The Children’s Museum in Oak Lawn will promote literacy on Sept. 25 at its ninth annual Fall Fun Fest.
The fest will be 10 a.m.–3 p.m. outdoors on the museum’s grounds at 5100 Museum Drive.
It will host activities at past fest events, such as trackless train rides, pumpkins, face painting, bingo and an inflatable jumper.
But Emily Barack, the museum’s marketing and development coordinator, said the fest also will promote education and reading.
“This the first time we are going to be using literacy as a theme and this is the first time that we are going to be doing the ‘Stop, Drop and Read with Me’ program,” Barack said.
The museum is asking that families bring a book to the fest to read to each other at noon.
Barack said the idea of the activity is to also support STEM, a U.S. Department of Education program to encourage students to choose careers in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
“We just find that there’s been a huge emphasis on STEM today, and sometimes people lose sight of literacy as that key component of STEM, so we really just want to bring back the focus of reading and celebrate the importance of it, especially among children,” Barack said.
The museum also will collect book donations during the fest for Cradles to Crayons, a local nonprofit organization that provides low-income or homeless children with “the essential items they need to thrive,” according to the website.
In a partnership with the Oak Lawn Public Library, a “Free Little Library” located outdoors at the museum will be unveiled on fest day. That structure will hold free books for a community “give a book, get a book” exchange during museum hours, Barack said.
Food trucks and a variety of vendors also will be at the event, including The Illinois Tollway, which will offer free identification cards for kids.
Admission to The Children’s Museum on fest day is half price, $4 instead of $8.
Free parking will be available in the Patriot Station Metra parking tower.
For more information, visit www.cmoaklawn.org or call 708-423-6709.
Ginger Brashinger is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
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