SPRINGFIELD – Anyone who thinks learning is boring should visit the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum’s Back to School Bash this Saturday, August 2nd! It’s a free day of games and crafts for children and helpful services for parents and caregivers as summer vacation begins to wind down.
Children will get to answer trivia questions, take part in art and science activities, interact with animals from the Henson Robinson Zoo, explore a musical playground and more! We’ll also have a food truck on hand selling snacks and drinks.
This year, the event will also include the Vortex STEM Bus, a state-of-the-art mobile laboratory, classroom, and makerspace sponsored by Scouting America’s Abraham Lincoln Council.
The bash is designed for parents, too. They can get free haircuts for the kids, learn about resources offered by the Lincoln Public Library, pick up materials from the Department of Natural Resources and get safety information.
The event takes place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Springfield’s Union Square Park (500 E. Madison Street, next to the Lincoln Presidential Museum). In case of rain, it will be held in the presidential library. Parking is available in the ALPLM’s parking garage at Sixth and Madison.
“It can be hard for children to make the switch from vacation to the classroom. We think the Back to School Bash makes that a little easier by providing fun, hands-on ways for kids to begin focusing on learning,” said Christina Shutt, executive director of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum. “We also want it to help parents and caregivers who always have so much to do during back-to-school season.”
Organizations planning to participate include the Illinois State Fire Marshal, Illinois Department of Natural Resources, iMagic Nation, Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, Illinois State Museum, the University of Spa and Cosmetology Arts, Boys and Girls Club, the Sangamon County Health Department and many more.
The mission of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum is to inspire civic engagement through the diverse lens of Illinois history and share with the world the life and legacy of Abraham Lincoln. We pursue this mission througha combination of rigorous scholarship and high-tech showmanship built on the bedrock of the ALPLM’s unparalleled collection of historical materials – roughly 13 million items from all eras of Illinois history.
For more information, visit www.PresidentLincoln.illinois.gov. You can follow the ALPLM on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
