Rochester, NY: Strong National Museum of Play®

If you live in the Rochester, NY area you have probably heard of the Strong Museum. This "museum" (which is really part museum, part vast education playground) is a phenomenal place to spend an afternoon with your children.

The Strong Museum is the second largest children's museum in the country, boasting over 145,000 square feet of fun. Kids won't even realize they are learning as they weave their way through the many cool displays including the "Dancing Wings" butterfly exhibit, where over 800 butterflies flutter about in a naturally semi-exotic habitat. Follow the pathway, but be careful where you step, as these colorful beauties sometimes take a rest on the walkway. You can view chrysalises forming, and Strong has recently created a "resting home" for old and injured butterflies, a place where they can live their last days in peace, and away from visitor's heavy feet.

The Museum is jam-packed in every nook and cranny with games and puzzles(video, virtual and tactile), a real Sesame Street, two enormous pirate ships, a mini post office where children can write, stamp and deliver letters and packages, a stage complete with (back) stage tools like costumes and tickets, as well as a place for the audience (mom and dad and baby sister) to sit and watch the budding actors. At this station there is even a "lighting" area where one lucky child can control the spotlight and different colored lights to cascade the stage.

One of my children's favorite areas at Strong Museum is the mini-Wegmans grocery store. The child can choose a cart, then wheel around the aisles and determine what they would like to "buy." All sorts of empty packaging is provided for this, as well as rubber bakery and produce items. Your child then scans these bar-coded items at the checkout, and gets a real receipt!

The Strong Museum is also home to the National Toy Hall of Fame. Here you and your child can wander among such old-time favorites as Mr. Potato Head® (still alive and well today), Barbie®, Easy Bake Oven®, Lionel Trains®, Radio Flyer Wagon®, Tinkertoy®, ViewMaster®, and so many more you'll feel like a kid again.

The Strong Museum's Field of Play is a wonderland for kids of any age. You can create your own kaleidoscope, as well as walk through a giant one, you can hit a far away bulls-eye with just a blast of air, you can use pullies to power balls through an overhead ball machine, and even walk through a slanted house (not for the pregnant or easily nauseous! I couldn't get through it, the kids had no problem!)

Strong Museum reinforces the idea that having fun can be the highest form of learning. Some of the play elements they stress are: Anticipation; Surprise; Pleasure; Understanding; Strength and Poise.

Spending a day with your children at the Strong Museum will bring more rewards than you could have imagined. Be forewarned, however, when you attempt to leave, you will be confronted with much resistence. Ice cream will likely be the only carrot you can use to lure your children out to the parking lot.