Paso Children's Museum

Joseph and I met Nicole and the kids at the City Park yesterday for a morning of fun at the Paso Children's Museum. After a half hour or so of playing on the playground, we walked over just as the museum opened at 11:00.

We started off at the Giant Oak and then moved over to the Farm. Joseph, Sal and Sophia had a great time playing with the horses, putting eggs down the chute and looking out the barn windows. After that we headed to the Grape Stomp. They jumped and dove and threw balls. Following that, they caught sight of the fire engine. (How could they miss it?) The put on fire hats and coats and climbed on board. After about an hour of play, we headed upstairs to the store and pizza kitchen. The kids shopped, operated the cash register and then baked pizzas. Seriously cute.

After they tired of that, we headed in to the ball area. Oh. My. God. They went crazy. The whole area was lined with pneumatic tubes. The balls zipped along until they were finally deposited in a big bin overhead. When the bin filled, it opened, dropping balls down on the screaming, jumping kids. We easily spent a half hour in there. Every time the light started flashing, signifying the eminent ball drop, the kids would run under the bin, laughing like loons. (If loons laughed.) We ended with a brief sit at the coloring table - after the ball area, we needed some down time.

Two mini-complaints: First of all, it seemed a bit ridiculous that parents had to pay to get in. I understand that the fees go towards maintaining the museum, but at $8 a parent and $7 a kid, it could get expensive real fast. The other mini-complaint is that they don't have a dining area - either inside or out. By the time we left, the kiddos were getting hungry. It would have been nice to be able to serve them a snack and then let them play again. Instead they had a park bench picnic a block from the museum.

Overall, it was a great way to spend the morning and early afternoon. I can't wait to take J back. We didn't even get to the dress-up area and stage or the puppet show area. I loved that besides the three cousins, there were only about a dozen other kids playing there. It made it seem like their own personal playground. Very cool.