Stephanie Cramer, education program coordinator at Providence Children’s Museum, collects a ballot from Kamyrn Thomas, who came to the museum with her aunt Janelle Urena. Cramer designed most of the campaign posters and curated a selection of ‘I voted’ stickers as part of Kid’s Decision 2024. (Alexander Castro/Rhode Island Current)
Chicken, Frog, or Fox?
Young visitors to the Providence Children’s Museum can cast their vote for one of these candidates through Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. The very special election, which the museum is calling “Kid’s Decision 2024,” will see the victorious stuffed animal join the shelves of the museum gift shop.
It’s both an exercise in civics and a way to “acknowledge the sophistication that kids have and the weight of choices that they make,” said Andrew Leveillee, the museum’s director of education, while standing Thursday morning in the museum’s Maker Studio.
“The best toys are tools,” said Leveillee. “And that’s why we try to mirror this as the actual voting process that adults are able to participate in.”
A red, white and blue ballot box sits on top of a counter in the corner near three voting booths, each equipped a black Crayola marker. Another row of acrylic voting boxes against another side of the room invites kids to cast colored disks in favor of stripes or polka dots, or snow and rain.
Glossy campaign posters announce the merits of each plush toy candidate, like the “egg-cellent” Chicken, depicted speaking at a press conference, or Frog, who promises to “leap forward.” Fox’s campaign went with a straightforward approach: “VOTE for FOX.”
“You have to explain these big world issues in a way that kids can understand,” said Victoria Picinich, the museum’s director of development and external relations.
“Especially the littles under the age of five, they’re not going to know the difference between a candidate versus a different candidate. But they do understand what they like better: A fox, a chicken or a frog, and why that’s important. What do you like about them? Why do you want to see them in the gift shop? It’s a way for them to understand that their vote matters.”
About 200 votes had been cast as of noon Thursday. Cranston’s Janelle Urena took her daughter Jersey Diaz and niece Kamyrn Thomas to the polls that morning. Kamyrn approached the ballot box first, placed her vote for Fox, and stuck her “I Voted” sticker to her arm. She then watched as her aunt guided a hesitant Jersey to the ballot box, a vote for Chicken in hand.
The makerspace where the election is being held encourages “kids to be not just users, but creators,” Leveillee said, and its programming always includes something for kids to make.
Stephanie Cramer, education program coordinator at Providence Children’s Museum, designed the majority of the campaign posters and curated a selection of “I Voted” stickers to inspire kids to make their own designs as part of Kid’s Decision 2024. Wooden trays full of colored pencils sit at a table in the room’s center, and invite kids to make their own. Kids also get an “I voted” sticker when they cast their ballots for their favorite stuffed animal.
The museum will announce the election results on Nov. 6, 2024, the day after grownups vote for president.
Could museum staff forecast a potential winner?
“The race is very tight as we speak,” said Leveillee. “We have daily internal updates and polls and tracking.”
Based on Thursday morning’s sample, Frog would need a strong leap to catch up. But then anything could happen by Election Day.
Visiting the Providence Children’s Museum
Kids and grownups can cast their ballots at the Providence Children’s Museum every day, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The museum is located at 100 South St., Providence. Regular admission is $16. Free or reduced admission is available for Feinstein Junior Scholar cardholders, Neighborhood Health Plan of RI customers, EBT cardholders and active military. Learn more at the museum’s website.
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