For the youngest learners in the School District of Lancaster, learning often begins with curiosity. Throughout the school year, the district’s PreK program creates opportunities for students and their families to explore the world beyond the classroom through special learning adventures that bring education to life.
One recent trip took PreK students and their families to the Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts in Harrisburg. The Whitaker Center is widely recognized as Central Pennsylvania’s premier destination for education and cultural enrichment, offering interactive experiences centered around Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics.
From the moment families arrived, the day was filled with opportunities to explore, play, and learn together. The Whitaker Center’s UPMC Science Center is designed specifically to encourage hands-on discovery. Exhibits invite visitors to touch, test, build, experiment, and imagine as they move through interactive spaces that connect science and creativity to everyday life.
For Pre-K students, this type of environment supports essential early development. As they climbed, balanced, and built, students strengthened coordination and motor skills while also developing problem solving and early critical thinking. The hands-on nature of the exhibits allowed learning to happen through movement and play.
Some families explored rotating exhibits that introduce new concepts through interactive design, helping children see science in creative and accessible ways. The center also offers programming that encourages children and their caregivers to learn together through shared activities, reinforcing the idea that learning continues beyond the classroom.
Throughout the day, families and educators connected in meaningful ways. Parents and guardians spent time alongside their children, experiencing moments of discovery together while building relationships with teachers outside of the school setting. These interactions help create a strong foundation for collaboration and support throughout a child’s educational journey.
For many students, this was their first visit to a science center. The experience created a sense of excitement and curiosity that extends beyond a single day.
Experiences like this reflect the School District of Lancaster’s commitment to creating opportunities that connect learning, family engagement, and real-world exploration. For our Pre-K students, the trip to the Whitaker Center was a chance to discover, grow, and begin to see learning as something active, engaging, and shared. For more photos, visit us on Facebook.