Rocky’s House
In 2022, Rocky began touring the state of Mississippi in a new traveling exhibit called Rocky’s House! Rocky’s House was designed to raise awareness that talking to and with children from birth is essential to literary success.
Rocky’s House introduces caregivers and children to a cast of characters representing the diverse population of Mississippi, Rocky’s Friends. Along with Rocky, they guide guests through three primary methods of language and literacy development: playing, talking, and reading. Visitors will learn about these methods and have a chance to play them into practice!
Rocky’s House Tour Schedule
- March 25 – May 12, 2026 | Washington County Library System
- May 16 – August 14, 2026 | Mississippi Children’s Museum – Meridian
- August 17 – October 11, 2026 | Waynesboro Public Library
- October 19, 2026 – January 11, 2027 | Gulf Coast
Rocky’s House statewide tour schedule will be updated periodically, please check back for additional dates and locations.
Let’s see what’s inside!
The centerpiece of the Rocky’s House traveling exhibit is Rocky’s Home, where visitors can read a book, ask questions, put their own stories into motion with puppets, and more. Step out of the backdoor of Rocky’s Home to Rocky’s Big Backyard, filled with books for reading and play.
Play with Me
In this area, guests join Rocky’s friends, Cody and Mateo, as they practice one of the most fun methods of talking from the start, playing pretend! With costumes and boundless imagination, caregivers and children live out their stories, real and imagined, with prompts encouraging dialogue.
Talk with Me
Talk with Me features Mei and Ella. In this area, visitors may play with blocks, images, and American Sign Language to engage with the world in new ways.
Read with Me
In Read with Me, Rocky’s best friend, Kareem, invites guests to cast a line and catch fish that will ask engaging questions about stories they have read.
Grow with Me
This area is dedicated to our youngest learners, under age two. Rocky’s youngest friend, Mateo, invites them to explore his garden by playing with age-appropriate toys, exploring the touch wall, and interacting with others.
Who are Rocky’s Friends?
Rocky is a lucky dog! He has lots of friends who talk to him and play with him every day.
Hover your cursor over his friends to meet them!
Cody & Mateo
“Hi, my name is Cody and I’m 4 years old. I love to dress up and play different characters, especially superheroes. I’m learning to read sight words and write the alphabet, so I’ll soon be able to write down the stories I imagine and love to act out.”
“Now, let me tell you about Mateo. Mateo is only 9 months old, but he still loves to play with us. He’s very lucky. His family speaks both English and Spanish, and he’s learning words in both languages.”
Ella & Mei
“Ella is my name. I’m 6 years old and my two favorite things are exploring the outdoors and learning about the things I find. Sometimes I ask people about them. But, since I’m learning to read, I can also read about the things I see.”
“Our friend Mei is just 2 years old, but she’s already saying a lot of words. And she says them in three different ways: English, Chinese, and with her hands. Since her dad is hearing impaired, she’s learning American Sign Language. I can’t wait for her to teach me to speak Chinese and sign language when she gets a little older.”
Kareem & Rocky
“I’m Rocky’s best friend, Kareem. Our favorite thing to do together is fish and talk about the adventures we want to have together. Since I’m Rocky’s oldest friend, at 8 years old, the others ask me a lot of questions. I don’t mind, because that’s how I learned so much. And if I don’t know the answer, I can get a book and find it.”
Cody – “Hi, my name is Cody and I’m 4 years old. I love to dress up and play different characters, especially superheroes. I’m learning to read sight words and write the alphabet, so I’ll soon be able to write down the stories I imagine and love to act out.”
Mateo -“Now, let me tell you about Mateo. Mateo is only 6 months old, but he still loves to play with us. He’s very lucky. His family speaks both English and Spanish, and he’s learning words in both languages.”
Ella – “Ella is my name. I’m 6 years old and my two favorite things are exploring the outdoors and learning about the things I find. Sometimes I ask people about them. But, since I’m learning to read, I can also read about the things I see.”
Mei – “Our friend Mei is just 2 years old, but she’s already saying a lot of words. And she says them in three different ways: English, Chinese, and with her hands. Since her dad is hearing impaired, she’s learning American Sign Language. I can’t wait for her to teach me to speak Chinese and sign language when she gets a little older.”
Kareem – “I’m Rocky’s best friend, Kareem. Our favorite thing to do together is fish and talk about the adventures we want to have together. Since I’m Rocky’s oldest friend, at 8 years old, the others ask me a lot of questions. I don’t mind, because that’s how I learned so much. And If I don’t know the answer, I can get a book and find it.”