Beat the heat this summer and do fun things INSIDE in the A/C! (My favorite modern technology.)
Here are the places I mentioned:
Click to watch the video here.
Science & Engineering is Fun!
Yesterday we went to a lecture given by Grant Imahara, one of the “Mythbusters” from the Discovery Channel show of the same name. We have been big fans of this show for a long time, so this was truly a fun celebrity sighting for us. Grant’s talk explained some of the experiments and myths they had done on the show and Theo was very intrigued. After we came home, he wanted to watch some episodes and has been watching them on Netflix in true binge fashion ever since.
Grant spoke about how his background in electrical engineering enabled him to do cool things like build experiments for the show and build robots and other machines for movies. This blog isn’t really about product placement or specific recommendations, but these are a few relevant toys that Theo enjoys that I thought I would mention.
The set we have comes with different parts that when literally snapped together, create conduits for electricity that make “machines” (an alarm, a flashlight, a fan, etc). Some of the machines are still way over Theo’s head but the general theory of how different pieces relate to each other is cool.
This toy got a fair amount of attention when it was a Kickstarter project started by a woman engineer who wanted to create a toy for girls to encourage them to explore science and engineering concepts. I was really interested and bought Theo a set (gender equality goes both ways). It comes with a storybook with characters which you follow to put together their “spinning machine” and is fun to read as you build.
These are a set of alphabet and number blocks that all turn into robots. Yes, it’s that simple and they are awesome! Good for little fingers to manipulate and figure out how to switch them back and forth and they are really cute. Each letter and number has a unique design and look.
Let’s go to the Movies!
One of my favorite things to do by myself is go to the movies. I love sitting in the theatre alone and taking in the film without any other distractions. However, I’ve found that taking Theo to kids movies is a delightful activity in itself. I admit that I probably wouldn’t see many of the movies I’ve taken him to, thus inadvertently exposing myself to fun movies that I wouldn’t otherwise see. And that, in general, is one of the best things about having kids!
Tips for a successful movie outing with kids:
— Matinee (cheaper tickets, better timing during the day)
— Dollar Theatre (cheaper tickets, less investment if you have to bail [see below])
— Low expectations (if the movie is “boring” or “too scary” [both things Theo has said in the past], be ready to leave in the middle of the movie and not get upset)
— Evaluate whether the 3D or 2D version is going to suit your needs (will your kid be able to keep the glasses on?)
— Be prepared to have your kid beg for popcorn and candy. I always give in, because at this point I’m still trying to make the whole outing a fun experience.
One of our most successful movie outings (pictured above) was during a weekday when Theo had a half day of school, so we could go to a matinee showing of Monsters, Inc. in 3D at the dollar theatre. It was a perfect storm of everything working and we had a great time.
I recently learned about a cool summer program that the Megaplex Theatres are doing, where kids can watch 10 movies at a discounted price throughout the summer (one a week). All of the movies are obviously appropriate for kids (G or PG rated). I love this idea because the movie experience is already geared towards kids and you won’t have to worry about whether your kid is squirmy or noisy among a friendly crowd of understanding kids and parents. See you at the movies!
May on TV – Nature!
Had a great time going on KSL today to talk about a few nature-oriented activities to do now that the weather is warming up. The posts referenced are:
Click to watch the video here.
Everything is Awesome at the Lego Show
We went to the “Brick Slopes – A Lego Fan Event” show at the South Towne Expo center last weekend and had a glimpse of what Legoland must be like (on a much smaller scale). It was still really interesting to see the big displays that people put together, and notice the details and workmanship put into them.
I discovered that there is big overlap between Lego fans and fans of “ComicCon-esque” franchises like Star Wars, superheroes, and other sci-fi books/movies. I don’t know many of them so it was a little lost on me, but there were still plenty of other more relatable displays that I could enjoy. My favorite was the Clue board game in 3D with each room decorated like a dollhouse.
Theo thought it was cool to recognize the different displays and familiar references; he noticed with alarming immediacy the McDonald’s-themed display with a Happy Meal. They also had a large pit filled with thousands of loose Lego bricks and invited people to wade in and start building. Imagine a huge ball pit but made out of small, sharp plastic pieces. We declined this part of the event but had a nice time at the Lego show overall (I was hoping for a life-size WyldStyle display to stand next to… maybe next year!).
Red Butte Gardens’ "Garden Adventures"
We can’t pass up an activity that’s actually called an “Adventure!” We’ve been members of Red Butte Gardens for years and were excited when Theo turned 4 last year so he could participate in their children’s education program, Garden Adventures. They hold classes once or twice a month on Saturday mornings (10-11:30) in the Sprout House in the children’s garden area. The themes vary and focus on different aspects of the garden that are fun and kid appropriate.
The class we went to this weekend was on “Trees.” They had story time and read the book “A Tree is Nice” and then had a little lesson on tree branches and the different parts of them (buds, nodes, etc). They had a combination snack/art project in which the kids decorated pictures of trees with popcorn “blossoms” and caramel “branches.”
The day ended with some active games (normally they go outside into the garden but since it was rainy we stayed inside). The kids all got to take home a seedling of a tulip tree to plant at home and received some instruction as to how to find a good spot.
Of course, the Gardens are beautiful and are a nice place to visit even without a reason, but the classes are a fun way to get the family to Red Butte Gardens and learn something new.
The Great Salt Lake Nature Center
If you haven’t been able to tell from my previous blog posts, I tend to prefer going on adventures that are of the indoor/climate-controlled kind. So when I kept hearing about this “Nature Center” that everyone was talking about, I was a bit hesitant, but figured I could check it out for the purpose of research for the blog. You’re welcome!
We went to the Great Salt Lake Nature Center on a day when there were barely any other visitors so we had the place to ourselves. The overall atmosphere was very tranquil. The Center is pretty much just a couple of indoor exploration rooms:
We didn’t see any staff the whole time we were there, so could’ve probably learned and gotten more out of the experience if it was guided. The larger part of the Center consists of paved trails into the Farmington Bay area of the Great Salt Lake.
Theo has this great pop-up book of bird landscapes including different bird calls. Standing in the middle of the trails, you could hear so many different kinds of birds calling out. It was like a real-life version of the book. (Yes, I know this is a ridiculous statement, but the closest thing I could relate to.)
The Pros of this activity are:
- Large, easily navigable trails
- Experiencing the native Utah landscape (we saw a snake)
- Ability to hear and connect with nature
I’ll try not to focus on the Cons of this activity, but will summarize with just one word: GNATS.
Theo had a fun time and enjoyed walking along the trails and looking out over the water. And I will admit that even though I didn’t have high expectations for this activity, I did have some moments to myself that were meditative and very peaceful.
Jupiter Bowl
When you think of a “bowling alley,” what do you typically imagine? In all of my past experiences, it was always in a dingy, seedy, retro-in-a-not-cool-way location. All of these perceptions were blown away when we first went to Jupiter Bowl in Park City a few years ago. Not only was it a gorgeous, clean space, it was also a perfect outing for families with young kids. Amazing!
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| Theo, 3 years old |
The key to involving young kids in bowling lies in the available accommodations:
1) Old-school gutter bumpers (they are controlled by the main desk, so just notify the staff which people in your party need them)
2) Bowling ball ramp (see above)
This guarantees that even a toddler can enjoy “bowling” and not get frustrated by their lack of strength and coordination. Also, look how cute those tiny bowling shoes are!
On Sundays from 12-7pm they have a “Family Fun Day” package that includes 2 hours of bowling (& shoe rental) plus a pizza and pitcher of soda for $49.50 (up to 6 people). By the way, the food here is actually really good. The pizza is delicious and they have a full menu and bar. I’ve gone to events here for adults-only that were really fun too. This is one of those places that I wouldn’t necessarily think of as a great place for kids, but it really is a super fun time, for both kids and parents.
We Choo-Choo-Choose the Train Shoppe
We had an unexpectedly delightful afternoon at the Train Shoppe last weekend, and I couldn’t wait to write about it. I had always driven past the store in their previous location but had been warned by other well-meaning friends with young kids that it wasn’t a kid-friendly place to visit (they were very serious about their model trains). I am happy to say that their new location is a kid haven and they clearly realigned their priorities to make this a fun kid destination.
The front of the store is still reserved for the serious model train enthusiast — pieces and parts of so many different varieties it’s mind boggling. But you turn the corner into the back of the store and are entered into a Wild West-style olde towne (extra E’s, like in the word “Shoppe,” are appropriate).
The fake storefronts are entrances to private rooms where you can book a party, and in the middle is a huge multi-model train display. They also have smaller displays set up in another area that are themed, like the Hogwarts version above.
The train displays are cleverly rigged up with touch-screen control panels that allow the user to control the speed of the train, the clanging bells, and horn whistles for 2 minutes (for 25 cents).
The best part of the whole place is their model train ride. For $2 per passenger, you can sit in these train cars (grown-ups too!) while an engineer takes you on a tour of the Wild West. It only lasts a few minutes but it’s a nice little diversion with an interactive element (you shoot toy guns with lasers at targets along the way).
The entire store is indoors, which makes this a great activity idea for when you want to avoid the weather outside for whatever reason. Also, the people working there couldn’t be nicer and really are passionate about their love for trains. An absolute must for a train fanatic but still a really fun idea for anyone.
Adventures with Theo 