Sesame Workshop has fostered learning through play since 1968, and now the organization has launched the first of five location-based Educational Play Centers, starting in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea.
Photos courtesy of Sesame Workshop
Through a partnership with Seoul-based AVECS Creative Group, “Sesame Play & Learn” will be the first Educational Play Center (EPC) to open, with four more to follow over the next five years, providing hands-on cognitive, physical, and socially engaging activities for young children.
Classes will include cooking, science, art, music & dance, and “messy sensory play,” in an atmosphere filled with favorite Sesame Street characters and iconic scenery.
“We are thrilled to be launching Sesame Workshop’s first Educational Play Center in South Korea, where Sesame Street has been a beloved and recognized brand for many years,” said Will DePippo, senior director of Asia Pacific, Sesame Workshop.
“We know that playful learning boosts academic skills, as well as physical and social-emotional development,” DePippo added. “Combining our fifty-plus years of producing world-renowned educational content and themed attractions with AVECS’ industry-leading expertise in building best-in-class experiential offerings locally, we are expanding our efforts to help South Korean children become creative and engaged learners for life.”
Along with classes, children and their families will also have interactive play experiences and interactions with Sesame Street characters, as well as food, beverage, and merchandise opportunities. All activities are designed with the whole child in mind, and take place in a positive environment conducive to learning.
“South Korea is the first location for what we plan to be a multi-market approach for Sesame Street EPCs,” said Jen Ahearn, vice president, strategic partnerships, Sesame Workshop. “We will work with regional partners to customize our proprietary curriculum to adapt to local cultural needs and provide interactive, playful, and learning experiences that encourage children to connect and engage in their world.