Ah, but I do. The difference here is that I was invited by other people who would do the driving. So a) I wouldn't have to drive, which I hate doing no matter where I am; b) I wouldn't have to deal with the traffic.
The Science Center is very cool. It has exhibits on the human body, nature, space...well, all things science-y. I, personally, am fascinated by science but extremely inept at studying it in school. So the center is perfect for me--I get the joys of learning without the stress of memorizing.
When you walk in there's a really cool overhang with orbs hanging from it. Sounds strange, looks awesome. There's also a truck that you can lift, but the kids were terrified of it. Go figure.
Once inside there are millions of school children. No joke. The website said whatever you do, don't go on weekday mornings before 1:00. Well, unfortunately for the website and us, that was our only option. So we, and every summer school and daycare child in southern California, went to the science center on a weekday morning before 1:00. But it wasn't too bad, actually. In every exhibit there's a Discovery Center with a lot of hands-on crafts, toys, play equipment, etc. for little ones. This is where we spent all of our time. We didn't really look at the actual exhibit stuff much because it would have been way over their heads. But what's great is that the center has something for every age, so we can keep coming back and there will always be something new and exciting to explore that's right for the age.
The Price: FREE!!! I love things that are free. Parking is $8, though...lame. But for $8 a car, it's a cheap thrill that's worth way more.
The Highlights: At two, the Discovery Centers. They even have a little area in each one that's designated for toddlers. There were trains, ladybug crafts, puppets, toy power tools, dress-up areas, a tree-house, movie screens (where you stand in front of a green-screen and appear on a monitor--the kids didn't get it, but they thought it was cool that Jesse was on TV), books...seriously, they were cool. When the kids are older there are iMax theaters, experiment things, and a high-wire bike. There were also chairs and benches all over, which was especially helpful for Ben's two time-outs (one for throwing the train when I asked him to share it, and one for biting me when I said no to snack time in the exhibit). Also, in one of the toddler areas, there was this book:
The downsides: LA. So wish this was closer. It's also really crowded on weekday mornings before 1:00. But I suppose I was fairly warned. Also, the changing counter in the women's bathroom was a joke. Maybe two square feet. You couldn't change a newborn's diaper on there. Fortunately I had the immense pleasure of changing a squirmy toddler's diaper on there. Boo California ScienCenter. You clearly never had a baby.
No comments:
Post a Comment