Space Cadets in Training

Press Release

Space Cadets in Training
9-25-06

Queens, N.Y. – Three, two, one… blast off! Countdown with your child as they become an astronaut for a day at the New York Hall of Science’s new Preschool Place Launch Pad. The new outdoor addition to the Hall’s popular Preschool Place allows children ages 6 and younger to take an interactive “journey” though the solar system. With funding from the Liu Foundation, the playful outdoor exhibit provides a fun learning experience of light, color, numbers and reading.

The exhibit revolves around an engaging children’s poem that guides visitors on a solar system tour of planets and other celestial bodies. The fun-filled “mission” begins at the sun and extends to Pluto and beyond. During the journey, visitors can:

Circle the Earth with its moon to learn about the phases of the moon
Peek through a red-colored window (Mars) to see the Hall’s meadow and real NASA rockets awash in red
Spin Uranus to see how it has a different axis compared to the rest of the planets
Watch a solar-powered Neptune spin constantly
Rotate a wheel to view all the different stars and galaxies that lie beyond our solar system

In addition to exhibitry, programs such as Preschool Adventures and group visits are conducted in the space. Additional exciting programming is being planned to further utilize the new outdoor area.

For more information about the Preschool Place Launch Pad or for photos of the exhibit, please contact the Hall’s public relations office at 718.699.0005, ext. 342.

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Media Contacts: Mary Record 718.669.0005 ext. 342
Carol Nordin 718.669.0005 ext. 323