Soar in 4 of Manatee County has discovered the magic sauce for family engagement and early childhood development. After years of developing their Soar in 4 program, a dream of both deepening learning experiences and making these experiences more accessible through a children’s museum-like learning lab has finally come true–The Soar Lab is open and ready for you! Located at the Sara Scott Harllee Center, the Lab gives children and families hands-on opportunities to develop early learning skills and explore a variety of educational experiences. Admission is free for qualifying families.
This really opened. Soar Lab aligns perfectly with Soar in 4’s mission: To ensure children from families of all races, ethnicities, incomes, abilities, and languages have the opportunities and support they need for success in school and beyond. And to create a network of parents, community organizations, and neighborhood businesses that plan and carry out activities and opportunities that support young children’s healthy growth, development, and school readiness.
Wanting to learn more, I had the great pleasure of sitting down with Sheila Halpin and Angela Knapek on this month’s Connecting Communities podcast to learn everything we need to know about this new, truly magical learning lab. We discussed that heading to the Soar Lab gives children and their caring adults an opportunity to put their phones down, take a pause from life’s typical overwhelm, and dive into full-blown fun and learning together.
With Soar Lab staff standing by to support families as they strengthen their child’s learning ecosystem, a museum of endless fun awaits the whole family! You can expect rotating centers, hands-on activities, helpful multi-lingual resources, and more. The Soar Lab is a new Manatee County neighborhood gem that families must check out!
Learn more about this amazing resource by listening to or watching the podcast here.
