Museum Tour is an educational toy, book, and learning game catalog founded by former President of the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, Marilynne Eichinger, and endorsed by 22 national museums and educational institutions. Following a hands-on approach to children's learning, our goal is encourage education as a fun, lifelong endeavor. Our selection of educational toys is based on different learning styles, following the philosophy of two great educators, Jean Piaget and Howard Gardner.
Piaget's studies focused on cognitive development during the different stages of a person's childhood. According to this theory, newborn babies through 2-year-old children are in the 'sensory motor stage' of child development. During this time, a child's knowledge is based on limited physical interactions and experiences. Between the ages of 2 - 7, children move to the pre-operational stage with magical thinking, acquisition of motor skills, and egocentric behavior. The concrete operational stage follows for children between 7 - 12-year-old. At this point, children begin to think more logically, though they still need concrete practical aides such as learning toys, educational games, and developmental puzzles. These kids are less egocentric and more willing to share and socialize. Development of abstract reasoning begins in children at age 12. This is the formal operational stage which we remain in through the rest of life. By this time, children have the ability to remember information and think logically.
Howard Gardner took a different approach in his studies of learning. His philosophy emphasizes six children's learning styles, also referred to as intelligences, which frame how the individual interprets information. They are: visual, auditory, interpersonal, intrapersonal, kinesthetic, and tactile. When parents and teachers take a child's learning style into account, they can improve his or her reception to learning.
Museum Tour combines these two perspectives by selecting educational toys, developmental books, and learning games that are stylistically appropriate for the different ages and learning styles of children. We believe that a well-educated person develops mind and body in a lifelong pursuit of learning, health, and well-being. Parents set the stage by example and also by providing educational toys, learning experiences, and developmental games that foster children's learning.
Educational toys offered by Museum Tour focus on children's physical activities, art games, kid's crafts, creative play activities, early childhood games, educational books and software, educational electronics, engineering and architecture toys, kid's games and puzzles, health and food sciences, history learning toys, language arts toys, math games, money management toys, music education, natural science, optical equipment for children, vehicles and radio controlled toys, performing arts, and physical science kits and games.
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