As winter is phasing out, it seems we keep finding reasons to visit new museums in Michigan. Perhaps it's the desire to get out of the house and do something different. We finally made it out to the Science Center downtown over the holiday season and now Impression 5 out in Lansing. As the boys are getting older, I don't mind making a little bit of a drive to go and do something fun/see something new. And for $7 a person admission, I really can't complain!
Scott sat this one out and I gladly met up with some friends that I have been talking to on the internet since we were all pregnant with our first child at the same time. It start as October 2010 Mamas on thebump.com and progressed to a smaller group on Facebook. To think we've talked almost daily for 6 years (apparently today was the anniversary of telling our families we were pregnant with Sean) is crazy! I consider some of these girls good friends, even though I've only met a few of them. It was about time I met a few others!
What was even more fun was the fact that at this playdate, it was all boys! We have very few friends with boys, so it was so cool to have a boys day out!
The first floor of the museum had this giant eye ball, a gift shop, a dinosaur exhibit with fossils, puzzles, and sand boxes where the kids could dig for bones.
Upstairs had the majority of the exhibits/activities. A favorite of mine and the boys were the giant teeth with dentistry tools and a toothbrush! The kids could wear dentist coats and get to work on the teeth. Only problem was actually maneuvering the tools due to their size. We had a minor accident as one of my boys turned around and bumped a little girl in the head with a giant flosser.
Of course Sean disappeared and found himself in a room with legos, knex, and other building supplies. He could have spent an hour in there by himself, but Evan was way too busy moving from room to room.
He couldn't even hold still long enough for me to take a picture. Oh well!
The boys all enjoyed building towers, castles, and houses out of the foam bricks. They wore construction vests and hats, when available, and surprisingly enough we got a solid 15 minutes of time to sit down and chat at a bench while the kids played. Life is getting easier!!
They made an announcement at 1pm that they were doing a class on slime, so we bought a bag for each of the kids for $2 and made our way to the lab. It was fun! They got to choose up to two colors, mixed in some borax, and used the heat from their hands rubbing the bag to create the slime consistency. Well worth $2, even if it's already been a small mess at home.
Next up? The bubble room! Just like the Ann Arbor Hands On Museum, the kids were able to stand inside of a giant bubble, create a bubble sheet, and various other activities with bubbles. Evan managed to step in the bubble container with one shoe while they were all standing in the middle, but he rolled with it. Didn't bother him, thus it didn't bother me...much.
After that it was on to a really cool room where kids could play with lights, shadows, colors, etc. They both loved what looked like a giant version of a Lite Brite - remember those?
Right after the lighting room, was a nature related area with activities for the kids related to fishing, plants, flowers, animals, etc. all in Michigan. With real fish to see in a tank and coloring tables where the boys learned how to make different types of clouds out of cotton balls, it kept us entertained for a while.
Last stop on our visit? The little kid room, which our 5 years old out grew according to the ages posted, but you wouldn't believe that when you saw how much fun they had on the small play structure and at the water tables! Might as well let them pass for 4 while they can...
We had an absolute blast and we were all sad to go home! I was amazed at how fast 3 hours went by and it was no easy task getting the boys out the building. But, the ladies and I are definitely going to plan another get together mid-way like Lansing again in the future!
Other Michigan museums/zoos/parks on my radar for this spring/summer?
- DNR Outdoor Adventure Center in Detroit
- Potter Park Zoo
- Air Zoo
- Binder Park Zoo
- Michigan's Adventure
- Mackinaw Island
It's an ambitious list, but I'm looking forward to the challenge and giving my boys the experiences right here in Michigan!
No comments:
Post a Comment