Morris Township, NJ – The first Thinkscape in New Jersey will find a home in Morris Township. The Thinkscapes a 8,000 square foot community park being constructed as part of the Morris Marketplace retail development, an outdoor shopping mall located on E. Hanover Avenue in Morris Township.
The North Central Jersey Association of Realtors (NCJAR) has donated $20,000 to help the Museum of Makers + Innovators (MOMI) to build the first Thinkscape
“NCJAR’s generous donation of $20,000 to the Morris Marketplace Thinkscape will get us a big step closer to building the six playful learning zones in the community park,” says Andreia Santos, a local realtor from Prominent Properties Sotheby’s International Realtor and MOMI Ambassador. “NCJAR understands the importance of building communities that support families and we are thrilled to partner with them to create more innovative, inclusive and equitable opportunities for learning.” “Once we heard about the park and had initial discussions with Andreia, we just knew we had to get involved and support MOMI’s effort”, says Bill Flagg, President of NCJAR.
MOMI was established in 2018 and has a mission to build more playful communities and a world-class children’s museum in NJ - the only state in the country that does not have one. While building a new regional museum will take time, MOMI wanted to make a community impact now and demonstrate that learning occurs everywhere. Thinkscapes bring the benefits of playful learning – which combines the enjoyable nature of play with a learning goal – to a public space.
“Research shows that multigenerational learning - through child and caregiver engagement - builds important life skills and connections that last longer and help shape educational attitudes towards learning outside of the classroom”, says Sara Sorenson, MOMI Founder. “Our hope is that the community park will connect families throughout the region. We are thrilled to have NCJAR as a Play Partner and join us in this exciting and innovative step toward building family-friendly infrastructure.”
"MOMI hopes that the Morris Marketplace Thinkscape will become a place where children of all ages gather and engage in playful learning together", continued Sorenson, "Whether telling a story at the Story Spinner, playing a matching game at the Memory Match, or meandering through the Red Pole Forest, these are just a few examples of the playful learning zones that families will experience at the Morris Marketplace Thinkscape".
NCJAR’s $20,000 sponsorship is a significant contribution to the park and MOMI hopes it will generate additional support to complete the project.
To date, MOMI has raised $35,000 toward their $100,000 fundraising goal through crowdfunding and sponsorships.