“Midwinter recess” arrives soon for NYC public schools so it’s time to break out your list of best February school break activities to keep the kids entertained.

Don’t panic – we’ve got your back on this one.

Start with our list of best family and kids’ winter activities in and around NYC. The skating rinks, indoor play spaces and the like listed here are proven winners … although we can’t guarantee that there will be snow for sledding that week.

Museums offering February school break activities

Make sure you check the event calendars of your favorite NYC museums and public venues. Many offer special February school break activities and programs, sometimes at little to no cost. Some of our favorites include:

• Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum – Three days of programming from NASA including full-scale models of the Mars Perseverance rover and Ingenuity helicopter. Mars scientists and engineers will offer demonstrations and exhibitions.
• Children’s Museum of Manhattan (that’s it in the top photo)
• New York Hall of Science (read about past great events we experienced there) – Expected to reopen in February. Check website before going.
• Brooklyn Children’s Museum – Hosting a Black Future Festival – a week of forward-looking fun that features dance performances, interactive storytelling, hands-on activities, and more! Also, you can book skating time on its new rooftop rink!
• NY Transit Museum

Looking for something a little different that kids and the kid in you will love? Try the Museum of Illusions on 77 8th Ave., for amazing and magical trip that will confide your senses.

Take in a show or movie

New York has a vibrant live theater scene for children as well as adults. So along with trying to score some discount Broadway show tickets, check out a few of favorite children’s theaters. Several offer extra weekday shows during the midwinter recess school break so you can make some memories:

• Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre – Wake Up, Daisy! tells the story of Daisy, a lively little girl living in the heart of New York City in an apartment overlooking Central Park. At Daisy’s much-anticipated birthday party, she encounters three special guestswho grant her the gifts of courage, knowledge, and a second chance. (Read about a past show we saw there)
• The New Victory Theater – Circus and science collide with Air Play. With knowing smiles and suitcases full of surprises, this comedic duo elicits gales of laughter as they transform ordinary objects into uncommon beauty.

If the play isn’t your thing, how about a movie? If there’s nothing at your local multiplex, The Museum of the Moving Image always has family friendly exhibits to check out and they also offer special family matinee screenings during school breaks.

Parks for all seasons

If you want to get your kids out in the fresh air (or at least physically or mentally active indoors), don’t overlook our great NYC parks programs while looking for the best in February school break activities. Visit the NYC Parks School Break page for midwinter recess listings on the many programs and events offered in every borough on your children’s days off. Most of these events are free!

Even more things to do

One of your best resources to find things for your kids to do, whether its midwinter recess / February school break or any ol’ weekend, is Time Out Kids: New York City. Browse the home page if you like for the latest and definitely click the “Things to Do” tab for update lists of things happening today through the new month.

Photos: Children’s Museum of Manhattan (top), NYGovParks.org (below)

EDITOR’S NOTE: Summer is already starting to wind down, but the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y., is open year round. Fall is a great time to visit as crowds are smaller, the weather cooler and the autumn scenery spectacular.

As a kid, I would spend hours on my bedroom floor organizing my baseball cards. It was quite the process.

My favorite players went into one folder. A second folder was for good players that weren’t necessarily my favorite. A third folder was for Hall of Famers. Players that didn’t make the cut went through another organization process, being sorted into teams inside of a box. I looked through my folders daily and reread the stats on the back of the cards.

Besides collecting cards, some of my favorite memories as a kid took place on the diamond. I fondly remember hot Oklahoma summer days getting sunburned while playing Little League. Baseball brought me and my friends together as we yelled, “Hey batter, batter, batter,” and other chants while trying to get a win. We argued about our favorite players and favorite teams, and rode our bikes all over town, buying cards from a variety of stores.

I knew early on I would not get a Hall of Fame plaque with my name on it, but I always dreamed of visiting Cooperstown’s Baseball Hall of Fame. Unfortunately, it took me a very long time to walk the aisles that showcased baseball’s elite.

I drove the four hours from New York City to Cooperstown with three of my kids. We wanted to do more than visit the Baseball Hall of Fame, so we spent three nights and four days exploring the town. After a hike in the nearby woods and a trip to the Farmer’s Museum, we entered the Hall of Fame to pick up our tickets.

On entering, my kids received a scavenger hunt sheet full of questions with answers found in the exhibits. My 16-year-old acted like he didn’t want to fill out a paper and volunteered to help his younger siblings, but if kids fill out the paper and turn them in at the end of their visit, they receive a packet of baseball cards. Since I wanted everyone to have their own pack, I filled out the questionnaire my oldest received. This sheet helped me by entertaining my kids so I could spend more time perusing the plethora of baseball memorabilia. As we toured the museum, it was obvious I wasn’t the only dad filling out a kid’s sheet.  Everywhere you looked, there was a dad holding a paper and pencil while their kids wandered around. Occasionally, I would greet other dads with a smile of acknowledgment.

Before I go on, I want to mention the friendly staff at the Baseball Hall of Fame. From the person greeting us at the entrance to those in the gift shop, everyone was kind and generous with their time. One employee, who we bumped into throughout the day, showed us exhibits and provided his knowledge on people, artifacts and games. And he was patient with my little ones while they badgered him with questions and comments. The Baseball Hall of Fame has the kindest employees out of any museum I have ever visited.

As I walked around the Hall of Fame, it took me back to being that kid on the floor of my bedroom who loved baseball. I relived staring at my TV during George Brett’s pine tar incident while looking at the bat that caused the controversy. Pete Rose’s shoes and bat brought me back to glorifying his playing style and being heartbroken by his gambling and banning from Major League Baseball. Cal Ripken Jr.’s helmet sat behind the glass, and I once again admired his commitment to baseball and the fans. We also walked through exhibits discussing baseball’s racist past, the Negro Leagues, and the great Jackie Robinson. Other exhibits honored Latin players and the women who played. With each stop, I talked to my kids about the players and the memories they stirred.

Walking through the Baseball Hall of Fame wasn’t only about exploring baseball’s history, but it was also about exploring mine. With baseball being a big part of my childhood, fond memories opened up again. What made it even more special was that I got to run through my memories with my kids by my side.

My oldest is 16 and all-too-soon will be caught in a rundown between taking his own path and the home he grew up in. In a way, it’s already started. Standing next to him while looking at memorabilia touched by baseball’s greatest players; I foresaw an older son standing with his kids in front of the glass and sharing moments of going to Mets’ games and, hopefully, fondly recalling playing catch with his old man. He pointed to a question on his brother’s sheet and helped him spell out the answer. My chest was full of pride of the young man he has become. This had nothing to do with the love of the game, but because of a love for who my kids are. That’s what the Baseball Hall of Fame provided me. To remember how far I’ve come and who I’ve brought with me.

Baseball stirred memories that reminded me time is fleeting and to spend it as wisely as possible. As a dad, I’m the team manager and it’s the 7th inning stretch. There isn’t a lot of game left, but plenty of time to make an impact. I’m reminded to have fun, play hard, and get the line-up ready to make the save. Visiting the Baseball Hall of Fame was a parenting win with lifetime statistics racked up with wins and losses. I cherish moments like our tour because it was one for the win column.

If you’ve been contemplating making the trip to Cooperstown with your kids, I suggest you put it on the calendar. It will bring up old memories and provide new ones.

Baseball Hall of Fame Tips

Tickets:
Tickets are timed. It’s recommended to buy your tickets ahead of time. You don’t want to show up and try and purchase your tickets the same day. It’s possible you will not be allowed to enter.

Kids under 6 are free.
Adults and Seniors are $25.
Juniors are $15.
Veterans receive a $7 discount with proof of service.

Hours:
The museum is open 7 days a week from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. between Memorial Day and Labor Day, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. the rest of the year.

Disclaimer: This Is Cooperstown sponsored Jason’s visit. The words and photos shared in this post are his own. A version of this post first appeared on One Good Dad. All photos by Jason Greene.

My 2-year-old daughter placed her head on my shoulder while I investigated every face in Picasso’s Le Moulin de la Galette.

I explained to her that this painting was an earlier work by Picasso, before he began to create his own unique style. We stood while I chatted away about Moulin being Picasso’s first painting in Paris and the epicurean body languages of the painted figures over to Kandinsky’s Composition 8. I bent down and pointed at the geometric war taking place while circles provide warmth and calmness. With a quiet voice, I spoke about the circles within the painting and how they bring attention to the other shapes while providing a sense of tranquility.

And then I asked her to count the circles.

Moving from one painting and sculpture inside the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum to the next, I quietly explained the art pieces the best I could. I am not an artist nor do I have a deep understanding of art, but I appreciate the craft and the pieces. There were times my daughter decided she had enough and walked away. And there were moments when it seemed like she would let me talk for hours. I held her hand, cradled her in my arms, or ran after in her to keep her from touching the artwork. At the end of our Guggenheim experience, we split a brownie and a croissant in the museum’s café.

Chances are, my daughter will not remember our day together. Sure, there is the possibility that a memory is stored and will appear at a particular time. However, I will always remember the first time I took my daughter to the Guggenheim.

Fatherhood isn’t a one-off experience where I do something fun and great occasionally and hope it carries my children through their life. It is one day built upon the next. Like Picasso’s artwork, my fatherhood style has evolved over the years. At first, I was a carbon copy of all the dads I studied in parenting books. As time moved along, I developed my own kind of parenting. And like Kandinsky, there are moments of chaos, but within the chaos, I try (TRY!) to provide peace and bring everyone together.

Ticket information:

• Adults: $25
• Students and Seniors (65+) $18.
• Under 12: Free
• Membership: $75 per year for individual or $160 for family
• To skip the line and purchase online, click here.
• On Saturdays between 5 and 8 p.m., tickets are “pay what you wish” donation based.

Hours:

• Monday-Wednesday, Friday, Sunday: 10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
• Thursday: Closed
• Saturday: 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.

Activities for Kids:

The Guggenheim offers regular programming for children, including art classes and art appreciation, as well as tours geared for young kids and family activities. For details, see its website’s For Families section.

I was alone at my museum.

Not exactly alone, but my family wasn’t physically with me at the moment. In fact, the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis was packed, as it should be, because it is an amazing place to take kids.

I had an opportunity to go see the dinosaurs by myself if I wanted. Or the Star Trek exhibit. Or whatever I wanted to do.

Instead, I found myself wandering. I stumbled into the Pop Culture exhibit and got lost in the comic books. That’s when I heard it.

“Daddy!”

I turned my head. It wasn’t my kid, but a flood of memories swept before my eyes.

I decided to walk the ramp to see the top of the Chihuly “Fireworks of Glass Tower and Ceiling” which has always grabbed my eye since the first day I visited. This is where I saw the memories of my family come to life.

There was a dad running a stroller up the ramp (no small feat) making car noises just like I used to do. I saw another dad carrying a kid who was nodding off to sleep. I saw a small family coordinating (negotiating) where to go next.

To be honest, I’m not sure if the process made me happy or sad. I actually sat down and just soaked it all in. Strollers, diaper bags, and naps are no longer a part of my repertoire.

And while being in a different stage offers its own challenges, it also offers some new and very cool discoveries.

Just like the museum, parenthood seems to be full of many levels. There are fun discoveries on each level. Challenges too.

Right before I left, a younger dad asked me to take a picture of his family. Probably their first time together at the museum. The kid in the stroller was crying when I took the photo. Even that made me smile because I had been there too. Neither parent seemed fazed or worried.

As I handed the camera back to him, I thanked him for letting me take it. It actually did make my day.

I feel pretty blessed to have a museum that grows with families. A playground for people to learn and develop all the skills. And an amazing ramp on which you can run a stroller.

A version of this first appeared on Tales from the Poop Deck. Child at staircase photo by Mikito Tateisi on Unsplash.

You’ve been cooped up with the kids long enough, mom and dad! Spring means it’s time to start venturing outside, in and around the NYC area, for fun ways to entertain and even educate your children.

We compiled a list of several of the best kids’ spring activities you can find in the boroughs (and few farther out) to help you exercise your child’s body and brain.

Best kids’ spring activities in NYC: Nature in bloom

New York Botanical Garden — Head to the Bronx to see the azalea gardens and hundreds of cherry trees coming into bloom. Don’t forget to check out the amazing annual indoor orchid show. The Everett Children’s Adventure Garden offers 12 acres of fun just for little ones. If you can’t make it to the Bronx, visit the city’s other beautiful botanical gardens. The ones in Brooklyn or Queens also have nature trails and special children’s programming.

Macy’s Annual Flower Show (click link for dates) — You don’t need to brave chilly weather or muddy paths to indulge in the beautiful blooms of spring in New York City. For two weeks every March/April, Macy’s Herald Square flagship store puts on an amazing indoor display of floral and plant life tied to together by a theme like fairy tales or space adventure. Best of all — it’s free.

Visit your local park — Every NYC borough offers a little slice of nature amid the concrete and steel jungle. In addition to greenery for play and chilling, New York City parks offer tons of programming for kids of every age. Go to the NYC Parks website, click the Kids tab and find some fun for the family.

Best kids’ spring activities in NYC: Animals (and more!)

Visit a zoo — Beat the summer crowds and heat at any of the four NYC zoos (Bronx, Central Park, Brooklyn’s Prospect Park and Queens) or the New York Aquarium by Coney Island in Brooklyn. Better yet see all of them or visit your favorite multiple times at a great discount by becoming a member of the Wildlife Conservation Society.

Queens County Farm Museum — If your wee one loves animals, but the zoo can be a bit overwhelming, head over to these historic 47 acres in Floral Park, Queens — home of NYC’s last remaining working farm. You can roam the grounds, visit the petting zoo and feed the chickens, pigs, geese, goats and other creatures anytime, but the weekends are when the fun really happens. The spring brings hayride season (for a nominal fee) and events such as an Apple Blossom Children’s Carnival, Sheep Shearing Festival, Easter egg hunt and a season farmer’s market.

Best kids’ spring activities in NYC: Outdoor thrills

Adventures at Governors Island — Governors Island is just one big playground to begin with: great biking, walking trails, playgrounds and amazing water/downtown views. But now it has Adventures. Literally get lost in the challenging Amazen’ Maze. Play 18 holes of mini-golf. Scale one of three 25-foot outdoor climbing walls. Zipline at 21 mph down a 300-foot long cable while taking in sensational views of the Statue of Liberty, New York Harbor and downtown Manhattan. Check website for age/weight restrictions and hours.

Bronx Zoo Treetop Adventures — Little Tarzans (age 7 and up) and their parents will love this climbing park, with aerial courses for all abilities, and a 400-foot-long zipline that crosses the Bronx River. Check website for age/weight restrictions and hours.

Fly a kite — The spring winds and less-crowded parks and beaches make this the perfect time to let children test their aviation skills. Kite flying is allowed anywhere in Central Park but open areas like the Great Lawn and North Meadow are obviously the best. Any of the beaches in the NYC boroughs are also great. Also consider Liberty State Park in New Jersey, just across from the Battery, for spectacular views of the harbor; the enormous Freshkills Park in Staten Island or Long Meadow in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park.

Best kids’ spring activities near NYC: Ice cream!

The Museum of Ice Cream — What kid, from 1 to 100, does love ice cream? This imaginative, multi-sensory experience features 13 installations across three floors in the heart of SoHo. You can slide down an epic three-story slide, take a celestial ride on a pink MOIC subway, dive into the largest Sprinkle Pool and, of course, sample its signature flavors and ice cream treats. Reserve tickets in advance, kids age 2 and under free.

Best kids’ spring activities near NYC: Indoor water parks

If the unpredictability of the spring weather makes you nervous, look into one of the many indoor water parks in our vicinity.

One of our faves is Great Wolf Lodge in Scotrun, Penn., (that’s the Poconos, folks) It’s about a 90-minute drive from Manhattan.

If you want to stay in state, maybe head to the Monticello in the Catskills for The Kartrite, also 90 minutes. Opened in March 2019, it’s New York’s largest indoor water park at two acres. It features 15 water slides and coasters, a wave pool, lazy river and indoor beach.

See our full list of area indoor water parks and helpful tips for other locations, ways to save money and have more fun.

+ + +

You can also check out our friends at New York Family magazine for updated lists of seasonal events and Mommy Poppins NYC for other great suggestions for things for families and children to do in and around NYC this spring.

Photos: Brooklyn Botanical Gardens, Governors Island

This is the third post in a four-part series on our ultimate go-to spot for an L.A. play date. Check out our first post on why these dads came to LA and our second post on kid-friendly places to eat. And come back next week for the next in the series on the author’s most “L.A.” parenting experience.

Where is your ultimate go-to spot for am L.A. play date (weekday or weekend)?

My go to spot for a play date is the Japanese Garden in Van Nuys. There is so much to see there, and yet you think you’re no longer in LA! There is also an adjacent park area to picnic and allow the children to play.

-JOËL LËOJ, L.A. Dads Group Co-Organizer; blogger @Joël Lëoj

So many places! We love everything that the City of LA has to offer from the Zoo to Griffith Observatory to any City park, public library, or pony rides in the park. The Central Library in Downtown LA is an incredible building with a huge children’s book section, story time, and lots of places to play. You can also go to the 100+ year-old Angel’s Flight and ride up and down on the world’s shortest rail and then get lunch at either Grand Central Market for a smorgasbord of food or Clifton’s Republic – a blast-from-the-past playground for kids (and adults – they have a bar, too!). Most of them have free parking but check open times first because I have definitely shown up too early or on days when they aren’t open.

– Eli Lipmen, LA Dads Group Blog Editor; Blogger @Badassparenting

My kids are older now (tween and teen, respectively), so play dates have been replaced with extracurricular activities and the occasional “hanging out.” That said, the overwhelming majority of play dates over the years were held at outdoor areas: parks, beaches, hiking trails, etc. In fact, those are still our go-to spots for family fun and fun with other families.

– Whit Honea, Author of The Parents’ Phrase Book; founder of @dads4change.

Soccer of course!

– Juan Pablo Delgado Gomez, LA Dad Group Co-Organizer

This is probably the most predictable answer, the beach! You have the most options: swimming/surfing, building sand castles and so much more!

– Trevor Mulligan, LA Dad Group Co-Organizer; Blogger @OneSAHD

Kids growing up in New York City have reminders of the Sept. 11, 2001, tragedy over every shoulder.

Every firehouse has names on the outside honoring lives lost on that day. Plaques across the city memorialize men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice, and those who went off to work, but never came home.

All these are reasons why I did not hesitate to bring my own children with me to visit the National September 11 Memorial and Museum in lower Manhattan.

We were feeling the heaviness of the 9/11 Memorial and Museum just while waiting outside. Upon entering, we were greeted by a smiling employee. She bent down and talked to my 6-year-old and engaged him in a short conversation. She then gave me the rundown of places I might want to avoid with the kids. We were handed a brochure on how to talk to kids about what happened that day.

And then, the 2-year-old bolted. She was done being quiet and wanted to run. She wanted to escape the museum and be free from constraints. Ditching my group, I ran after her. A not-so-happy security guard yelled at me and told me to keep her close. I informed him I was doing my best. He muttered something under his breath as we walked away.

Most of the 9/11 Memorial and Museum is intense but manageable with kids. We walked and talked throughout the museum, but stopped just shy of going into an area about those who jumped from the Twin Towers. I did not enter and not because I was with kids, but because I didn’t want to watch the footage and see the photos. I remember them from that day and are still etched in my memory.

The 9/11 Memorial and Museum is a place that will stay with you long after you leave. It is an important place and one that should be visited. There are many stories that might cause nightmares in the young, but there is hope found in the museum as well. Stories of people coming together. Stories of brave souls who prioritized other’s lives above their own.

My kids and I talked before, during and after visiting the museum. It is still an ongoing discussion. One that happens after each firehouse is passed and, on every Sept. 11 when the lights flow up to the heavens.

If you are planning on taking kids, stop by the kiosk for a brochure on how to talk to kids about what happened. You can also get information about having that discussion from the museum’s website.

Strollers are permitted in the museum, but it is easier in some areas to store the stroller and wear the child in a baby carrier.

I spent two hours at the museum but would have stayed longer if I was by myself. There are plenty of places to sit and I recommend bringing sketchbooks to help older kids experience the museum.

9/11 Memorial and Museum hours, tickets:

9/11 Memorial: Daily 7:30 a.m. — 9 p.m.

9/11 Museum: Sun.–Thu., 9 a.m. – 8 p.m. with last entry at 6 p.m.
Fri. and Sat., 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. with last entry at 7 p.m.

You can purchase tickets and get directions at the National September 11 Memorial and Museum website.

A version of this first appeared on One Good Dad. Photos: Jason Greene

School is out for the summer. Now, what to do with the kids these next two months that’s not going to break the bank?

New York City may be expensive to live in, but it also has many great places to visit with kids on the cheap. Throughout the five boroughs, you can find museums that offer visitors the opportunity to pay a suggested price or open the doors free to the public.

If you are New York City parent or just visiting with the kids from elsewhere, here’s a list of great places to take this kids this summer that won’t hurt your pocketbook.

Free places to visit

American Folk Art Museum

• 2 Lincoln Square, NY, NY

Bric Rotunda Gallery

• 647 Fulton St., Brooklyn, NY

Bronx Museum

• 1040 Grand Concourse, Bronx, New York

The Center for Book Arts

• 28 West 27th St, 3rd Flr, New York, NY

Kentler International Drawing Space

• 353 Van Brunt St, Brooklyn, NY

National Museum of the American Indian

• 1 Bowling Green, NY, NY
• My review

Queens County Farm Museum

• 73-50 Little Neck Parkway, Floral Park, New York

Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Garden

• There is a charge for the Newhouse Center and the Chinese Scholar’s Garden
• 1000 Richmond Terrace, Staten Island, NY

Taller Boricua

• 1680 Lexington Ave., New York, NY

Suggested donation places to visit

Alice Austin House:

• $5 Suggested Donation
• 2 Hylan Boulevard, Staten Island, NY

American Museum of Natural History

• Pay what you wish
• Central Park West & 79th St, New York, NY

Brooklyn Museum

• $16 suggested (adults)
• 200 Eastern Pkwy, Brooklyn, NY

King Manor

• $5 suggested
• 153 ST. and Jamaica Ave., Jamaica, NY

Lefferts Historic House

• $3 suggested
• 452 Flatbush, Ave., Brooklyn, NY

The Metropolitan Museum of Art/ The Cloisters

• Pay what you wish (NYC residents only)
• 99 Margaret Corbin Dr., New York, NY

MoMA PS1

• $10 Suggested (adults)
• 22-25 Jackson Ave, Long Island City, NY

El Museo del Barrio

• $9 suggested (adults)
• 1230 Fifth Avenue at 104th Street, New York, NY

Museum of the City of New York

• $18 Suggested
• 1220 Fifth Ave., New York, NY

Queens Museum of Art

• $8 suggested (adults)
• My review
• New York City Building, Queens, NY

The Sculpture Center

• $5 suggested
• 44-19 Purves St., Long Island City, NY

Staten Island Museum

• $8 Suggested (adults)
• 1000 Richmond Terrace, Building A, Staten Island, New York

More things to do with kids in NYC (some cheap, some not):

Visiting the 9/11 Memorial with Kids

Visiting the Guggenheim with my Toddler

National Geographic Encounter in Times Square Entertains and Teaches

Visiting Ripley’s Believe It Or Not: Times Square

Visiting the MoMA with Kids

A version of this first ran on One Good Dad.

For many of us, Angry Birds was the first game we played on an iPhone. It got us hooked. And subsequently, it got our kids hooked on gaming on iPhones and iPads.

Toys, movies and dozens of upgrades later, Angry Birds has become part of the fabric of our lives. That is why I was so excited to learned the New York Hall of Science was going to have an Angry Birds exhibit.

I was a little skeptical, though, but they had me at life-sized slingshots you could use to destroy structures and knock down pigs. No actual pigs were harmed in this exhibit, they are just large green vinyl pillows. We went early in the afternoon and the exhibit was not very full. Which was good.

The highlight of the exhibit is the slingshot area. You have to build a structure, place your “pigs” and then fire Angry Bird kickballs at them. You could hear squeals of delight and laughter as kids and grownups alike played. The staff keeps it safe by being very firm with the rules about when you could fire. Since there were very few people there, we were able to go back in line over and over. During busy times, there may be a wait.

But there is more. There are stations where you can play the classic version of the game. It is actually behind a beautiful display of the Angry Birds, with descriptions of the characters. There are stations where you can draw, compose music, design scenes on the computer and even make short animations.

One of my favorite parts is the interactive pulley display. There are three birds that say they weigh 25kg and you can try to pull them up by a rope. The secret is each of the pulleys attached to the birds makes it easier or harder to lift the bird. My son insisted that one of the birds was heavier. Then I explained the pulleys and he saw why one seemed much heavier than the others.

On weekends this exhibit will be really crowded (especially at first) but take the opportunity to see some of the other great exhibits. My personal favorite is Connected Worlds, which is basically a virtual waterfall room. It is beautiful and relaxing and simply amazing.

Whenever and wherever you are the New York Hall of Science, you should interact with the staff. They are all very enthusiastic, great with kids and love sharing their love of science. The staff that developed the Angry Birds Universe exhibit, are very clever as they snuck in a lot of science in the fun. Just don’t tell the kids they are learning.

The exhibit runs through August 27, and is free with museum admission. The New York Hall of Science is located at 47-01 111th St, Corona, NY 11368.

Last month my family slept under a Tesla Coil, and we lived to tell the tale!

Although I haven’t run my family through a Geiger counter recently, I’m pretty sure that there will be no radiation burns.

We spent the night at the annual Camp-In of one of the best museums in the country,  Chicago’s own  Museum of Science and Industry.  This was our first time doing so, and I don’t think it will be our last.

But first, a little backstory.  This is one of our favorite museums and had been even before we moved to Chicago.  Once a year, we’d make a pilgrimage from New York to Chicago to the MSI, to see the humongous train set of Chicago, the giant doll house, walk inside the coal mine, and take the tour of the giant submarine.

BEST MUSEUM IN THE COUNTRY

Even at some of the admittedly great museums we’ve been to, including the Queens Science Center, the Philadelphia Children’s Museum, the Franklin Institute, etc., MSI Chicago is the standard by which all others are judged.  We figured out that being a member is a great deal!  (If you plan on visiting the museum more than twice in a year, and you drive there, you will do better to be a member than not.  I did the math.)

But we’d never taken advantage of this special member opportunity. Once a year, the Museum stages a camp-in where 600 lucky people get the opportunity to spend the evening at the exhibits. Members get to select sleeping spots next to many of their favorite exhibits, there are smores and music and giant sized games, and more importantly, the museum is open until 11 pm, so you get to go to all of the exhibits you want, relatively uncrowded, and at your leisure.

This is apparently a thing for Chicago museums.  I did a little research and it turns out that same night, the Planetarium was having an event as well, and the Aquarium, the Zoo, the Field Museum, and the Chicago Cultural Center all have similar programs.) Furthermore, it turns out that the Museum has a similar event coming up called the Snoozeum.    I don’t think you have to be a member for this one, and it seems like it is much more crowded.  Next one is December 15.   Find out more here.)

After we made plans for the camp-in, my son’s class planned a field trip to the museum for the day before.  We were already planning on surprising him, so we kept it up.  He would never suspect.  During the field trip, as I brought him and his 4 classmates around, we couldn’t see everything he wanted to see.  “Next time we go, ” I kept telling him.  He didn’t realize the next time would be literally the next day.  Later that night, reviewing the field trip after dinner, I jokingly told him that the museum was so big that we could sleep there and still not see everything!  He laughed, not knowing that less than 24 hours later he’d be doing just that!

SLEEPING UNDER THE TESLA COIL

We checked in around 6 pm, brought our stuff over to a potential sleeping area, and started exploring the museum.  In addition to my son, we brought his older cousin, who also had a fantastic time.  Dinner was in the cafeteria, which serves surprisingly good food, and where one of our favorite exhibits is (The Rube Goldbergesque Swiss JollyBall Machine. )

This is not my video, but a pretty good look at the jollyball apparatus.  We watch this every time we go to the museum!

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6SLd0eQK9g]

Many of the exhibits you still needed to have timed tickets for, although they were all included in the price of admission.  In the one night that we were there, we saw The Mirror Maze, the U-505 submarine, the chicks, the bike exhibit, the extreme ice exhibit, the circus exhibit, the body exhibit, the kid’s imagination center, and ended our evening with a late night tour of the Coal Mine.   And of course Jollyball.  Even after seeing that, we didn’t see everything-  we didn’t go over to the space center, see the trains, the smart house, the fairy house, or see the brick by brick lego exhibit. (we had seen that the day before)  The Robot exhibit had not yet opened, sadly.  It’s open now, and it looks fabulous!

What was great about all of these is that because the museum was so uncrowded we could still see all of those things and take our time about it.  We normally only see about half of that in a museum exhibit.

Some things to know if you go next year.

1. You have to be a member to attend.
2. They don’t shut off lots of light for safety reasons.  Many people brought tents so that they wouldn’t be sleeping in the light.  We had picked one place, but the boys thought it was too light, so we moved to a place that was equally light.  Next time, don’t trust the boys!
3. Many people (clearly veterans) brought blow-up beds.  We slept on the ground in sleeping bags, which was not nearly as comfortable as we would have hoped.  Next time, a blow-up bed.
4. We brought everything in to the museum using a wagon.  The museum is almost entirely handicapped accessible, so that wasn’t too much of a problem.  I definitely recommend it, as the museum is large, and your stuff is probably heavy.

Overall, it was a great experience, and we would do it again!

And we are also planning to sleep around (at the other museums!)

Find out more about the Museum on their website http://www.msichicago.org

(Read more about this and Adam’s other adventures at www.dadapalooza.com.)