Children's fun

We took the kids to the Allegan County Children’s Museum over the weekend. We met some friends there and, during our several-hour visit, ran into more people we know. It’s a small world. I recommend the museum – it’s fun at a good price.

Jayne and I are becoming veterans of children’s museums. We’ve been to the sites in Indianapolis (best we’ve been to), Buffalo (actually in East Aurora), St. Joseph and Grand Rapids. All have their strong points.

Area

The St. Joseph facility – The Curious Kids Museum – is right on the shores of Lake Michigan overlooking a beautiful park. The museum is two stories and has a cool nautical display and a model of a railroad swing bridge to play with. The girls love the volcano slide that rumbles and “erupts.” They just run around yelling, “Hot lava! Hot lava!”

The Grand Rapids Children’s Museum is the largest in the area. It has a full stage for dress up and plays, a special area for the really young kids and some great hands-on activities. It does have the full-body bubble-making apparatus – a ring you step in that will encase you in a soap bubble. I couldn’t tear Elspeth away from the piano. Also, the museum hosts special exhibits. The girls enjoyed the “Arthur” exhibit based on the PBS show.

Closer to home

The weekend trek was our first visit to the Allegan County Children’s Museum. The museum just opened over the holidays. It’s right in downtown Fennville, just a few blocks from our house. I love the location (202 E. Main St., across from Village Market). It’s in a temporary site now and fundraising is under way for the new facility just around the corner. The plans for that look great (there’s going to be a Mount Baldhead theme that looks interesting).

There are lots to keep the youngsters busy. There’s a climbing area – kind of like those playlands at fastfood restaurants, or a hamster cage with tubes and a slide – and an active area about disabilities with real wheelchairs, crutches and walkers that can keep the more active kids entertained. The kids do get a taste of what it’s like to have disabilities when they try to maneuver those wheelchairs up a ramp. There’s a bubble table, magnets and a table for blocks, also, a small stage for hand puppets and a sand table.

A music room is in the back where kids can play xylophones, percussion and an accordion. A small second level (three or so stairs) has exhibits on light and color.

There’s also a Native American wigwam. It’s similar to the one at The Outdoor Discovery Center in Fillmore Township, but this is, obviously, inside and cleaner to folks to climb inside and investigate.

I was pleased with the temporary site. It was clean and well organized. I can’t wait for the permanent home to be built.

The museum is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday. It’s $3.50 per person.

Even if you’re an adult, I recommend stopping in to check it out. There are other places in town to visit, including The Journeyman Café, an art gallery, more restaurants and the library. One of my former coworkers was at the children’s museum with his granddaughter and said they made a stop at the New Richmond Bridge park and were heading to Crane’s for doughnuts.

Lots to do in the Fennville area.