Last weekend we packed up the kids and drove north to Wilmington, Delaware. It’s about an hour away from Chestertown, which is about as far as we have to drive to get anywhere. Our destination was the Delaware Children’s Museum and our objective was a full day of hard-hitting fun.
En route to fun, we took a short visit to Costco, which was also fun, but not necessarily hard-hitting. We got some frozen blueberries and a bag of large hemp hearts, among other bulk items. We smiled halfheartedly as we shopped, but all of us were saving our full-on enthusiasm for the main event.
The main event required our full attention. Once we got to the museum, we headed straight for the gym, where the kids braved the obstacle course. Pictured below is Alden’s BFF Mary Jane, who was, apparently, also interested in hard-hitting fun.
Next, the kids ventured into the enormous climbing structure that is the centerpiece of the museum’s entry hall. It’s a remarkable construction of plywood and cables, basically a giant orb that the kids can climb in and around to their hearts’ content.
While Alden and Mary Jane got lost in the funhouse, Kato learned the parts of the human body.
And my mom tested her endurance. Here’s a tip: never question my mother’s endurance. My mother is pure nails.
August, on the other hand, is all show. He sat in the rowing machine, to be sure. But did he row? He did not. He mugged for the camera. Which, one might argue, is entirely my fault. In which case, one would probably be right.
Robbi and the girls got funky in front of the green screen.
Before heading over to the musical climbing wall.
After which, Alden and MJ donned safety gear and built astonishing structures.
While August set up an intricate system of locks in the museum’s elaborate water feature.
Perhaps the favorite part of our day at the museum was the Hurricane Simulator. Robbi and I checked it out first, not wanting to be responsible for wind-based injury to Mary Jane. It would be difficult to explain to her parents if she ended up in Oz.
Once we were convinced of the non-lethal nature of the simulation, Robbi took the kids inside. And fun was had.
Apparently, it’s really fun to have one’s hair blown this way and that.
Really, really fun.
All in all, we succeeded in our mission. The kids all slept on the long drive home in a way that can only be described as profound.
If you’re in the area and are looking for a way to delight and tire your kids, I highly recommend the museum.
Alternately, you can go looking for an actual hurricane, but I cannot guarantee the results will be as satisfying.