Vanguard Expands Support for Early Learning Through Museum’s “Journey Together” Program - Please Touch Museum
Source: https://www.pleasetouchmuseum.org/site-news/journey-together
Archived: 2026-04-23 17:12
Vanguard Expands Support for Early Learning Through Museum’s “Journey Together” Program - Please Touch Museum
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Vanguard Expands Support for Early Learning Through Museum’s “Journey Together” Program
December 2, 2025
Please Touch Museum is proud to announce an expanded partnership with Vanguard Strong Start for Kids™, whose generous investment now supports the Museum’s full suite of early childhood learning programs under the Journey Together umbrella.
This expanded commitment builds on a long-standing collaboration that began with Kinder Launch™, later grew to include Play Builders, and now extends to all four programs:
Museum Tinies
,
Museum Minis
,
Play Builders
, and
Kinder Launch™
. Thanks to Vanguard’s continued partnership, these programs are completely free of charge for participating families.
Investing in Philadelphia’s Youngest Learners
The first five years of life are a time of rapid brain development that shapes a child’s lifelong health, learning, and success. Through Journey Together, Vanguard and Please Touch Museum are working to close opportunity gaps by ensuring that
families have access to high-quality, caregiver-inclusive early learning experiences
. The programs are designed to help children ages 8 months to 5 years — and their caregivers — build skills in language, social-emotional development, and school readiness through the power of play.
Over the next two years, Journey Together aims to serve
more than 600 children and caregivers
, prioritizing families from under-resourced communities in Philadelphia.
A Continuum of Learning Through Play
Play is the work of childhood. Journey Together uses intentionally designed, play-based lessons, materials, and environments that empower children to direct their own learning while building social, cognitive, and pre-academic skills. Through play, children practice emotional regulation, problem-solving, communication, and creativity in a joyful, developmentally supportive setting.
Each Journey Together program is led by trained PTM facilitators who engage children and caregivers side by side:
Museum Tinies (8–18 months):
Babies and caregivers build connection through sensory exploration, with a focus on early language and oral-motor skills, motor development, social-emotional bonding, and imaginative play.
Museum Minis (18 months–3 years):
Toddlers engage with rotating themes while developing early literacy, fine and gross motor skills, cognitive skills, and imaginative play.
Play Builders (3–4 years):
Preschoolers strengthen emotion recognition, regulation skills, identity development, expressive language, and imaginative play while engaging in hands-on learning across Museum exhibits.
Kinder Launch™ (4–5 years):
Children prepare for kindergarten through activities that support routines and transitions, social-emotional skills, early literacy and art, small-group collaboration, and imaginative play.
Each program features four sessions and runs quarterly from October through August. Each program hosts eight cohorts per year, with 10–15 families in each cohort.
Every session centers on
learning through play
,
social-emotional development
, and
the importance of caregiver involvement
, reinforcing the Museum’s mission to support the whole child—and the whole family. Families who complete a program series also receive a
free promotional membership
to Please Touch Museum to continue learning through play beyond through the many activities and experiences within the Museum.
A Partnership with Purpose
Vanguard’s Strong Start for Kids™ initiative focuses on improving early education outcomes in low- and moderate-income communities. This growing investment in Journey Together reflects a shared belief that equitable access to early learning experiences can change the trajectory of a child’s life.
“Vanguard’s support has helped us build an intentional pathway for families from infancy through kindergarten,” said Amirah Ali, Director of Community Programs and Inclusion. “Together, we’re ensuring that more children in Philadelphia begin their educational journey with confidence, curiosity, and joy.”
Expanding Impact and Access
As part of the two-year grant period, PTM will:
Engage approximately
300 families per year
, reaching more than 600 individual participants annually.
Expand enrollment through
neighborhood engagement consultants
and
community partnerships
with local libraries, schools, and family resource centers.
Provide
take-home resources
, reflection activities, and peer connections that strengthen the caregiver-child bond.
Join the Journey
Families can learn more about
Journey Together
and submit an interest form at
PleaseTouchMuseum.org/JourneyTogether
. With the continued generosity of
Vanguard Strong Start for Kids™
,
Journey Together
is helping families grow, play, and learn side by side—laying the foundation for a lifetime of learning.
Interested in sponsoring special programs at Please Touch Museum? Let’s connect.
Contact Development
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News
Vanguard Expands Support for Early Learning Through Museum’s “Journey Together” Program
December 2, 2025
Please Touch Museum is proud to announce an expanded partnership with Vanguard Strong Start for Kids™, whose generous investment now supports the Museum’s full suite of early childhood learning programs under the Journey Together umbrella.
This expanded commitment builds on a long-standing collaboration that began with Kinder Launch™, later grew to include Play Builders, and now extends to all four programs:
Museum Tinies
,
Museum Minis
,
Play Builders
, and
Kinder Launch™
. Thanks to Vanguard’s continued partnership, these programs are completely free of charge for participating families.
Investing in Philadelphia’s Youngest Learners
The first five years of life are a time of rapid brain development that shapes a child’s lifelong health, learning, and success. Through Journey Together, Vanguard and Please Touch Museum are working to close opportunity gaps by ensuring that
families have access to high-quality, caregiver-inclusive early learning experiences
. The programs are designed to help children ages 8 months to 5 years — and their caregivers — build skills in language, social-emotional development, and school readiness through the power of play.
Over the next two years, Journey Together aims to serve
more than 600 children and caregivers
, prioritizing families from under-resourced communities in Philadelphia.
A Continuum of Learning Through Play
Play is the work of childhood. Journey Together uses intentionally designed, play-based lessons, materials, and environments that empower children to direct their own learning while building social, cognitive, and pre-academic skills. Through play, children practice emotional regulation, problem-solving, communication, and creativity in a joyful, developmentally supportive setting.
Each Journey Together program is led by trained PTM facilitators who engage children and caregivers side by side:
Museum Tinies (8–18 months):
Babies and caregivers build connection through sensory exploration, with a focus on early language and oral-motor skills, motor development, social-emotional bonding, and imaginative play.
Museum Minis (18 months–3 years):
Toddlers engage with rotating themes while developing early literacy, fine and gross motor skills, cognitive skills, and imaginative play.
Play Builders (3–4 years):
Preschoolers strengthen emotion recognition, regulation skills, identity development, expressive language, and imaginative play while engaging in hands-on learning across Museum exhibits.
Kinder Launch™ (4–5 years):
Children prepare for kindergarten through activities that support routines and transitions, social-emotional skills, early literacy and art, small-group collaboration, and imaginative play.
Each program features four sessions and runs quarterly from October through August. Each program hosts eight cohorts per year, with 10–15 families in each cohort.
Every session centers on
learning through play
,
social-emotional development
, and
the importance of caregiver involvement
, reinforcing the Museum’s mission to support the whole child—and the whole family. Families who complete a program series also receive a
free promotional membership
to Please Touch Museum to continue learning through play beyond through the many activities and experiences within the Museum.
A Partnership with Purpose
Vanguard’s Strong Start for Kids™ initiative focuses on improving early education outcomes in low- and moderate-income communities. This growing investment in Journey Together reflects a shared belief that equitable access to early learning experiences can change the trajectory of a child’s life.
“Vanguard’s support has helped us build an intentional pathway for families from infancy through kindergarten,” said Amirah Ali, Director of Community Programs and Inclusion. “Together, we’re ensuring that more children in Philadelphia begin their educational journey with confidence, curiosity, and joy.”
Expanding Impact and Access
As part of the two-year grant period, PTM will:
Engage approximately
300 families per year
, reaching more than 600 individual participants annually.
Expand enrollment through
neighborhood engagement consultants
and
community partnerships
with local libraries, schools, and family resource centers.
Provide
take-home resources
, reflection activities, and peer connections that strengthen the caregiver-child bond.
Join the Journey
Families can learn more about
Journey Together
and submit an interest form at
PleaseTouchMuseum.org/JourneyTogether
. With the continued generosity of
Vanguard Strong Start for Kids™
,
Journey Together
is helping families grow, play, and learn side by side—laying the foundation for a lifetime of learning.
Interested in sponsoring special programs at Please Touch Museum? Let’s connect.
Contact Development
Share this:
Share on X (Opens in new window)
X
Share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
Manage Consent
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional
Functional
Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes.
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
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