A Trip to See the Dinos!

To finish off Dinosaur weeks we painted a Dinosaur egg. This time we used water colors. I traced an egg shape onto white construction paper and let Belle go to town with it. Since we weren’t home much yesterday I didn’t get a picture of it hanging up. But once it was dry we hung it up in Belle’s favorite spot, the window.

Yesterday we took Belle to our local Science Museum to see the dinosaurs. While we did get to see some of them, a lot of them are no longer on display. The area that use to have them is being remodeled for a new exhibit. We did get to see some and Belle was a little afraid of them at first. I don’t think she realized how big they are. We did get to see the head of one that really put their size is in perspective.

Our Science Museum has a great hands on kids area perfect for Belle’s age. They have two other hands on area’s for older kids as well. Belle loved being able to play while we were there. She got to play with some homemade play dough which felt like a completely different recipe than the one I have. She played in a giant water table and in a sensory table with a huge block of ice. She raced cars, play with blocks, made music with bells. And in the end got to play with a giant light table.

We really enjoyed the kid’s area and letting Belle explore and learn on her own. There was so much more to do that Belle didn’t even look at. In May we are getting a featured exhibit called Grossology. We will take Belle to that and then probably spend the rest of the day in the kids area letting her do her own thing.

Plinko!

Playing with trucks!

She LOVES these tables!

After being such a good girl at the Museum, seriously I have never seen her be so good, we took her to Friendly’s for dinner. We don’t go to Friendly’s often like may be twice since she was born, yet somehow she knew it meant ice cream. Belle was again so good and ate so well. We have been having a lot of issues getting her to eat good for us. She eats everything at The Bug but never eats dinner at home. We have basically come to the point that she doesn’t need three meals a day. Some days she eats one and snacks on fruit and cheerios for the rest of day, some days we can get her to eat two meals and small stuff for dinner. Every day it is different how much she wants to eat. But yesterday I was so happy to see her eat a lot while we were at dinner. And then when we got home she asked for snacks. Apparently she is in one of her hungry moods yesterday.

This week we are reading lots of Dr. Seuss. I picked up One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish last week for her. When she saw the book the next day she told us she wanted to read Dr. Seuss. Totally surprised me that she knew it was Dr. Seuss. She was sitting with me while I was looking for one more activity on the computer over the weekend. Every time she saw a Dr. Seuss character she would yell Dr. Seuss.

I do not have a new sensory tub for this week so I am keeping the dinosaurs in until the end of the week when I will switch it over for our next theme.

Playing is Her Job!

Last Friday we took the day off and took Belle to the National Museum of Play. We love this place. It is huge and there is so much to see and do, and the best part is kids don’t realize they are learning while they play. When I was in school for teaching, I remember one of our professors made the statement that a child’s job is to play. Playing is how children learn and it is incredibly true. Belle's job everyday is to go to The Bug and play. Play until her little heart is content. And then to come home and play some more.

We choose to go to the museum during a school day so that it wouldn’t be too busy. It was actually pretty busy for it being right after the holidays and the first week back to school. Belle enjoyed Sesame Street and playing in Elmo’s World. She drove Elmo and Cookie Monster in a cab and made her own music on the pipe organ.

Belle checking out the Sesame Street door.

Belle and I, she was more interseted in seeing herself on the TV.

Belle playing the Pipe Organ.

Past Sesame Street is a grocery store. It is sponsored by the major grocery store in our area and surrounding areas, Wegmans. Belle loved it. She grabbed her cart went shopping without us telling her what she had to do. She picked out her 5 items, you are only allowed 5 items at a time, by herself. When she was happy with her grocery list we headed to the check out. She proceeded to place all of her items on the conveyer belt and was able to check out all of her own items as well. She scanned all 5 of her items, including a block of cheese, a loaf of bread, two red peppers, and a cucumber. Yes these are the items my child picked. Never mind there were aisles set up with everything from cereal to ice cream to baby food. We apparently wanted red peppers. Once we scanned our items and printed our receipt we had to put back all of our items. Belle left grandma and I behind and headed right back to where she got everything. She put everything back from where she got it and put her cart back. I can’t believe how independent she is. We continued on to the other exhibits skipping a couple as they were geared to a little bit older than her.

We headed to the reading land where she loved the fantasy section. She played in a garden matching colors and shapes. She played in Snow White’s house and made a crown. We headed over to the adventure section where she played in a “sand” pit. The sand were little white pellets. She loved it. Eventually we moved on and headed upstairs. Upstairs is a game section. Mainly video games, old and new. The Hubs looked around while Belle found a giant lite brite. Getting her away from that was a hassle. Note to self: start searching for a lite brite. They also have the toy museum on the second floor. We enjoyed looking around but Belle was about done.

Belle playing with the giant Lite Brite.

We headed back downstairs and into the Field of Play room. A lot of much older stuff for Belle but she enjoyed the distorted house but would go in the one that made things look small on one side and large on the other. We found a section just right for her. It had a round bin with pegs on the inside. When you dropped those little white pellets in, it sounded like rain. We had fun with that and then Belle found some tracks. You drop a ball in and the ball follows and lands in a bucket.

Distorted House.

Once we were done with this room we decided it was time to head out instead of going back to anything. We were all hungry and Belle was getting tired. We had so much fun and I can’t wait to take Belle again. We missed a whole room completely and we still have yet to do the Butterfly Garden. We opted not to do it this trip.

We are very lucky to have this museum semi close to us. It’s still about an hour away but totally worth it for a day trip.

Tomorrow I have Belle’s first craft we did at home over the weekend!

Belle's most favorite thing in the world. A Carousel!

Road Trip

On Monday we took Belle for a mini road trip. About an hour down the thruway. We took her to the Strong National Museum of Play. Since it was a Monday there was no one there. Belle had a blast. She was able to get out of the stroller and walk and crawl all over the place. She had fun exploring everything and playing.

I forgot my camera so the only pictures we have are from The Hubs cell phone. When you first enter you hit Sesame Street. If I had my camera I would have taken a ton of pictures here. While standing on the steps you can look up and you are on TV. Belle got a kick out of that.

We then entered Elmo's World. She was just ok with the rest of the Sesame Street area. She has never watched it so she doesn't know any of the characters. We tried putting it on once, she just wasn't into it.

We then took her into the Wegman's Super Kids Market. This is so cute. There are shopping carts of all sizes that kids can take and go shopping. They have a produce section with a ton of plastic fruits and vegetables. They had a bakery and a deli that the kids could work in. Plus all the aisles of food. And in a room in the back kids can produce and star in there own News broadcast. Then when you are done shopping you can cash out all of your items. It was adorable and something Belle will have a ball in when she is older. All of the food items were real packages. Empty of course.

There are tons of different rooms to explore. Even a toddler section specifically for her age. She loved it and spent a good amount of time in it. The Hubs and I enjoyed the Reading Adventurland room. Belle will enjoy this room when she is older. When you enter you follow a yellow brick road to different adventures, Wizards Workshop, Mystery Mansion, Fairy Tale Forest, Upside-Down Nonsense House, Adventure Island. The Hubs and I spent a majority of our time in the Fairy Tale Forest. We took turns going upstairs (not so easy to do with a stroller) and found the Giants Playroom. On the floor was a lifesize chess set and next to it was the Giants Harp that you could play. The Hubs had fun with that. Plus a lifesize Connect 4 game.

In the toddler section. Again taken with a cell phone camera.

After you make your way out of Reading Adventureland there is a path to the Bernstein Bears. Belle was terrifed of them. As we tried to get a picture she gripped my arm and would not let us put her down in the room. We didn't stay long.

We made our way to the Field of Play room. This room is filled with different interactive activites. Belle was way to young for this room so we didn't stay long. But she did enjoying pushing the button in the "drag racer" and hearing the engine.

There are more rooms and more activites but Belle wasn't old enough to understand or enjoy. Although The Hubs did enjoy the eGame Revolution. Most of the second floor is dedicated to video games old and new. The Hubs played some Guitar Hero. I really wish I remembered my camera. After we were done in the museum we went to lunch at Dinosaur BBQ. The best BBQ in the world. No lie. It is hands down the best.

After eating the most delicious pulled pork sandwiches we headed home. Belle slept the entire way home. She woke up when we stopped so The Hubs could run in and get milk. We had such a good day and I am glad we went, even if it was snowing and the roads here were crappy yet again. I can't wait to take her back next year when shes a little older.