ALPLM helps children get ready to return to school

Anyone who thinks learning is boring should visit the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum’s Back to School Bash on Saturday, Aug. 1! 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, and more! We’ll also have a food truck on hand selling snacks and drinks.

This year, the event will also include interactive fun and entertainment for kids with Foam and Flight Bubble Parties and the StoneLion Puppet Theatre. Foam and Flight lets children play with bubbles of all sizes, from giant to tiny, while StoneLion brings to life bears, monsters and giant insects through the magic of puppetry.

The bash is designed for parents, too. They can get free haircuts for the kids, learn about resources offered by the Lincoln Public Library, get safety information and find out about community programs.

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, iMagic Nation, Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, Illinois State Museum, the University of Spa and Cosmetology Arts, the YMCA, 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 through a 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.

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