Get her gears spinning (and the educational juices flowing!) at one of these hands-on exhibits this month.
Adventures with Diego and Dora at the Children’s Museum of Manhattan
Diego needs your help! Kids 2-6 years old take the reigns in this interactive animal rescue mission. They get to explore a cave, beach and a rainforest, study animal footprints and build a giant bear’s nest before heading over to Dora’s house for a fiesta, where they try their hand at cooking some Latin American dishes.
The Fantastic World of Dan Yaccarino at the Please Touch Museum
Your little Backyardigans fan will love this interactive exhibit that lets them step inside Dan Yarricino’s illustrative world. Your mini-me gets to star in her very own “live” cooking show from Henry and Elliebelly’s kitchen (from Cooking with Henry and Elliebelly!), tell a story beside a kid-friendly campfire with roasting marshmallows and even explore Alfred’s doghouse from Unlovable.
Franklin Mineral Museum Season Opening
Starting on March 4, this North Jersey museum opens its doors to geode- and rock-lovers alike. Tiny eyes can take a peek in the fossil room (filled with preserved fish, worms and even dinosaur eggs) or take in the bright colors in the fluorescent mineral room. There’s also a real-life mine that needs exploring so get your pick axes out.
Mythbusters: The Explosive Exhibition
Can you really pull a tablecloth off of a fully set table without disturbing a dish? And does walking through a rainstorm really keep you drier than running through it? The Mythbusters crew use scientific observation and experiments to get to the bottom of all your burning questions. Make sure you check out the backwards driving Porsche and airplane entirely made out of duct tape on your way in!
Powers of the President Exhibit at the Constitution Center
From Washington to Obama every US President has put their own stamp on the oval office, redefining the meaning of executive power. Pack up the kiddos and let them see what exactly the executive branch does under the Constitution and what past presidents have done to make America the country it is today.
Robot Revolution at the Franklin Institute
Get up close and personal with Baxter and PARO (just two of the 40 life-like robots here) and watch them take the field in a bots-only soccer game, help a robot named Rhex crawl along some tough terrain and take a front seat in a self-driving Google car. And make sure you get your tickets ASAP—the exhibit closes its doors in April.
Sea Turtle Sanctuary at the Turtle Back Zoo
This Essex County mainstay just got an adorable upgrade: a full-on sea turtle rehab center that nurses these little sea creatures back to health before releasing them into the wild. Look on as expert zoologists treat Kemp’s ridley turtles at this brand new state-of-the-art facility that’s the only one of its kind in NJ.
Science Fiction, Science Future at New York Hall of Science
If your kid’s reading 1984 or The War of the Worlds in school…and is absolutely fascinated by it, this exhibit is right up her alley. Let their imagination run wild in a hands-on installation of what happens when science fiction becomes reality—we’re talking holograms, robots and even augmented reality.
Weather or Not at the Children’s Museum of the Arts
Your soon-to-be weatherman will love learning all about what causes hurricanes, tornados and tsunamis. Kids get to read up on ancient texts about the weather, learn all about new weather apps and learn the basic principles of climate change.
Written in the Rocks at the Trenton State Museum
Get your shovels out and meet the Dryptosaurus (a cousin of T-rex!) that was found right in the Garden State in this awesome natural history exhibit that opened last summer. Your kids will love scoping out this gigantic dino that was found nearly complete at 25 feet and eight inches long.