Monday, July 23, 2007

What's the Deal: Discovery Gateway Children's Museum, SLC, Utah

A few weeks back, my sister Diana and her girls, Alyson and Chloe, came to visit. I love it when she visits and so do my kids, because Aunt Diana, frankly, is a lot more fun than Mom, and they know that when Aunt Diana comes to visit, they will get to do a bunch of stuff that Mom is normally too tired (lazy) to let them do, like go swimming and stay up past 6:30 and leave the house and other crazy stuff like that. Accordingly, one hot afternoon, Diana, Wendy and I packed up all of our kids and headed for the children's museum.

When we arrived at the museum, Diana spotted this sign, and stole my camera to take a picture. It says, "Strollers: To make more room for play please park your stroller around the corner by the elevators." Of course, the sign was SURROUNDED by strollers.


There were a lot of cool exhibits that I didn't take pictures of, because I was too busy running around yelling, "Sarah? Sarah, where's Carter? Oh, there you are, o.k. Oh - Abby? ABBY! Carter, where's ABBY? Oh, Abby, I see you. Wait, where's Sarah again?" And so on. (You know how they have those barbaric leashes for kids? I totally want one. Or three.)

There was a child size working grocery store where they check their groceries out, use the cash register, talk over the loudspeaker, etc. See how Sarah is just patiently waiting for them to check her out, not getting bossy or demanding or anything? (So obviously her father's kid!) Another little girl kept hogging the cash register and I was about to ask her to let Sarah have a turn and Sarah gave me this withering look like, "Do NOT embarrass me, mother." Uh huh. Yeah. She's FIVE.


Did Abby want to play in the grocery store? No, Abby did not. Abby wanted to play in this - old fake metal car. It didn't do anything. It wasn't even a REAL fake car. It was just - a fake pretend car with no pedals or gears or anything. All you could do was steer it. But - hey - that car had some other kids in it, and you could boss them around and tell them you were the mom and they were the children and then make them listen to you sing a song. An audience, trapped in a car with you. That seemed to be the primary draw of the exhibit.


There was a puppet show. See that person hiding back there behind the puppet show? That's my sister Wendy. She put on the puppet show. See all those empty seats? Yeah. The kids all left. Abby stayed for a while, out of pity, I think.


Here is another puppet show. That chicken puppet? I believe that's Wendy again. Notice that the children have all wandered away.


After Wendy was finished putting on puppet shows for imaginary audiences, the kids took turns being on the news, watching themselves on camera...


Next they went outside to examine the (real) flight for life helicopter. Carter was worried, because every few minutes the helicopter would start making helicopter sound effects and vibrating and he was quite convinced it was going to take off into the sky at any moment.


Back inside, they played some games. Abby picked her nose a little. (Here is a tip for first time parents: Don't ever say, "No child of mine will ever ______." Because then karma will bite you in the buttocks and YES THEY WILL.)


We did a bunch of other stuff - dressing up...



...and farming activities and playing games and building buildings and other things like that, then ate dinner and headed over to the fountains to cool off. Wendy and Diana did not want to get wet, the big wussies. But the kids and I had no such compunctions - it was hot, and the water was cold. A little bit later, drenched and tired, we all headed home.


P.S. Wendy - don't hurt me. XOXOXOXO

Related Links:

10 comments:

  1. What a fun day! I definitely have to go to that museum the next time I am in Utah. I love Jake's expression in the helicopter. Your explanation of Wendy's puppet show was so funny. I'm glad Emma stayed for part of it.

    ReplyDelete
  2. A. Your children asked me to put on the puppet show. Then they left. Little bullies.
    B. HA! I was not the puppeteer in question in the second picture. I did not go behind that puppet show thingy. Perhaps it is you and Diana is taking the picture?
    C. I did go in the fountain- once you came back to watch your own purse. Don't oppress people then talk about how lame they are due to your oppression.

    That was a fun day, even if you are a spin-master. :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Sue... how dare you attack my beautiful wife and try and lower her self-esteem! This is completely outrageous behavior... I AM SO OFFENDED BY THIS BLOG!!!!

    (by the way I hope this doesn't hurt our relationship for Saturday;)

    ReplyDelete
  4. How fun! I love those kind of museums! We really need to have a family reunion with EVERYONE sometime soon! We'll leave Wendy to plan the "entertainment".....hee hee! I would watch your puppet show Wendy!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I can't wait to go to this museum!! It looks so cool. How do you always get these pictures of your kids that capture their exact feeling at that moment, like Jake in the helicopter...so funny! he looks so concerned. See you soon, YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hee hee - likely story Wendy. Likely story. You don't need to be ashamed of your little - puppet problem. We're all here to help you.

    Holly - we are so excited that you are coming!

    ReplyDelete
  7. children's musuems creep me out, mayeb its b/c I think there are booger germs all over. My daughter has seriously taken the pickin to a whole new level, she knows how to hide and do it, only she's not hiding b/c hello, I have seen her. so yay emma- she's a riot! Love her playing mom in the car!!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anonymous8:06 AM

    I love the pic of the three girls watching themselves on t.v. ..Chloe seems definitely to be in "star" mode.
    Do I dare take my kindergarten class to the museum?

    ReplyDelete
  9. New post! New post!

    ReplyDelete
  10. She must have hurt you. Over a week without posting? Where arrrreeee yoooouuuu?

    ReplyDelete