This post is in partnership with the Betty Brinn Children’s Museum and was originally posted on 5/30/17.
This past Sunday, we hit our 14th state this year by visiting the Betty Brinn Children’s Museum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Milwaukee has been on my Bucket List for quite some time.
Location
After a four hour drive through the Midwest, we reached the Betty Brinn Children’s Museum located downtown at 929 E Wisconsin Ave. in Milwaukee, WI. The downtown area is so beautiful with so many neat buildings to see.
Admission
Admission for both adults and children is $8. However, there are a few exceptions. Senior citizens are $7 and infants under one are free.
It is important to know that children must remain with their parents throughout the museum.
Did you know admission is free on the third Thursday of every month from 5 – 8 PM. during Neighborhood Night?
Upon Arrival
Once we parked and entered the museum, we headed up the ABC and 123 stairs to pay and receive our wristbands. But, before we could even get started, the boys were whaling about needing snacks after such a long car ride.
Luckily, the museum sold a variety of affordable snacks in the Gift Shop. All of the snacks were only $1.25 each. This alone made me happy because I have been to other museums where snacks were so unreasonably priced.
After finishing their snacks downstairs in the Picnic Place, the journey began.
Exhibits
While there are three floors to the Betty Brinn Children’s Museum, most of the action takes place on the second floor. While there were several exhibits to spend time at, the boys spent the most time at Word Headquarters, The Adventures of MR. POTATO HEAD, Home Town, and Kohl’s Healthy Kids: It’s Your Move.
But, I will tell you this.
They were all my favorite and it was hard to not spend the entire afternoon there.
The Adventures of MR. POTATO HEAD
The Adventures of MR. POTATO HEAD exhibit is the museum’s Summer 2017 traveling exhibit which is perfect for the little ones and includes several activities to explore such as King Tato and Spud Safari.
However, the boys spent a considerable amount of time building their own MR. POTATO HEADS since it’s not something that they have had the chance to do in quite some time.
Word Headquarters
After moving past the Adventures of MR. POTATO HEAD, we spent time in Word Headquarters playing Scrabble and quizzing my little one on telling time. In between the boys transitioning from one activity to the next, I spent time reading the Parent Tips displayed throughout the exhibit.
As a parent, I greatly appreciated the Parent Tips because they give you something to do and discuss with your children throughout the exhibits to enhance their educational learning experience while there.
Kohl’s Healthy Kids: It’s Your Move
After working through Word Headquarters and the boys taking a “Staff Break” in the Headquarters, we made our way to Kohl’s Healthy Kids: It’s Your Move where the boys had to put their knowledge to the test with a bike safety challenge in the Safety and Injury Prevention area.
Along with the bike safety challenge, they got a kick out of dancing in sync with music, maneuvering across the Pit O’ Germs, and learning more about proper nutrition with the MyPlate bean-bag toss.
Home Town
After exploring the museum a bit more, we ended up spending our last hour in Home Town. Home Town is a child-size community complete with pretend cash registers and ATM’s, ringing telephones, and working computers.
The boys moved throughout the community working as a car mechanic, driving the city bus, working as realtors and bankers, and taking virtual Harley Davidson motorcycle rides, all while learning more about STEM.
And, you know how important STEM education is to me, right?
STEM Education
STEM (and STEAM) is the current wave of the future. Our STEM learners today are our leaders tomorrow. Children with a background in STEM (and STEAM) education will be better prepared to face the challenges that lie ahead in the complex world, as opposed to those with little to no background in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math.
So, what are you waiting for?
Go ahead and plan your visit to the Betty Brinn Children’s Museum today! Don’t forget to check out the other exhibits such as Bugs on the Balcony, the Gift Shop, and the Calendar of Events.
