Child development and school preparation happens through touching, sparking imaginations and social interaction.

At the Hands-on House, it's not a program. It's a mindset.

Call it anything you like, but museum officials have named it Ready, Set, Success.

"We're not program-based," said Rebecca Ackerman, executive director of Hands-on House, Children's Museum of Lancaster. "Ready, Set, Success is an initiative. It's an approach. It's not a program. It's immersive in our mission. Play is one of those things you can never get wrong. Kids can always benefit from play. It's children playing in a museum."

In a very specific way, Ready, Set, Success is a new take on what Hands-on House, Children's Museum of Lancaster, which is located at 721 Landis Valley Road, Lancaster, has been doing for nearly 40 years. Ready, Set, Success is designed for children between the ages of 2 and 6.

Beginning in September, Ready, Set, Success will be presented to the community on an introductory basis. Parents and children will be afforded opportunities to participate in the museum's Story Stretchers interactive class on Tuesdays at 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m., art classes on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 10:45 a.m. and 1 p.m., and STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) Explorers on Thursdays at 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.

Ready, Set, Success will also feature guest experts each week. Additionally, participants will also be directed to the dozens of Hands-on House indoor and outdoor exhibits and stations for further exploration.

Hands-on House, Children's Museum of Lancaster is open Tuesdays through Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. There are entrance fees associated with admission, and memberships are available.

"(Ready, Set, Success) aligns with our focus of fostering development of young children in our community," said Ackerman, who possesses a background as an educator and as a school administrator. "It helps young children get used to the atmosphere they're about to go into. The goal is to help them foster curiosity and wonder. We do it with intentionality to encourage children to see new things, embrace trial and error and make adjustments. Play, in particular, is a very powerful tool that can be used to get ready for school. This is truly immersive play, and it allows kids to be actively engaged in learning."

The current plan calls for Ready, Set, Success to expand the width and depth of its experiential offerings in January of 2026.

"My absolute favorite thing is watching the adults light up when they see their children progressing," said Ackerman. "You don't have to police them. It starts to click for the parent and the child. When a parent can step back and witness the development progress, it's awesome. Kids are programmed to develop."

Some of the children's programs that the Hands-on House offers include Discovery to Go, Summer Camps, Sensory Friendly Sundays, Touch-A-Truck, and Winter Camps. The children's museum also provides opportunities for Scouts to earn badges and for groups to host events like birthday parties.

"There's really great research that shows children who regularly attend museums score higher in third-grade achievement tests than those who don't," said Ackerman. "Kids are given an opportunity to play, to be bored and to play with each other. Having spaces where kids can experience their fun is a big part of our work. What we see developmentally is children's worlds get broader as they grow. As they expand to different environments, their sense of self and world expands."

Hands-on House was established in 1987 by community members with the help of the Junior League of Lancaster.

"It was a community effort to build this museum for children," said Ackerman. "It has been designed to foster the development of our younger visitors, and it's intentional. We want to be a community hub that's accessible for all families. We have to be intentional in carving out time for kids to play. Part of what we're doing is what we've been doing all along. What we haven't been doing is providing the intentional access for parents."

For additional information, go to https://handsonhouse.org.