Adventure Science Center

So, when our zoo membership expired in August, we looked forward to finally checking out our local science museum for a change.  We made our way there in early October and joined right away, we liked it so much!  That day was a BUSY day though, so the kids were pretty distracted from the actual learning opportunities.  That's why I was eager to go again on a school day so Noah could actually learn while he explored the exhibits.  Halloween presented the perfect opportunity to take a field trip and visit again.  It ended up being pretty busy still - ha! - but we made the best of it and were able to take in so much more than last time.  We'll call it a win!  And not just because Noah had a great time. 

First, we checked out the RiverWorks Discovery exhibit which will only be here til January.  We did a number of things there, but didn't think to pull out the camera til this photo op on a steamboat. :}  We really enjoyed the Plinko-style Species Survival Game and the Noodle a Catfish station. We also watched a short movie on barges and checked out touchable river fossils.

We absolutely spent most of our time this visit in the BodyQuest area.  This Body Battles interactive laser game was Noah's favorite.  We did this more than once.  :)

Med Center area.  Oooh, but Ick.  There were also real organs on display in cases and an ambulance to explore.

After operating a robotic hand, we wandered over to this life-size model of organs.

We only did the heart, stomach, and lungs, but I definitely wanna go back and practice this more.  This is exactly what I was wished we had last year when we did different body systems.

Noah was proud of himself for figuring it out.  I kept trying to fit that stomach where the heart goes.  Ha!  He knew better.

The Down the Hatch play area was way fun, too!  Different stations model different steps in the digestive system.

 

This marble maze of the intestine was so smart!  You navigate a marble through all the intestinal coils and it either gets absorbed (falls in the holes) along the way or makes it way to the end (poop).  Sound effects galore in this area, if you know what I mean.  Noah was quite amused!

Since we did the Planetarium and Space Chase area pretty heavily last time, Noah and I only ventured over there for a quick turn on the Moonwalker.

Noah enjoyed this twice, though they are sticklers for the rules and made him wait 30 minutes before getting back in line.  Even though there was no line.  Ha!  We checked out the Tilt a World naviagation table, rockets at the Trajectory Trails exhibit, and walked through the to-scale Planet Globe display.

There's also an excellent Adventure Tower play area with a million activities to explore.  This trip, Noah did the Vertebrae Ladder, the Parachute Drop, the Walk On Piano, and this PlayMotion wall.

So pretty.

And before heading out, we sampled some freeze-dried ice cream.

It wasn't great.  Noah only tried a few bites and quit that little taste test.  I tried a few bites and didn't care for the fuzzy feeling in my mouth and how it made my tongue feel like it was swelling.  Anna tried a bite, too, and STILL we couldn't finish it off.  No matter, trick or treating that night fit the sugary sweets bill just fine.  And now we can say we have tried astronaut food, too.  :}