Strong National Museum of Play: Where Fun Awaits Your Family

We made our first trip to the Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, NY last year and returned again this year. Why? There is so much for your family to do and see. As a parent of a preschooler, I can't recommend the Strong National Museum of Play enough. What amazing adventures will you find inside?

Sesame Street

When I first heard this children's museum had a Sesame Street section, I expected to see a few mini-exhibits. I was surprised with what I saw. Your child can step into Elmo's World. Just one activity they can do there is appear on television with Elmo. Your child can also play games on Sesame Street, including checkers and hopscotch, they can pretend to ride in a taxi, watch Sesame Street shows in the theatre, and do much more. There are also great activities for parents here too. There is a small television screen where you can select different countries and see clips from their versions of Sesame Street.

Super Kids Market

This large exhibit is put on by Wegmans Foods. Any children who love playing pretend store will love this fun preschool activity. Your child enters the store and can grab a shopping cart. They are able to pick five items from the huge play food store! Not only that, but they then head to the checkout and finish their order. The checkouts really work! The belt on the register actually moves, the items actually scan, and your child gets a Wegmans receipt at the end! They recommend that your child takes five items at a time, but they can go back through the store again and again.

The Berenstain Bears

As with the Sesame Street exhibit at the Strong National Museum of Play, there is so much for your child to do at the Berenstain Bears exhibit. There is an art center, clubhouses for Brother and Sister Bear, Mama Bear's quilt shop, Papa Bear's workshop, the Bear Family Restaurant, a dentist office, as well as Farmer Ben's farm! Each exhibit is interactive. For example, if your child visits Mama Bear's quilt shop, they can "buy," quilts with "bear money," sell the quilts behind the counter, or practice matching with quilt patterns!

Field of Play

This room is filled with activities and displays that are not only fun, but unique too! Your child can walk through a slanted house trying to maintain their balance, race toy cars down a wooden ramp, experiment with sound, maneuver a huge overhead kaleidoscope, use the pulley ball machine that takes balls all the way up to the ceiling, climb across a rock wall, and do so much more!

Reading Adventureland

The Reading Adventureland section of the Strong National Museum of Play is really too large to fully describe. There is the Fairy Tale Forest, the Upside Down House, the Wizard's Workshop, a moveable giant, and much more. My daughter's personal favorite was the Wizard's Workshop, where she was able to make a witch hat to wear and take home, whip up magic potions, and cast fiery spells on the interactive screen.

The Dancing WingsButterflyGarden

Although you must pay a separate, but small admission fee to enter the Butterfly Garden, it is more than worth the added expense. The website for the Strong National Museum of Play states that they have the only indoor, all-year round butterfly garden in Upstate New York. Your family gets to spend 20-minutes inside. With beautiful scenery and breathtakingly beautiful butterflies, it will be an experience that your child never forgets!

TimeLab

According to the website for the Strong National Museum of Play, this section of the museum allows you to view the ever changing trend in toys. Although you will find popular toys throughout the years in display cases, many of the mini-exhibits are interactive. Your family can test their knowledge of a few older video games, play trivia games, and visit the DanceLab. The DanceLab was my daughter's personal favorite. She could step in front of a large screen and her movement would appear on the screen before her in unique patterns.

Make It and Take It Craft Centers

Pictures of your trip to the museum are ideal, but the Strong National Museum of Play allows for much more. There are various craft centers throughout the museum. Your child can take their creations home, making for great souvenirs. On our visit, my daughter made and dressed paper dolls, a small purse, a witch hat, and drew a few pictures.

National Toy Hall of Fame

According to the website for the Strong National Museum of Play, the Toy Hall of Fame was started in 1998. Inductions are based on the final selections of educators and historians. You will find items like a simple as a box of crayons to more, including the first edition View Master. I had more fun in this section than my daughter. It was like stepping back in time and seeing all the toys I used to play with.

Note: This is just a small sample of the exhibits you will find at the Strong National Museum of Play. Other exhibits include the Rainbow Reef, the Discovery Garden, One History Place, Things for Play, Kid to Kid, and more. Also, there is usually one larger temporary exhibit that changes every few months.

In short, the Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, New York is a must visit for all families. I can't recommend the museum enough. We, personally, have to drive 2-hours each way to get there. The long drive is more than worth it! For those who live closer to Rochester, examine the museum's yearly membership program. For most families, just three or four museum visits covers the cost of membership. With so many fun things to do and see, it would probably take 200 visits or more before your child got bored.

Article Sources:

The Strong National Museum of Play Website