Wednesday, March 27, 2013

visiting the Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson Center with a toddler

I mentioned a few months ago that we signed up for a museum membership this year at the Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson Center, and it has been so fun taking Riggs to explore the toddler area and then to bundle him up in his stroller and look through the galleries while he sleeps. It has worked so well! We try to get there right after they open, around 10:30 or 11am, and let Riggs play and get all worn out before eating lunch at Muse. After lunch I tuck him into the stroller for his nap so that I can enjoy the rest of the Museum at my leisure. Sometimes I even sit in one of the galleries (usually upstairs where it's quieter) to read, it's such a treat.

The Tote Kidspace, which is designed for children under 5, has so many different things for kids to do, like puzzles, train sets, coloring areas, marble mazes, a painting wall, and a book nook. I think a 3-5 year old could easily spend two hours in there playing if they weren't tired or hungry. For younger toddlers, like Riggs, there are plenty of fun things too.

Smart Floor
this is one of Riggs' favorites...he loves to crawl back and forth
across it to see the changes. water ripples, plants grow, and
dragon flies fly past as children put pressure 
on different parts of the screen. so cool!

Tree House
this seems to be a big hit for all kids (duh) and it includes an
area for puppet shows, a slide, and plenty of little hiding spaces down below.
Riggs basically just climbs up the stairs, crawls around up there, stands up
to look at kids playing below him, and then crawls down the slide and does
it all over again.

Water Play Area
a river flows around a mountain range and is filled with Orcas 
and boats and splashing kids. they have lots of little waterproof aprons (in three sizes)
to keep clothes dry and a kid sized handwashing/drying station nearby too.
Riggs wasn't getting too crazy so I didn't put the apron on him.

Mountain Playscape
there's another playscape for kids to climb on with a tunnel
and another little slide. Riggs loves this to look in the window
to the little tunnel...so funny!

Snapping Turtle
there's also a snapping turtle named Chomper that kids love to watch
as he s l o w l y roams around him little habitat.

Have you taken your kids to the Imaginarium Discovery Center at the Anchorage Museum? If not, you should go! Better yet, email me [ lifealaskanstyle @ gmail . com ] and we can meet up there!

3 comments:

  1. Looks like it was fun! I love love love the picture of him on his toes in the tree house

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  2. omg his face while he plays with the water is sooo funny!

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  3. When did your child grow hair?! I didn't even recognize him in the first picture! Thanks for sharing :)

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