The Building for Kids Children’s Museum (BFKCM) is opening a new permanent exhibit, Food to Grow, sponsored by Children’s Wisconsin and with additional support from Schreiber Foods and the Fox Cities Convention and Visitors Bureau. In this exhibit, kids and their grown-ups can explore the whole food system from harvesting crops at the farm to eating a delicious and nutritious meal they cooked in the kitchen.
“Food plays an essential role in the lives of everyone in our community,” says Oliver Zornow, Executive Director of the BFKCM. “This exhibit serves as a microcosm of the real world and allows families to explore concepts of food choice, food equity, and the cultural significance of food in a safe, fun, and dynamic environment.”
Visitors can milk a cow, collect some eggs, and tend their garden at the farm. Then, they can head over to the food pantry to pick up the essentials or stop by the farm market for some fresh fruits and vegetables. Finally, they can bring their grocery bag full of food to the kitchen where the smart exhibit will ensure they have a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, grains, protein, and dairy. Plus, the exhibit will recommend a recipe to make using the ingredients already in their bag.
Food props and recipes will change frequently to reflect the different growing seasons as well as the role food plays in cultural celebrations throughout the year in our community.
“Children’s Wisconsin is thrilled to announce our new exhibit opening with Building for Kids. We believe kids deserve the best and this partnership supports that belief by helping kids build critical developmental skills, instill the importance of where food comes from and help them establish healthy habits used throughout their lives,”said Gail Ostrander, Vice President of Northeast Services at Children’s Wisconsin
Food to Grow will open on Friday, October 6 at 4pm. To celebrate the grand opening, the BFKCM in partnership with Children’s Wisconsin will host a free admission night from 4 – 8pm on October 6.
About the BFKCM
The BFKCM has been inspiring discovery and building resilience through intergenerational play-based learning and exploration of the arts, sciences, and humanities since 1992. For more information about the BFKCM, including its programs and events, visit www.buildingforkids.org.
About Children’s Wisconsin
Recognized as one of the leading pediatric health systems in the country, Children’s Wisconsin is the only health system in Wisconsin solely dedicated to the health and well-being of kids. Children’s Wisconsin specialists have had clinics in the northeast region for more than 30 years. In 2001, Children’s Wisconsin began operating its Neenah hospital, located within the ThedaCare Regional Medical Center-Neenah. Children’s Wisconsin Fox Valley Child Advocacy Center opened in 2004 to care for children who have been victims of neglect and abuse. In 2013, Children’s Wisconsin partnered with ThedaCare and Ascension to launch Catalpa Health to help meet the region’s growing need to support kids’ mental and behavioral health needs.
