Hi mamas! Summer break is fast approaching, and if you’re like me you’re searching out ideas to keep your kiddos busy this summer. We here at the MomsTribute website's blog listings want to make sure we help you out. We pride ourselves in being the provider of blogs to help all moms. As a top blog for working moms we are especially eager to add as many personal recommendations as we can. Here is one that I want to share:
My family recently visited the Cook Museum of Natural Science in Decatur, AL. What a blast! If you’re in the South Tennessee or North Alabama area this is a definite must see. My kids had a fabulous time digging in the kinetic sand, examining the patterns of plants and seashells, and visiting with sea creatures in the deep blue ocean.
Trust me, this isn’t your typical museum! These exhibits are hands on, exciting, and educational. Your kids will be able to climb rocks, explore caves, and play games throughout the various exhibits. The museum offers a multitude of programs, camps, and fun days year-round. They’re an accessible location, fully equipped with on-site wheelchairs, chair lifts, and visual aids to help guests.
When you first enter the museum, you come to the Discover exhibit. In this area you’ll find live reptiles as well as life-size stuffed bears, turkeys, and other types of birds. The kids will love the various puzzles they’re encouraged to put together to mimic the patterns they see in nature. There are also digital interactive activities to help them get an up-close look at the textures of materials such as sand, hair, seashells, and glass.
Also in this exhibit is a live beehive. The bees (behind glass, of course!) are given access to come and go between the indoors and out as often as they wish. The process is truly fascinating, and kids love watching the bees as they buzz in and out, building their hive!
The next exhibit is the Looking Up exhibit. I’ll let you in on a little secret. This one is my absolute favorite! Your kids will get to watch videos from the Hubble telescope, pick up actual meteorites, and interact with the multitude of digital games available. These games do everything from allow kids to control the solar energy field to manipulate the gravitational pull of the sun on the earth. In one game, kids can also create their own planetary atmosphere. Can they figure out the right mix to sustain life?
The next exhibit is all about planet earth. Here the kids learn about weather patterns and natural rock, as well as my son’s personal favorite, the kinetic sand exhibit. Overtop the kinetic sand is a projector screen that is interactive with the kids’ movements. As the kids build volcanoes, valleys, and other structures in the sand, the projector senses these structures and changes the projection to mimic what would be seen in that landscape. I promise you; your kids will have such a blast they won’t want to leave!
The next exhibit the kids will come to is the Rivers & Streams exhibit. In this exhibit kids will learn about the different climates on earth and what lives and thrives in those climates. They’ll get to explore a life-sized model of a gopher den, an underground cave, the Arctic, and the desert. These exhibits are filled with life-sized animal replications. Kids will learn all about the different animals and climates with interactive screens throughout the exhibits, including trivia, matching games, and short videos which are both fun and educational.
The next exhibit they come to is the Oceans exhibit. In this small area the kids will get to see an enormous aquarium as well as a large collection of seashells from around the globe. But watch out! One of those seashells has a live animal living inside. Will you be able to guess which one it is?
After the ocean exhibit, your kids will come to the Curiosity Cabin. Here they’ll be able to climb into a tree house, walk across a swinging bridge, and check out dozens of bird species including owls, Hawks, hummingbirds, and more. They’ll also learn about cataloging plants and animals, and they’ll see antique maps.
The final exhibit in the Cook Museum of Natural Science is the insect exhibit. Here they’ll learn all about the differences between insects and bugs. The exhibit is full of games to keep the subject fun. Kids will love seeing live bugs in terrariums, and they’ll learn all kinds of creepy crawly facts.
Of course, no museum would be complete without an amazing gift shop, and if you’re hungry, you’ll be able to check out Nature’s Table, the onsite restaurant.
To learn all about the science museums for kids in your area you’ll want to check out the KFV app. This fantastic time saving tool can help you narrow down the best spots for families with kids in your area. Trust me, as a busy working mom time management tips like the ones found on top blogs for working moms are a lifesaver! Use this one to help fill your kid’s summer with amazing experiences. You’ll be glad you did!
Katie C