and crafts area, they are able to use their imagination. And at the adult kiosk, we ask questions like what do you know about early education.”

Besides an advisory council, others involved in helping develop the learning center were Sesame Workshop, Family Communications, Inc., and Head Start. The center was free to all who entered Thursday.

“It’s about getting kids ready for school,” Garron said. “If a kid is ready for school, they are more likely to succeed in high school, college and life.”

Scott Jacobs of Clarksville took his two children through the exhibit and was impressed.

“It’s awesome,” he said. “It’s fun and there are some interactive things for them to do.”

        

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