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Seeing the dead in a scientific light!
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Recently, we took my mom to see the amazing Bod...
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On a recent visit to the in-laws in Elgin, IL, my sister-in-law suggested that for once we get out of the house and explore a bit. Since we both have active toddlers, she had the perfect place for us to go -- the DuPage Children's Museum in Naperville. My bro-in-law warned us that it was a bit pricey -- $7.50 for anyone ages 1-59 -- which made it a fair amount for 4 adults and two kids, age 13 and 18 months. However, the Museum allows you to take your entry fees for the day and put it toward a yearly pass on that day -- which is typically $88 for a family, so that makes it a fair deal. They have a fairly complicated membership program that you can find on their web site. Membership is also tax deductible.
That said...what a museum! Oh my goodness, what I wouldn't do to have a place like this near us at home. The number of areas to choose from on the two levels we explored were astounding. The museum's emphasis is around learning through freeform, cooperative and creative exploration and they provide fodder for these experiences in spades. Whether learning about the arts (my little one LOVED the music room), science (there was a fabulous area with shadows and light, not to mention the wind and water areas) or math, every possible sensory experience could be had by the end of the day.
One thing I especially appreciated was the "young explorers" rooms that catered toward the under-2 set. Made exploring safe for my 13-month-old without the larger kids running about her.
The water area (complete with bubble pans to play with) was a huge hit, and I was glad for the large waterproof smocks provided, though they didn't stop my daughter from managing to soak herself through. The water was very cold, too, so good to keep in mind when letting your kidlet splash in it for extended periods. My sis-in-law warned me about the wet, so I brought a full change of clothing for my baby. I highly recommend this.
Some observances about how the whole museum is set up -- downstairs is much more active and noisy, with TONS of things to run to and from. My mom-in-law (a long-time teacher) said, "This place is wonderful, but if you weren't ADD when you entered it, you might be when you leave!" What we found was upstairs was much more calming, with lots of things to sit and do, less running around. They also provide storytime, and art projects all throughout the day; good for bringing down the energy a bit.
There is a nice resource room for parents, complete with a private nursing area for mom and baby. DuPage is very involved in community outreach and offers what looks to be excellent school and community programs.
If you have kids with any shred of curiosity, this place will satisfy it. Building, moving, rolling, whooshing, splashing, reading, clanging, dancing, lighting, drawing, pulling, pushing, jumping -- the list can go on and on.
Upon leaving, my husband and I decided that it was totally worth the ticket price.
The other nice thing is that the museum is just five minutes from the charming downtown Naperville which sports a healthy number of places to eat and wander through. We chose to eat at Cosi (upon recommendation), which was the perfect treat after a busy morning. Known for their sandwiches served on flatbread, the menu had plenty of offerings beyond sandwiches (although I opted for the Tandoori chicken sandwich and YUM, oh YUM.). Salads, pizzas, soups and hearth-baked dinners were also part of the fare. Though our wee ones were too small to order meals for themselves, I drooled over some of the options on the kids' menu: roasted turkey tender sandwich, tuna sandwich, gooey grilled cheese (my bro-in-law loves this one!), pizzas and a variety of drinks (including a Shirley Temple). Though we didn't indulge in desserts, the options were amazing -- S'mores, S'mores with oreos, cinnamon apple pie, creme brulee cheesecake -- just to name a few.
In the summer, there is another place to score great dessert, according to our kind guides -- Cookie Dough Creations. Apparently, they make ice cream/raw cookie dough (sans raw egg) extravaganzas that should not be missed. A look on their web site can fill you in on the decadence!
If we weren't experiencing freezing weather, it would have been lovely to wander around the old-town Naperville. Perhaps on the next trip.
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| category: | activities | |
| recommended for: | toddlers,pre-school,elementary,tweens | |
| time commitment: | half day | |
| keywords: | children's museum, family restaurant in naperville, illinois, children's activities in naperville, il | |
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