Fall 2012 Visit to the Phoenix Children’s Museum

On the last day of break, I was lucky enough to snag a culture pass to the Children’s Museum in downtown Phoenix for the kids.  I love this place, it’s all about play.  My friend Christina has a pass there too so I talked her into going with us. ;)

The kids were really cute about the little “road way” area.  I loved it when Christian was carting the girls around with him.

However, I wasn’t too sure about when Christian got James to give him a lift.

Here’s little Maren.  She turned so blonde this last while I hardly recognized her.

They added a new room since last I was there (which was almost three years ago). The fort room.  It’s full of sheets, blankets, cushions and framed structures to build forts in.  I really think they ought to add some board books and/or kid safe lanterns to make it more of a “sanctuary” feeling.  The kids had fun in here for a minute but I think it would be much cooler if it could be a place the kids could relax in.

On to the Art room.

They always have some kind of structure for the kids to paint in the art room along with various other projects.  It just gets layer after layer of paint on it until it looks like a blob of meltingness.  Last time was a castle.  This time it was a space ship.  Vivian was very into this painting until she realized that it would take forever to finish.  James was interested for a bit along with Maren.  Christian was more interested in the Halloween-themed crafts to make.

Here are the boys making spiders together.  Aren’t they handsome?

Vivian was very psyched by the glittery play-dough they had there….I wasn’t so much…seeing that it was black they had nasty fingernails for a while.

 

Here’s beautiful Christina waiting for the art room to close.

Next was the grocery store.  Vivian was happy to fill her cart with produce.

…And weigh beans.

Here’s Christian shopping (which is something he actually hates to do in real life).

The next room over is my most favorite—the Pizza Kitchen!  Don’t you love the oven and the awesome pizza paddles?

James and Vivian played pretty well together….

I LOVED it when Vivian found this apron on the hook and insisted on wearing it.  It matched her outfit perfectly.

Christian was precious in the hall serving ice cream from the kiosk that they had there.

It took much persuasion to get the girls away from painting the rocks with water.  Vivian is a stubborn little thing and wanted her rock to be completely the same color—the only problem being it was drying too fast!

Isn’t that the face of an angel?

Christina really must have a hankering for ice cream this pregnancy!

I loved it that she kept accepting more and more!

Lastly, the kids played in the little pretend car area.  They were not happy that it was closing time so soon (I was not happy that the light was TERRIBLE).

We had such an awesome time at the Children’s Museum, I’m almost tempted to get a membership except that it’s so far away and that the kids NEVER want to leave.

After it closed, we went to Christina’s house for a little visit and then home.  I was really hoping the kids would conk out in the car and give me a peaceful drive home but no such luck.  The cutest thing was that as we were driving home Vivian was watching the sky turn pink and purple and she was so incredibly excited about it.   When we got home there was an American Girl catalog there waiting in the mail for me.  Vivian saw it and was engrossed.  I absolutely love this photo of her gazing at it.

That when I put her to bed that night I asked her what the best thing about the day was and her response was “That the sky was hot pink and purple. My favorite colors”.   After such a full day, it’s interesting to me that her most favorite thing was something that no one but God could create for her.