Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center - 1000 Constitution

At SEEC we invite children to be extraordinary, to wonder, and to explore the world around them. We teach children to search for knowledge rather than simply be fed information. Children from infants through Kindergarten are encouraged to ask questionsand to search for answers together. We give children the time and space to see the effects of their curiosity and to think richly and deeply about things. Our curriculum, something we have come to call a "responsive emergent curriculum," combines the best of both theme-based and emergent curriculum planning to organize the children's thinking, while allowing for their own interests to emerge. Through a combination of hands-on exploration, learning through collections and exhibits, and plenty of opportunities to play, children are able to experience the world in ways that are developmentally appropriate and engaging. Our work supports the latest neuroscience research on brain development in young children and invites children to share and explore their own ideas. At SEEC we believe that education happens best when it moves outside the walls of a classroom and into the surrounding community. For our children this means they have the world’s treasures at the heart of their curriculum and the community beyond to enrich their explorations. This idea of community is at the heart of the Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center. SEEC Staff and parents work together to create an environment that will inspire and nurture the growth of young children. SEEC also works in partnership with the Smithsonian Institution and its many talented professionals; sharing the wonders of the world through their expertise, as well as the rich resources of the Smithsonian collections. Partnerships also go beyond the walls of the Smithsonian and include a diverse group of individuals and organizations. SEEC collaborates with museums, schools, professional organizations and universities to share knowledge about museum-based education for young children.… Read more