One of the coolest things about living in Westchester County is our proximity to some of the greatest attractions in the world in neighboring NYC. While world-renowned museums, sporting events, and shows are just a hop, skip, and jump away, we have some pretty incredible resources right here in our backyards. Westchester Children’s Museum falls in that category. If you haven’t checked out this gem in Rye, do yourself a favor and hurry over there.
My husband and I took our boys, 2 and 3, to the Westchester Children’s Museum last week, and they had an absolute blast. As soon as we walked through the doors, the boys took off running.
We first set out to build the longest, fastest, loopiest roller coaster we could. The boys had fun figuring out which pieces fit together, and it didn’t take long before three explained to 2 why a certain piece wouldn’t work in that spot (and my teacher heart did a little happy dance from years of telling students to explain “why”).
While most libraries ask for quiet, this library area is equipped with a huge triangle mirror/bookshelf and all the tools for building an epic reading fort. We dove right in (literally) and made ourselves a big, comfy spot to read a few stories. The boys were excited that the museum had the same story at home (hello, Danny the Dinosaur. Good to see you for the 100th time this week!). Also in the library area is a cool art exhibit by Adam Handler.
The Toddler Beach is a cool, gated-in, soft, and safe place for the smaller guests to get out some energy. Kids three and under are welcome in the space, and they can jump, crawl, run, and climb away from the older, bigger kids. 2 and 3 were happy to be able to run and climb while we were there. The Toddler Beach is connected to Keva construction zone, where three and his dad spent more than 20 minutes building a castle, while two and I checked out the music and art.
In the art area, we made a ghost coffee filter puppet, colored, and experimented with different paper types. We loved the water xylophone, and the boys even asked if we could make one at home. All that playing made us hungry, and while the Museum doesn’t offer food, they allow you to bring in your own and eat in a small room off of the main play area.
We were impressed by the number of activities for the kids to do (since the museum is only partially finished), the quality of the exhibits, and the friendly, knowledgeable staff. From the minute we walked in the door until it was time to leave, all of the staff members were quietly engaged with kids around the museum, providing information and other ways to enjoy the offerings.
My family had a great morning at the museum. Although my kids are on the younger side, the museum can easily entertain toddlers-middle schoolers (and their parents, too). Admission is only $7 a person, which is significantly less than many of the other places around Westchester that offer indoor entertainment (I mean, you can’t even bring the kids for a Happy Meal in the McDonald’s play place for less than $7).
Looking for a time to check out Westchester Children’s Museum?
How about this Saturday, October 22nd? They’re holding their Explore-a-Thon event from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., and you and your kids will have the opportunity to play, discover, and explore! The day’s schedule is full of fun and unique experiences! For more information on the Explore-a-Thon, click here.
The Museum is open Wednesday-Sunday, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Mondays and Tuesdays are reserved for groups and private tours. For more information, click here.
