Creativity Jam: Imagine & Make

Last Friday the girls and I had the opportunity to visit the newest version of Creativity Jam at the Minnesota Children's Museum. I've shared before that I think Creativity Jam is one of the coolest things at the museum. The new Creativity Jam is no exception.

My girls would spend all day grocery shopping in Our World, and while I think that type of play is important, I also love seeing what my girls will do when the play is wide open. That's what Creativity Jam is all about.

When we first walked in to the Imagine area of Creativity Jam, it was like we were walking in to a whole new world. The white fabric and blue lighting made the room so cool. Miss A and Little J immediately disappeared inside a tent. I have no idea what was happening in the tent (as I was immediately kicked out when I tried to sneak a peek) but when Miss A came out, with lantern in hand she said, "Something's attacking the world and we have to find out what." The girls ran off, continuing to explore the room to find their answer.

A little later Miss A found some wings (and kept a tight hold on that lantern... her favorite thing there) and she and Little J transformed into fairies. They decided the red platform was fairy school. In case you're wondering, fairy school is "all about the magic!" and seems to involve a lot of running around in circles.

The thing that made the imagine space so engaging is that kids can use the space in so many different ways. My girls went from a exploring a destroyed world to being fairies within the same visit, and I can only imagine what other kids may have imagined. I'm excited to see what ideas our next visit will inspire.

After leaving the Imagine area we moved on to the Make space (located in the Curiosity Center). When we walked in each girl was given a black tray and told to pick up whatever supplies they were interested in. There were fuzzy balls, buttons, beads, string, wire, paper, tape, cupcake liners, popsicle sticks and much more. The girls made their selections and headed over to a table to get to work. 

Miss A decided to make a "guy" out of her supplies so Little J decided to do the same. We started out with regular glue, but that wasn't quite cutting it, so we moved over to an area with a hot glue gun. Miss A would show me where to put glue, then she would add the different objects. I thought their "guys" turned out great!

Little J's project

Miss A's project

I was alone with all three girls, so we didn't get into anything more advanced than the hot glue gun, but there were tool sets and a variety of building materials available too. If we go back with E or without Baby C we might have to see what we can create.

The Creativity Jam components that are featured at the Minnesota Children's Museum right now are prototype exhibits for the expansion and renovation of the Minnesota Children's Museum set to begin this fall. You can look at plans for the project here.

I'm linking up with Katie today because MCM is one of my favorites!

Full disclosure, my family and I are provided with a free membership to the Minnesota Children's Museum in exchange for being a Smart Play Ambassador.  Of course, all opinions are completely my own.

A Visit to Birdwell Island: Adventures with Clifford The Big Red Dog

Back many years ago, when I was a volunteer at the Minnesota Children's Museum one of the special exhibits I remember was Clifford the Big Red Dog. Fast forward to today, and Clifford is back at the Minnesota Children's Museum! I was really excited to be able to take my girls on a little adventure to Birdwell Island to visit Clifford The Big Red Dog this time around. 

Tip: We made our trip to the MCM on a Friday night, which is a great time to explore the museum. I think I've mentioned it before, but it is worth saying again. A trip to the museum on a Friday or Saturday night, when the museum is open until 8pm, makes a great family date night. The crowds are smaller, so it's easier for the kids to explore.

As we explored the Adventures with Clifford The Big Red Dog exhibit, I took note of the signs next to the different play areas. For example, in the restaurant area there was a sign about working together. The signs were helpful for me to think about when talking to Miss A and Little J about their play.

The first area where the girls wanted to play was the restaurant. Miss A and Little J pretty naturally took different "jobs" at the restaurant. Miss A took my order, Little J cooked and Miss A took my money. Miss A really liked the money. She's working on counting to higher and higher numbers, so the play money was extra fun for her. As the girls played, I added in comments like, "I love to see you working together to get me my food."

Doesn't Miss A look excited to be a restaurant employee...
I promise she was actually enjoying herself :)

They continued working together as they were feeding Clifford, filling his bowl with giant dog bones, but I also talked to them about what a big job it is to take care of a dog and how you have to be really responsible.

Shortly after feeding Clifford, Miss A was distracted by the stage. No surprise there. The stage area had costumes, instruments and a big screen showing Clifford and some friends making music together. Miss A was quick to join in, and helped Little J find things too. We stayed in this area for the longest.

Before we left the girls had to check out Clifford's doghouse. Inside the doghouse there was paper, scissors and crayons to write letters and draw pictures that could be posted on a big board, delivered around the island or taken with for delivery. I loved the sign in this area because it encouraged being kind. The sign in the picture is hard to read but it says, "Creating special pictures and letters for loved ones can brighten a person's day. When you make another person feel better you are being kind." This reminded me so much of my dear friend Miss Heather, who sends me and my girls super fun mail all the time, so it really connected with me and Miss A (Little J was just excited to be drawing).

Overall, we really enjoyed our visit to Birdwell Island. You can read more about the Adventures with Clifford The Big Red Dog exhibit here!

Full disclosure, my family and I are provided with a free membership to the Minnesota Children's Museum in exchange for being a Smart Play Ambassador.  Of course, all opinions are completely my own.

Favorite Twin Cities Kid Spots: Warm Weather Edition

I'm linking up with Katie for Friday Favorites today, sharing some of my favorite places to go with the little ones during the summer.  What are your favorite places to visit in the summer?  We're always looking for new ideas.

Nature Centers: My favorite nature center that we've been to is the Tamarack Nature Center.  It's only a few years old, and a spot we make sure to visit every summer.  In fact, we've been twice this week.  There is a big area for kids with a big rock climbing area, a stream and a wooded/log area.  I really like that everything is hands on.  For example, in the stream there are a lot of little rocks and sticks around so kids can build dams and see how it changes the water's path.  There are also walking paths, with one that goes through woods and a prairie area, and it's short enough for both girls to walk on their own.  I also really like the Dodge Nature Center.  The girls and I visited for the first time last fall, and it's a place I hope to get back to soon.  I think I tracked our walk there at 1.5 miles, and both girls were able to do that on their own.  We stopped along the walk for some breaks to check out a pond and a small farm with a bunch of animals.

Lake Elmo Park Reserve:  There's a lot to do at the Lake Elmo Park Reserve, but our main reason for visiting is the man-made, filtered swimming pond.  A daily permit for a car is $5, not bad at all.  The pond is great because there's a sandy beach, but otherwise it's more like a pool.  There's an area of the pond that only gets to 4 feet deep which is also great for having the little ones.

Como Regional Park Pool:  This is close to our house (big bonus!) and super nice.  The pool has a really great area for kids that is zero entry, with some splash pad like areas, space to swim and three little water slides.  There's also a regular lap swim style pool, a pool with a zip line and "cliff" to jump off, as well as a lazy river.  A family (up to 5 people) pays $20 at the most, so it's not super expensive, but also not somewhere we go all the time.  It's great for a couple of visits each summer.  Earlier this summer the girls and I went in the morning for a couple hours with friends, then went back with E for an hour or so in the evening.  That worked really well for us.

Como Zoo: Another place that's really close to us.  It's just about the right size for Miss A and Little J right now.  We actually haven't visited the bigger Minnesota Zoo with the girls yet because Como works so well for us right now.  My grandma was a huge carousel fan, so I also love Cafesjian's Carousel at the zoo.  Last summer they also opened a new playground at the park next to the zoo which the girls enjoy.

Horse Tracks:  We have two horse racing tracks in the Twin Cities area.  Canterbury Park and Running Aces Harness Park.  At first these might not sound like the best places for kids (and for some people maybe they're not) but we've always had a really good time going as a family.  Of the two, my preference is for Canterbury Park.  There's a play area for the kids all the time, and Sundays are family days with extra activities (like pony rides) for the kids.  Overall, there's a lot of space to run around and a lot to see.  The girls, especially Little J love being able to see so many "orsies."

Teddy Bear Park:  This is a super cute park in Stillwater, so it's a bit of a drive, but worth at least one visit each summer.  There are a lot of things for littler kids to play on, as well as a play structure for bigger kids, and some cliffs to climb next with sand below to play in (and for a soft landing).

Minnehaha Falls:  I've always love water falls, so having such a beautiful spot right in the Twin Cities is great.  It's a great park for walks and just hanging out (we even had family pictures taken there a couple years ago).  I'm not a sea food lover, but I know Sea Salt Eatery is a big hit with those who are.  I believe there's also a nice wadding pool/splash pad area, but we haven't made it there yet.

Puppet Wagon:  A nearby suburb has a puppet wagon that travels around to the city's parks each week during the summer.  You watch a short puppet show, then the kids get a turn to try out the puppet wagon themselves.  Puppet wagon + picnic + playing at the park is a great combo for us!  Besides the daytime performances, the puppet wagon also visits the weeknight Discover Your Parks events.  We went to one last year where they made snow for the kids to play in.  So fun in the middle of the summer!

Lakes:  Minnesota is famous for its lakes, and they're one of our favorite spots to spend our time.  Before moving to St. Paul, E and I lived in the Uptown area of Minneapolis, and spend lots of time walking around Lake Calhoun and Lake of the Isles.  Now that we're in St. Paul, we walk around Lake Como many times each week.  This summer, the girls and I have been meeting up with one of my friends to walk around Lake Harriet.  Not a place I previously spent much time, but I've been loving it.  The playground is great, the walking path is quite shady, there are swimming beaches and there is an elf living in one of the trees.  Mr. Little Guy, or Thom, moved to Lake Harriet in 1995, and if you leave a note for him at his house, he'll write back.  The girls left notes last week, and they're (we're!) excited to see what Mr. Little Guy has to tell them.

Splash Pads: Splash pads seem to be the cool thing for cities right now, and we're loving that.  It feels a little more manageable to me to take two kids to a splash pad than a pool, so this is an easy way to get out of the house and cool off on hot summer days.  Here's a list of splash pads around the Twin Cities.

Minnesota Children's Museum:  I also shared this in my cold weather favorites, but the Minnesota Children's Museum is always a favorite of ours!  This summer Creativity Jam is back and there's a special Thomas the Train exhibit (more info coming soon!).  Every summer they also open the Rooftop Art Park.  It's always fun to check out the view and see what they have going on up there.

Favorite Twin Cities Kid Spots: Cold Weather Edition

Last month Erin asked if anyone had questions for her to answer on her blog, so I asked about her favorite Twin Cities spots for kids.  We're always looking for new places to check out, and my work day is going to get a little shorter in a couple of weeks, giving Miss A, Little J and I even more time to explore.  I loved reading Erin's post (and the comments) and decided to do my own list of our favorite places in the Twin Cities to visit during the colder months (I'm planning to do another post this spring with our favorite warm weather spots).

1.  Minnesota Children's Museum

This is by far my favorite place to take kids in the Twin Cities.  I volunteered at the MCM briefly in college, and loved it then, but I love it even more now with my own kids!  (This year I'm also a Smart Play Ambassador for the Minnesota Children's Museum, which I'm super excited about!  More to come on that soon.)  We are really close to the museum, so it's an easy spot for us to visit for even a couple of hours at a time.  My favorite times to visit are Friday and Saturday evening when the crowds are a little smaller.  You can see a few pictures from our last visit here when Creativity Jam was still going (I'm so excited that it will be back in May!).

2.  Como Park Zoo and Conservatory

This is also really close to our house, and free (there are boxes at the entrance to leave a donation, but everyone is welcome).  I've never been to the Minnesota Zoo, so I can't compare, but Como Zoo reminds me a lot of the Henry Vilas Zoo in Madison, where I spent many days as a kid (and teenager).  Como Zoo is just the right size for Miss A and Little J.  They're big enough now that we can go without a stroller, and explore for an hour or two before heading home.  The monkeys, big cats and bison are always big hits with my family.  In the winter, we all like the tropical rainforest area in the visitor's center... it's always nice and warm there!  

This is more of a warm weather thing, but Cafesjian's Carousel is also at Como Zoo.  My grandma loved carousels, and this is a fun one to ride when visiting the zoo.  Tickets are normally $2/person, but there is one day a month when rides are free (listed on their website).  

If you're home during the day, Lil' Explorer Thursday is every Thursday through the end of April from 10-noon.  We would go to this when I was home on maternity leave after Little J was born and it was a lot of fun!

3.  Public Libraries

Our favorite local library to visit is the Ramsey County Library- Roseville.  The Roseville library was recently remodeled, and it is amazing.  The children's area is separate from the rest of the library, and huge with many areas for kids to play.  I also love that the books are at just the right height for little ones to look through.  Plus there is a Dunn Bros attached to the library for times when Mommy needs a treat.

Roseville Library

There are also a number of libraries across the Twin Cities that have Smart Play Spots.  We've been to RCL- Maplewood and St. Paul- Rondo to check out Smart Play Spots, and the girls always enjoy the play areas.  The new Smart Play Spot in Woodbury is on our list of places to check out very soon!

Farmer's Market at the Maplewood Library

4.  Nickelodeon Universe at Mall of America

The MOA is not normally my favorite place, but Toddler Tuesdays are pretty great.  We've gone to these a few times when I have a day off work and the weather isn't great.  You can buy points for the rides for half price if you ask for the Toddler Tuesday discount (and the points don't expire, so sometimes I buy extra for weekend visits).  Kids also eat free at a bunch of the restaurants on Tuesdays, which is an added bonus.  We've been to play areas at a couple of other malls, but they aren't quite as exciting as the MOA.

5.  Sky Zone

This is another place to check out with little ones if you're home during the day.  The Sky Zone in Oakdale has Toddler Times on Tuesday and Friday mornings from 9:30 to 11 for $4/person.  Basically Sky Zone is a trampolines, trampolines and more trampolines.  I think there are different activities for older kids, but Miss A and Little J just run and jump, jump, jump!  The last time we went, Miss A really enjoyed the foam pit, though getting out was tough for her.  This has been the most fun when we can get a group of friends to go, because it's more fun to run and jump with friends. 

6.  Red Balloon Bookshop

This is the perfect place to visit for storytime, followed by Bread and Chocolate (or one of the other great Grand Ave restaurants) for lunch.  There's baby storytime on Tuesday, preschool storytime on Wednesday and toddler storytime on Thursday, all from 10:30-11am.  There are a number of other fun events scheduled every month if you check their website.  It's also a great place to find fun gifts for little ones.  

7.  Indoor Playgrounds

We've been to Eagles Nest in New Brighton, Lookout Ridge in Woodbury and Edinborough Park in Edina, but only visited each once.  Miss A tends to be a little timid, and doesn't really like the heights, unless someone will go with her. It's been about a year since our last visit, and Little J is quite a climber, so I think we'll have to make another trip soon.  I've also heard good things about Good Times Park in Eden Prairie.

8.  Family Days at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts

I don't know that I would normally take my kids to the MIA, but the Family Days are a great time to visit.  Family Day is once a month, and there's a theme with each day.  Last year Miss A and I went to Rock the Cradle at the MIA, and had a great time.  The Rock the Cradle event for this year is on Sunday, March 2 from 11-5.  I'm looking forward to going with the girls this weekend!

For local friends, where are your favorite places to play when the weather is cold?  I'd love any suggestions!