Exploring the Children's Discovery Museum

Three years ago on Wednesday we brought home our oldest son Xander from Russia. August 12 is a very sentimental day for me. Happily I got to spend it with Xander and his preschool class at the Children's Discovery Museum in San Jose. Plenty of parents participated, so I was only responsible for Xander, and one-on-one my sweet little boy and I explored the Museum.

The Children's Discovery Museum in San Jose is small, and geared for younger kids. It has about six major exhibits, and one special exhibit room. Filling that slot is the Curious George exhibit which is on loan from the Minnesota Children's Museum through September 23.

We took both our boys there on a rainy day last Fall. It is amazing how differently a four year old views the museum then a three year old. Three year old Xander could have spent the whole day in the Wonder Cabinet room, geared more for babies and toddlers.

Four year old Xander loved everything. At the end of the day we always ask the question, "What did you like best?" Xander said, "I liked riding the firetruck and ambulance, using the cash register, touching worms, and playing with bubbles. I also liked the elevator and the leaves, and playing with the balls..." So I guess I could sum up his answer to mean... everything!

When you walk in the door you are greeted by the Streets exhibit, which includes traffic lights and a retired firetruck and ambulance. I thought my day had ended there, between pretending to drive the firetruck and ambulance, and rerouting the circuits on the traffic lights Xander was in heaven.

We had previewed the exhibits online, so I reminded him that he wanted to play with bubbles, and we headed to the basement where the Bubbalogna exhibit is. Visually it is a pretty boring exhibit, however, Xander loved creating giant bubbles, and pushing buttons to create bubble sandwiches. He was soon ready to move on, so we headed upstairs.

First stop was the Rainbow Pizza and Market exhibit. Xander and his preschool friends liked climbing on the antique green car, making pizzas (plastic representations) in the play ovens, and working the cash register. Xander charged me $4 for my pizza, quite a deal in today's economy.

Afterward we headed to the Wonder Cabinet which had mostly lost its appeal. There was an air powered wall mounted pinball machine. You put a ball in a hole, and air forced it up and then the gravity brought the ball down through an obstacle course. I think we spent 20 minutes putting balls in the hole, and watching them go.

Then it was downstairs to the Curious George exhibit. At first Xander was a bit overwhelmed. It is the reason that most people were there, so it was more crowded. But it is amazing how few kids were opening doors, and looking in cabinets. Probably based on my poor parenting skills, Xander is not shy about looking in other people's cabinets. If you didn't open doors, you'd miss the mailboxes (each box had something different to look at), the elevator with Curious George and some firemen, the office cabinet ... The designers definitely wanted to play to a child's curiousity (hmmm I wonder why).

We then went to the Circles and Out on a Limb. Xander's favorite part was putting leaves into another air powered cylinder. The leaves then blow through the top, and there is a rake to clean then up.

Afterward I took him to the Waterways exhibit, but by then he was getting tired. We spent a short time there, I only got two pictures, both of him taking off his apron.

It took some convincing since it was a hot day and it was the last exhibit that we went to, but I got Xander to go out to the Kid's Garden. If we'd skipped that area, he would have missed the worms. Xander loved holding the worms, and digging in the dirt for more worms. Next year after I get rid of a bunch of pavers behind the garage, Xander wants a garden ... so I probably should have guessed that this would be a highlight.

I'd like to get both boys there before the Curious George Exhibit closes. However, it will require two parents (one for each kid) to successfully pull it off. So, maybe early some Saturday.

The Children's Discovery Museum is open Monday through Saturday (open Mondays only through the Summer) from 10 am to 5 pm, and 12 pm to 5 pm on Sundays. Admission is $10 a person ... so the $89 annual family membership is definitely worth it if you plan to visit at least three times a year.