Sci-Tech Discovery Center – Grossology

A few months ago the Sci-Tech Discovery Center opened it’s doors for the first time with the traveling show, Grossology.

It is located in Frisco in a warehouse setting that will be getting a complete overhaul this spring.  The Sci-Tech Discovery Center is a place for kids to learn about science in a fun and hands-on way.

Because I have three boys – ages 3, 6 and 8 – I figured that Grossology would be something they would enjoy.  At this stage, anything having to do with bodily functions is hysterical.  I am not usually one to encourage this, BUT science is involved!

The Grossology exhibit is a series of learning stations covering all sorts of gross stuff.  Each station has interactive play and plenty of grossness.

This area has actual disgusting smells to sniff and then you can guess where in the body that smell can be found.  Yes, my boys actually enjoyed this station. I will admit to faking a few sniffs just to stop the “mommy, smell this!”  demands.

Throughout the displays are gross facts.  This one made me thankful I am a mom here in Texas.

I was a bit fascinated by the walk-through nose.  Once inside you are treated to an actual sneeze.  It gets a little breezy.

There are scheduled activities, “lectures” and events at the Sci-Tech Discovery Center.  This is an impromptu snot-making station that Rhett, my three year old thought was really cool.  So cool that the combo of glue, borax and water is still in a sticky wad contained in a Ziploc bag in my purse.

This station is all about skin and the grossness that can occur – scabs, wounds, warts, etc.   The boys didn’t think twice about using a pimple or ingrown hair to climb up the wall.

Yep, that is Rhett playing Gas Attack pinball in this corner of the room devoted to all things gas-y.

And then there was Urine: the Game.  My husband set the daily high score in a matter of minutes proving that completing medical school is helpful in sorting the body’s waste products.  He was very proud.  We were all proud.

The life size Operation Game was my very favorite part of the exhibit.  It played just like the home version except the femur was several pounds and removed with salad tongs. 

BUZZZZ!

Rhett slid down the esophagus and ran through the stomach on his way to the intestines…

…and then through the colon where he was pooped out. 

Literally.

More information about the Sci-Tech Discovery Center in Frisco can be found on their website. This attraction seems to be the start of something fun.

Dallas Children’s Museum

I don’t venture out to the “big city” very often by myself. Frankly, I almost break out in hives whenever I’m faced with getting around downtown Dallas. I have zero sense of direction, so the thought of bringing my kids along for the adventure is not so appealing to me.

However, I read an article in Dallas Child about the Children’s Museum at the Museum of Nature and Science in Fair Park and I decided to suck it up, be a grownup, and just do it. I made it all the way into the Fair Park area before I had to call the place to get better directions to the actual museum – Mapquest kind of steered me in the wrong direction on that one. But we got there.

First word of advice, that place is Fuh-reee-zing. If you are wearing summer clothes you may want to bring a sweater along. Prices weren’t too bad, $8.75 for me, $5.50 for ages 3-11 (free for Presley, my 2 year old).

The first thing we encountered was this:A small Dinosaur hall where you could go on a Dino dig for fossils. Rylan looked at me with (I think) tears in his eyes and said, “Mommy, THANK YOU for bringing me here!!!”

After that we took the elevator down to the Children’s Museum and started off in the Explore Your Backyard exhibit. They have snakes, tarantulas, etc, plus an ant tunnel for the kids to crawl through. It’s also where they have a play area for little ones 0-2.

Next we hit the Explore Your Town area where they have firefighter costumes and a fire truck play structure, along with fire truck books and puzzles.

There were lots of other little exhibits around that – a sand table where you drive construction trucks, a builder’s area where you put on a hardhat and tool belt, a Fine Arts station where you can put on costumes and play on a stage…So many things to do and see.

My kids loved the water area…
and the Little Urban Farm exhibit was also a big hit. I wish I could have gotten a better picture, but the kids got to “milk” a fake life-sized cow. Way cool.

We spent about an hour and a half there but could have stretched that out quite a bit. But we were hungry and also had a nap schedule and long drive time to contend with. I brought our lunch and we went outside to the picnic tables next to this cute lagoon. (They have a cafe but I wanted to save $$).

The Children’s Museum was geared for the under 7 crowd. They also have the Science of Spying exhibit going on (for an additional fee) but it looked to be for older kids. The dinosaur IMAX show comes out in September and I’m wondering if it would appeal to my kids, ages 2 and 5, or if it’s more documentury-ish. Someone let me know if you see it.

Other than losing Presley once for about 2 panic filled minutes when she decided to go into a completely different area while I was helping Rylan get his fire costume off, the trip was a success! And I even found my way back home with no incident. Although driving through that bad side of town to get to the highway was a big disconcerting.

But we did it and I highly recommend it.

Read more about Stephanie’s wild and crazy adventures at www.mommish.com.

Whole Lotta Bang for My Buck

I. Love. A. Bargain.

The only thing I love more than a bargain is feeling like I’m being treated like a VIP.

So, naturally, when I went to a children’s museum during my recent trip to Fort Myers, Florida, I was interested in their family membership. $75 got me a one-year membership for two adults and four children. This gave me unlimited admission to the Imaginarium in Fort Myers, Florida. It didn’t really matter that I wasn’t coming back to Florida any time soon. Because….

The membership is good at over 300 museums nationwide! HELLO BARGAIN!!!

I came to St. Louis after Florida – BOOM! It was good at the St. Louis Science Center for free parking and free admission to all paid exhibits. Saved me $27.

It was good at a children’s museum in Northern IL where my In-Laws live.

And, HERE IN TEXAS, it is good at museums in Fort Worth, McKinney, Fair Park – Dallas, as well as Corsicana, Tyler, Austin, Amarillo, Houston, Kileen, Fort Davis, Lubbock, and San Antonio.

Did I mention that it was only $75? For my whole family? FOR A WHOLE YEAR?

Now I have no excuse to go out and get myself all cultured-like, y’all.

*NOTE: There is some type of rule about not being able to use your passport membership at Museums within a 90-mile radius of your home address. HOWEVER at the two museums I visited, neither one asked me for a home address so I can’t say what the deal is for sure. But if nothing else it would be good to ask. And if you’re planning any type of trip it would definitely be a good value. To see a list of the museums that participate in the program, click on the link below.
http://www.fieldmuseum.org/Membership/pdf/astc_travelpassport.pdf