Main Event Makes Getting A High Score Educational With The Launch Of Play Academy, Their New STEAM-Based Field Trip Experience

Main Event partners with STEM.org and Big Thought to provide teachers and kids with fun, creative in-center field trips

News provided by

Aug 16, 2021, 10:00 ET

PLANO, Texas, Aug. 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Main Event, one of the fastest growing family entertainment brands in the country, has announced the launch of Play Academy, an in-center experience based on STEAM curriculum, that brings fun, standard-based learning experiences for students and teachers to Main Event locations around the country.

Beginning on Monday, August 21^st, 2021, Main Event will launch a first-of-its-kind accredited educational program that uses curriculum aligned with national learning standards. In partnership with with leading education consultants STEM.org and Big Thought Institute, the consulting division of the creative youth development organization, Big Thought, students in grades 1^st through 12^th will be able to enjoy four educational learning labs that complement some of Main Event's main attractions including bowling, laser tag, pizza and games.

From learning about variables through bowling and experimenting with probability and kinetic energy through Skeeball and Air Hockey, these fun games will be transformed into problem solving, captivating classwork for a fun and engaging learning experience.

The four experiences include:

Bowling: Students will test their skills in 10 frames of bowling while experimenting with a range of variables. The data they collect will demonstrate how the scientific method can be an informative tool for many challenges – even perfecting bowling skills.
Laser Tag: Students will strategically place mirrors in their Laser Tag Arena to identify the best refraction angles to tag their opponent. Back in the classroom, they will extend their Main Event experience by creating their own laser tag maze based on reflection and refraction.
Arcade Games: Students will use Skeeball, Basketball and Air Hockey to experiment with probability, kinetic energy and averages, and then use the knowledge from their experience to create their own arcade game.
Pizza: Pizza, percentages, and fractions are combined for a math-themed treat. Students will collect data to learn how fractions and percentages can determine the cost of things, all while enjoying their favorite Main Event pie. Once back in the classroom, they will transfer that knowledge to their own pizza business model.

"Partnering with educational leaders like STEM.org and Big Thought allows us the opportunity to provide standards-based field trips that teachers can trust while simultaneously showing youth that learning can happen through fun, memorable experiences," said Robert Jenkins, Vice President of Sales and Strategic Initiatives of Main Event Entertainment. "We're excited to open our doors to students in the community to show them learning happens everywhere."

Main Event worked alongside partners STEM.org and Big Thought to create a curriculum that will enhance labs with arts, social and emotional learning and provide career information, research, analysis and other active learning components and classroom extensions.

Byron Sanders, President & CEO of Big Thought, stated: "The Main Event team are visionaries in this space. Building an experience of these learning labs leverages the assets that they have in droves – excitement, fun, creativity, and community. It was such an organic fit for our team to co-design and we are thrilled for youth all over the country to dive in. Learning by doing, developing by creating. This too is what 21^st century education is all about."

Booking a Play Academy field trip will be dependent on date and time availability and will require a minimum of 10 participants. Workshops will vary in pricing and activity options will be dependent on class size and curriculum. Labs can be book individually or as a bundle. Schools and teachers interested in more information can visit www.mainevent.com/events/school-events/play-academy/.

About Main Event Entertainment

Founded in 1998, Dallas-based Main Event looks to accomplish one major goal: connecting families and friends while creating lasting memories. With 44 centers in 16 states across the country, serving more than 20 million guests annually, the brand offers the most fun under one roof, allowing guests to truly enjoy their experiences and deepen relationships with their loved ones. Main Event is also a proud sponsor of Special Olympics International, supporting via fundraising and serving as a venue for Special Olympics events nationwide while providing opportunities to grow as their athletes look to achieve Olympic aspirations. For more information, visit mainevent.com.

About STEM.org

STEM.org is the longest continually-operating, privately-held STEM education research and credentialing organization in America. Since 2001, its leadership has assisted with key initiatives that have been critical to the overall growth and proliferation of the movement, including early work on the 2005 STEM Congressional Caucus. Its team demonstrates the best in pedagogics / andragogics, supporting the world's top brands, organizations and thousands of educators globally.

About Big Thought

Big Thought is an impact education nonprofit focused on closing the opportunity gap through programs that equip students to imagine and create their best lives and world. One way the organization fulfills its mission, "to put imagination in everyday learning", is by creating educational opportunities in non-traditional spaces, because learning happens everywhere.

SOURCE Main Event Entertainment