The PNC Grow Up Great Mobile Learning Adventure comes to Laredo for the first time to engage kids with fun activities and teach parents the importance of early childhood education.
The PNC Grow Up Great initiative is a multi-year, bilingual program with $350 million in funding. It began in 2004 with the aim of “preparing young children for success in school and life”. The Mobile Learning Adventure is part of this initiative and offers learning materials for children aged 2 to 5 years.
With four activity stations to navigate, participating families receive a passport booklet upon arrival to guide them through the journey. As they work through the stations, children can mark each activity in the pass with an achievement sticker.
The Making Choices Disc Run station aims to teach children the concept of wants versus needs. In particular, it focuses on making sound financial decisions.
The craft area provides kids with stencils of different shapes and an activity sheet using the stencils to complete it.
At the “Story Telling Tree” children are asked to answer the question of what they want to be when they grow up and why. The answers are written on a piece of paper and attached to the tree. The station encourages parents and children to discuss their desires.
Whatever career aspirations the children list on the sheet, the “When I Grow Up” photo station gives them the opportunity to imagine that future. You can dress up to match the chosen profession and a background related to that profession will be superimposed on the image.
Some of the costumes available include an astronaut, athletes, ballerina, chef, doctor, firefighter, teacher and scientist, as well as members of the Air Force, Army and Navy. Children will receive a copy of the photo in a frame that says “Grow Up Great,” and carers can also request a digital copy.
Upon completion of the pass, families will receive several freebies including a PNC tote bag, crayons and brochures. Families are also encouraged to keep their passports, which contain additional activities and prompts to study at home.
Additional learning is also possible through bilingual digital picture books, available for free through Sesame Workshop. Each picture book contains over 30 new vocabulary words for children to learn. They are available at pncgrowupgreat.com/sesameresources.
The Mobile Learning Adventure was scheduled to make its Laredo debut on Friday, March 17 from 2pm to 8pm at the Imaginarium of South Texas on the Mall del Norte at 5300 San Dario Ave., Ste. 510. It lasts from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Saturday, March 18 at the University Branch of PNC Bank, 1311 E. Del Mar Blvd. The Gateway City visit concludes Tuesday, March 21 from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Joe A. Guerra Laredo Public Library, 1120 E. Calton Rd.
For more information on the Mobile Learning Adventure, visit pnc.com/growupgreat.
