Day at the Museum.

I truly cannot say enough good things about the new and improved Minnesota Children's Museum. From top to bottom, it's stellar.

And want to know what I REALLY think when I am there.

How much I love that my kids are not getting scolded by anyone or getting dirty looks from strangers.

Seriously, I think we can all agree that kids are, in general, loud, energetic and yes, a little messy. Even the most well behaved kids get a bad rap from some people because, well, they are kids. They are already pre-judged simply because of their age. I've seen it happen first-hand time and time again.

I'll walk into Target with my cart loaded with 5 children and I see the eyes rolling the moment I walk through those motion-sensored doors. They hold their breath and wait for the ball to drop, the screams to ensue and the tantrums to be had. And even if its a relatively bumpless trip, there is still some old fart who just assumes the worst of my kids. 

My kids have been doing utterly nothing wrong at times. Times when I was even quite freakin' impressed with their obedient and calm behavior while out and about and SOMEONE finds something to complain about. Or something to nit pick about my kids. Like dang, lay off lady. They are MY kids, I got this. 

I'm totally going off on a rampage now. Let me get back to the point.

At the Minnesota Children's Museum, my kids CAN BE KIDS. They can play and explore and adventure and everything is within the limits and bounds of what they can do. It is an open playgroud, science experiment, learning experience, imagination land where they can run and jump and be kids. Without any repurcusions or scolding. They have this wild freedom that is pure and exciting. The staff there are extraordinary and you can see in the making of this museum how much care and consideration they put into making a place that let's a child's mind and legs roam free. 

One of my kids favorite spots (really the ENTIRE museum is their favorite) but they especially enjoy the Tip Top Terrace. On the most beautiful of days, they run out to the rooftop deck and explore their surroundings with the most intense of joy. 

With my 5 kids ranging from age 20 months to 8 years, it is a place where they all find something to play with. And play they do. Exploring with wild imagination. 

And the really cool thing for parents is, that once you walk through those doors, you can stand right there and see everything going on around you and your kids cannot escape that place until you open those doors. Kind of a nice perk for any mom, but really if you have more than 1 little you have to keep your eyes on.

Something about that fresh air and the clear blue skies. The textures and sights to see. It's beautiful up there.

The plants surrounding the areas make this organic space so welcoming and feeling like a piece of home. The especially love climbing all the sculpture pieces out there and exploring the different structures along the fenced wall.

There are so many wonderful portions to experience in the museum and I encourage you to check out them all! You don't want to miss anything!

Watch your kids PLAY. Get lost in simple and extraordinary play time. No scolding, no rolling of eyes. Just pure childhood joy. With the most perfect of boundaries and limits that allow their brains to learn and grow through imaginative play and problem solving, with the safe confines of structured settings. It's one of the most loveliest places, set here in a precious piece of the Twin Cities. 

Allow your kid to be a KID at MCM. The learn so much about confidence and finding genuine happiness. In that beautiful Tip Top Terrace, they find bliss in the skyline and experience glee with the fresh air and cool winds blowing by. The also learn control and how to be mindful in each moments they explore something new. Creative thinking is abounding as they see new and different possibilities set before them and search how objects can be used. It's all in all, a wonderful place to be a kid.