At the Minnesota Children's Museum, we believe children are competent, active, creative, and inquisitive learners. We acknowledge children’s competence to make choices by following their lead. They choose the activities they want to do to make it a satisfying learning experience and we share in the joy of their discoveries by tagging along.

Children are also active and hands-on learners. As they load and unload a grocery cart, we adults may tire, but the children are engaged and learning about their senses and their muscles. The Museum also focuses on the process of creating rather than the product. This produces a safe environment for children to take risks. They can see new things in familiar ways and familiar things in new ways by using thinking skills while they create.

Lastly, we believe children are filled with wonder and curiosity. They explore materials, ask questions, and experiment to find answers and solve problems. We can see an inquisitive thinking process at work as children try lots of ways to get props moving, pieces fitting together, or even bubbles blowing through our experiences and environments here at the Museum.