What You Don’t Know About The LI Children’s Museum

Many of us have heard about it, some of us have visited it, and others don’t know a thing about it.  Here are the top 5 things you didn’t (but should!) know about the Long Island Children’s Museum.

1. There’s a reason kids love the place.  Not only is it a hands-on museum where kids can learn, play, and have fun while participating in hands-on activities, but the topics they cover are definitely interesting to kids.  Take for example the “Grossology” exhibit, running now until September 4.  With 17 interactive learning stations, kids can learn the whys and hows of the human body.  Why does your nose run?  Why do we smell stinky?  How does our body make oozy and stinky things that people thing are gross?  If you are still reading this, then your stomach is strong enough to visit the exhibit and find out the answers.

2. More interested in the arts side of things?  The LICM has a theater aspect, with a calendar of events ranging from topics like story time, the circus, pottery, juggling, healthy living, painting, and more.  Click here to see the complete calendar and descriptions.

3. Not all of the learning takes place inside the museum.  The “Our Backyard” outdoor exhibit encourages children to use their senses to discover the outside world.  Visitors observe and study plants, weather, animals, soil, and other natural features in an environment that inspires creativity, questioning, and a great time.

4. There is no child to young or old to visit the museum and find something to love.  There are main stations for every age group: Tot Spot, Communication Station, Music, Changes and Challenges, Bricks and Sticks, Pattern Studio, Bubbles, It’s Alive, Sandy Island, Tool Box, and Our Backyard.  Whether your child is 4 months old or 4 years old, the activities become increasingly more complex so that they are always engaged and challenged.  For example, in Bricks and Sticks, toddlers can point to different shapes and play with blocks, while a child over 5 can use computers to create 3-D images and then try to re-create them with real blocks.  At the It’s Alive station, babies can explore tunnels, toddlers can recognize living things, and kids over 7 years old can see what it is like to be blind or take the human body challenge to test their knowledge.

5. If you can’t get to the museum, they can come to you!  Their Museum on the Go Outreach Programs offer 10 interactive learning experiences for kids from kindergarten through 6th grade.  Some topics include Chinese Calligraphy, Bug Study, Spirit of Invention, Early American Folklore, and an Imaginary Fishing Trip.  Look here for more info.

The LI Children’s Museum is located at 11 Davis Avenue in Garden City.  They are open Tuesday through Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm.  General admission is $10, over 65 is $9, and children under 1 are FREE!  Contact the museum at 516-224-5800 for group rates.

Visit their website for more info and let us know what you think after your visit!