What Is a Play Facilitator?

What Is a Play Facilitator?
Thursday 2 - 3:15

Maggie Lancaster - Grand Rapids Children's Museum - Executive Director
Jane Bouk, Grand Rapids Children's Museum - Exhibits & Facilities
Adrienne Brown-Reasner, GR - Director of Communication & Events
Christina Sparks, GR - Museum Experience Manager

Submitted by Angelica

Amazing!

This session was all about an depth look at what Grand Rapids Children's Museum expects from their floor staff - or "Play Facilitator" - position. They went in depth of what qualities they look for, what does the position do, how do they do it, and why it is such an important position.

Grand Rapids is a family oriented community )similar to Rancho), named #19 in Forbes 100 best places to live category. They won a Kaboom Playful City Award in 2011, as well as a $500,000 art award for the façade of their building.

Their mission statement - Create an environment for play, advocate the value of play, and build minds through play.

Their focus is in open ended play 0 no limitations and no fixed answers.

Stats: 20 years, 3 million guests, about 14,000 over 7 days during Spring Break.

A "Play Facilitator's" job fits into 3 categories:
1) Cleaning & Tasks

•  bathrooms, manipulatives, reset floor, children's messes

2) Communicate

• check in desk, connect lost children with parents, give floor updates, interaction updates with staff and managers

3) Play

• Open ended play - through open ended language
• Promote innovation and encourage self confidence
• Expand ideas, emotional literacy
• Encourage ideas and mess
• Delete repeated word the bond between parent parent and child

A facilitator cultivates and environment for play, promotes child development, and furthers the possibilities of exhibits and programs.

We watched a video of play facilitators describing what they do (so good) - someone said "play ninja" - can't find anywhere - maybe they will post with conference materials?


At the very least check out the AWESOME staff page they have!

http://www.grcm.org/grcmstaff

GR team advised being very open an upfront in description of job position, with pay, to be clear about expectations. They also suggested having an application that took fun/silliness seriously with open ended questions such as:

- How does the internet work? How do you feel about dogs? How would you describe your sense of humor? What is you favorite shape and why?

Once hired, then training. Facilitator shadowing is 2 - 3 weeks, about 10 shifts (about 6 hours each shift. Training covers - interactions, play journals, and a 90 day review. Compliment them on how they play with kids (everyone will be different). Some may excel at itty bitty, or science, or bubbles, our loud play.

This all translates back into good customer services and good customer service is good business.

They also work with volunteers - about 350  - 150 of which are just the large fall event). The also work with MOCA on having special needs volunteers join in and help.

Play facilitator is PT, just above minimum wage, @% cent or 3 % raise, when training they receive a $1.00 extra.

On average about 9-7 play facilitators in addition to a manager.

• 1 greeter
• 2 upstairs
• 3 downstairs
• 2-3 roaming

The shifts are rotated every 2 hours or so to keep play and staff fresh. No walkie talkies or cell phones. Their is only a floor phone and managers have cordless.

All in all, a great session giving a clear idea of what to expect from a paly facilitator position.