Boston, Massachusetts – The first time we went to the Children’s Museum was for the twins’ first birthday. We spent the whole time in PlaySpace, which is a small corner of the museum designated for kids age 0-3. In fact, we actually spent the whole time in the infant crawl area, which is for non-walkers only.
The twins loved it. I figured, if they were that happy and entertained in this one tiny section of the museum, surely they would be thrilled by the rest of it as they grew into it. We signed up for a membership on the spot.
Over the course of the year, they became regulars in the PlaySpace, which features a small age-appropriate climbing structure, a train table, a play kitchen, a puzzle room and an arts and crafts space. We had plenty of fun there. My only complaint was that the three-and-under set actually represents a large proportion of the kids at the museum (since older kids are usually at school), but the PlaySpace represents a very small portion of the area at the Children’s Museum. It was always packed, and we eventually started exploring other parts of the museum just to get away from the crowds.
We graduated to the Raceways, where we had a ball. The twins and I could spend hours sending golf balls flying down the ramps, over jumps and and around spirals. This exhibit is right next to the front door, and many times we went straight there and never left.
Another favorite was the Construction Zone, which provides a whole network of tunnels, ramps and bridges for kids to run their trucks and diggers. There are also two full-sized Bobcats to climb on and hard hats to wear. The Construction Zone has the added benefit of being on the third floor, which means many visitors don’t make it up that far.
(I love that the museum’s description of this exhibit says it is “inspired by the building projects that surround us everyday.” Ah yes, the Big Dig will be ingrained in the hearts and minds of Bostonians for generations to come.)
We did not renew our museum membership when it expired last year, so it had been almost a year since our last visit to the Children’s Museum. I was eager to see what new activities the twins might discover now that they are a little bit older.
Not surprisingly, the Construction Zone was still a big hit. I’m pretty sure they would still love the Raceways too, but it was way to crowded to venture in there. We spent some time experimenting with Bubbles, which they had not had the patience for before.
But the undisputed highlight of the day was an exhibit called Peep’s World. The twins are not familiar with the WGBH science program Peep & the Big Wide World. But they sure loved the sensory activities that Peep provided, including water tables, sand tables and a very cool “shadow cave”.
I’m not sure how soon we will be back to the Children’s Museum; but I’m pretty sure that each time we go, they will find a new source of fun, challenge and stimulation.
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