How to Spend a Weekend with Kids in Green Bay: The Children's Museum

Now that my Yellowstone/Grand Teton travel series has come to an end, I thought I'd spend the next few weeks sharing a few staycations we had this past winter before I begin my spring travel series to Colonial Williamsburg.

Last February my son-in-law had to speak at a conference in Green Bay so he brought his whole family with him for a fun weekend with us.  Usually he travels alone, but the wife and kids miss him and since Green Bay in only four hours from us, it was a way he could work, and the kids can still see him in the morning/evening, and we could visit with the grandkids.   It was a win-win for everyone!

We had to find things to do in Green Bay in winter that our grand kids would enjoy, and wouldn't cost an arm and a leg, so we chose The Children's Museum of Green Bay and the Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary.  We also stayed in a hotel that had a great waterpark for small children.  That was truly the highlight of their weekend and they spent hours in the pool!

This week, I'm going to share all about the children's museum.  This is such a cute little museum, and my grandkids loved it.  

One of their favorite areas of the museum was "The Fire Station"!  Here they learned all about the importance of fire safety.  They could climb inside and on top of the fire truck, put on fire and police man uniforms, and slide down a fire pole!  

They loved trying on the uniforms!

Sliding down the fire pole was pretty exciting too!

At the "Backyard Experience" they got back to nature under a mighty oak tree.  Atticus loved the tree house and slide.

Alethea enjoyed the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Stand.

And Atticus learned all about Chicken Coops while Baby Lazarus (in the background) played inside a truck.

The learning objectives in the "Backyard Experience" is to:

1. To discover and count animals in a forest.
2. To learn about characteristics of an oak tree.
3. To understand animal habitats.
4. To generate an interest in nature.

Atticus spent a long time playing with the Tinker Toys in the "Under Construction" exhibit.

Even adults can learn a thing or two in a children's museum.  I was fascinated by this sign in the "Vet Clinic" that explained all the different feelings a cat's tail makes.

Grandpa and the kids spent a long time playing with this contraption.  Elisha is figuring out that if he places a ball in one hole, air pressure moves it through the tubes and pops it out another hole.

Lazarus enjoying a little lap time with Grandpa.  As usual, I'm not in any of the photos because I was the photographer. I usually try to make another family member take my photo so my grandkids know later in life, "Yes, grandmother was alive", but this day it was so hard because we had to keep our eyes on four kids all at the same time.  They were all running off in different directions instead of staying in one area together.

In the "Splash" exhibit the kids engaged in water play.  What did doesn't like playing with water?

This is a cool exhibit for a Green Bay children's museum, for the exhibit revolves around the Great Lakes.  They learn about water energy, and they can explore a lighthouse! 

The learning objectives in the "Splash" exhibit are:

1. To explore water flow, volume and cause and effect.
2. To discover the land around The Great Lakes.
3. To learn boating vocabulary.
4. To experience the importance of lighthouses.

But perhaps their favorite exhibit of all was the "Digestive System".  Boy, did they love this exhibit! The kids physically go through a body's digestive system to learn all about how the body digest food.  They begin by crawling through the mouth, then they come out the end by "pooping" in a toilet (aka a slide into a toilet bowl".  I know it sounds gross, but they loved it!  As they crawl through the digestive it makes all sorts of bodily noises like swallowing, gurgling, and yes, farting. 

At the "Imagination Station" Alethea painted a picture.  

The kids had so much fun at The Children's Museum of Green Bay.  I highly recommend it if you're ever in the area.

Before I do, I have to show you one more picture.  We went to a Mexican restaurant later that evening and they had these cute statues that the grandkids just adored.  I love this photo.  Atticus is always "posing".  He sure loves the camera and the camera loves him.  Elisha is just so busy giggling at big brother Atticus he doesn't even notice the camera, and Alethea is just smiling pretty for the camera.

 Next week I'll share our visit to the Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary.

Have A Great Day!  Amy

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