On International Children's Day, Beijing's Magic Bean House was bustling with energetic, curious youngsters engaging in "play with a purpose".
A young boy adds gas to a play car, while his friends jump in for a ride at the Magic Bean House in Beijing. [Photo:CRIENGLISH.com]
By Angela Pruszenski
On International Children's Day, Beijing's Magic Bean House was bustling with energetic, curious youngsters engaging in "play with a purpose".
The Magic Bean House near Chaoyang Park's west gate is currently the only American-style children's museum in China. While most children's educational programs in China rely on listening and memorization, the Magic Bean House encourages children to learn through constructive play.
"We think the most important thing for kids is the ability to manipulate stuff with their hands," said Zhang Li, Magic Bean House's founder.
Zhang discovered children's museums during a two-year stay in New York City. She became such a fan that each time she traveled to a new city, she would take her children to see the children's museum.
"When we got back to China in 2008, we tried to take them to some places like those museums, but we couldn't find anything comparable," Zhang said. "So, we thought it might be a good thing to start in China, to bring something different, something really for the kids, where they can learn something by themselves."
Because the concept of a children's museum was new in China, Zhang hired Jack Rouse Associates, the premier children's museum designers in the U.S. to design a children's museum for Beijing. The Magic Bean House opened its doors at the beginning of 2010.
Children's museums aim to help children learn about the world around them by engaging them in hands-on exhibits and role-playing. The most important part of the design and construction process is testing. Children and adults view the world differently, so predicting how a child will interact with equipment can be difficult.
"You need a lot of testing to see if its educational objectives are realized or not," Zhang said. "Sometimes it's not; you can design it one way, but kids don't play that way. Then you have to rebuild the exhibit."
A tot plays with a digital painting exhibit at the Magic Bean House in Beijing. [Photo:CRIENGLISH.com]
On International Children's Day, Beijing's Magic Bean House was bustling with energetic, curious youngsters engaging in "play with a purpose".
The Magic Bean House near Chaoyang Park's west gate is currently the only American-style children's museum in China. While most children's educational programs in China rely on listening and memorization, the Magic Bean House encourages children to learn through constructive play.
"We think the most important thing for kids is the ability to manipulate stuff with their hands," said Zhang Li, Magic Bean House's founder.
Zhang discovered children's museums during a two-year stay in New York City. She became such a fan that each time she traveled to a new city, she would take her children to see the children's museum.
"When we got back to China in 2008, we tried to take them to some places like those museums, but we couldn't find anything comparable," Zhang said. "So, we thought it might be a good thing to start in China, to bring something different, something really for the kids, where they can learn something by themselves."
Because the concept of a children's museum was new in China, Zhang hired Jack Rouse Associates, the premier children's museum designers in the U.S. to design a children's museum for Beijing. The Magic Bean House opened its doors at the beginning of 2010.
Children's museums aim to help children learn about the world around them by engaging them in hands-on exhibits and role-playing. The most important part of the design and construction process is testing. Children and adults view the world differently, so predicting how a child will interact with equipment can be difficult.
"You need a lot of testing to see if its educational objectives are realized or not," Zhang said. "Sometimes it's not; you can design it one way, but kids don't play that way. Then you have to rebuild the exhibit."
A mother-daughter duo tries out the price scanner in the Magic Bean House's "Green Foods" supermarket. [Photo:CRIENGLISH.com]
A large, sunlit room is outfitted with a series of clear tubes where kids can manipulate foam balls with air pressure and shoot them from a huge cannon in a basic encounter with physics.
Parents are encouraged to get in on the action. Informational handouts accompanying several of the exhibits give tips on how to help children get the most out of playtime.
"Our goal is to share different parenting ideas with parents here in China," Zhang said.
If the Magic Bean House's success is any measure, the concept of a children's museum is gaining popularity. According to Zhang, 60 percent-70 percent of visitors learn about the museum through word of mouth. But, she said the museum has not yet devoted much energy to marketing. Zhang recalled that one day, a group of 20 families rented a bus from another Chinese city to come play at the Magic Bean House for a day.
The museum has caught the attention of the expatriate community, appearing in magazines such as "Beijing Kids." But the crowd on Children's Day on June 1 was all local. Magic Bean House staff decorated the place with balloons and set up simple games in addition to the regular exhibits, such as bowling and picking up marbles with chopsticks. Through these games, children could earn stamps to win a treat.
Zhang said she is still looking for ways to improve the Magic Bean House. She is a member of the Association of Children's Museums and continues to travel back to the United States to exchange ideas with her American counterparts. The United States is home to more than 300 children's museums and a wealth of ideas.
Pleased by the positive reception of the Magic Bean House, Zhang says other centers that target different age groups are among her lo
ng-term plans.
A young boy plays with a train at the Magic Bean House. [Photo:CRIENGLISH.com]
