Minnesota Children's Museum Slide

Letting Loose at the Minnesota Children’s Museum

As an adult, we have been trained to follow directions. We were taught that in order for you to get the desired results, you must follow the directions, and then you’ll have the desired outcome. But what if that was all taken away, and we were left to figure out something for ourselves? What if we did things our own way? What could we create? The Minnesota Children’s Museum in St. Paul of has done just that! That’s why it’s the best kids’ museum in Minnesota.

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Best Kids Museum in Minnesota

Through a partnership with the Minnesota Children’s Museum, I was able to get a first look inside. The Museum has gone through a complete remodel inside that features 10 new exhibits. What drives all the exhibits is the Powerful Play concept. Powerful Play is a new way of looking at this as a parent. If focuses on three main concepts.

Captivating and Fun – Make sure your kids are having a good time

Activate & Challenging – Keep them moving and thinking

Self-Directed and Open-Ended – Kids are taking the lead and exploring

There is no wrong way to do things. Rarely did exhibits have directions next to it. You had to figure it out on your now. As a parent, this can be infuriating. I kept looking at different things and asking, “Ok, What am I supposed to be doing here?” That is exactly what they want you to do. Because there is no wrong way. They want you to pull on a lever to see what you can make things do.

Minnesota Children's Museum Water Wheel

Minnesota Children's Museum Face Painting

Minnesota Children’s Museum

My kids loved the powerful play concept. Both of my kid’s favorite exhibit was Our World. This was recycled from the before the remodel. They had a kid-friendly version of a fire truck and Metro Transit train to drive. They also have a miniature hardware store, farmers market and post office. My son has so much fun turning all the wheels to get the post office boxes where it needed to be on the conveyer belt. My daughter spent her time serving all the parents’ lunch from the pretend café.

I loved all the Super Awesome Adventures on the ground level. They had a green screen setup with different props. You could climb a wall and look like you were floating in space. Take a green sheet and make your body disappear. Have a friend hold up a sign and make a comic book cartoon appear over your head. You could even pretend to be walking on the moon. The possibilities are endless.

Ways To Play

They also have the Laser Room. They set this up as a game. The challenge was to see how fast you can break all the laser beams or you can play ninja mode and try and get through the room without touching them. Like a thief trying to steal the crown jewels or a superhero trying to rescue someone undetected. The play possibilities are endless. This is also where I secretly wished I would have left my kids at home so I could try this mode out myself. We had the kids try and break all the lasers. They had a blast.

Minnesota Children's Museum Laser Room
Minnesota Children's Museum Green Room

The only thing we could not do was the Scramble. It is at the center of the museum and reaches all 4 levels. It provides kids with the opportunity to climb a series of nets and other obstacles. On the second level, the kids can take a slide back down, or keep climbing. I heard from other moms that this slide goes fast. The kids are all smiles on the bottom. Everyone is welcome to play on the attraction, but you have to have socks. My son was in sandals so we could not do it.

Minnesota Children's Museum Car Wash
Minnesota Children's Museum Car Wash Floor

There is so much to see and do in the new Minnesota Children’s Museum; I will defiantly be head back. This time I will make sure all my kids have a pair of socks with me. I will also be taking the Powerful Play concept home with me. As hard as it is to not tell my kids how to do things, I’ll be letting them the thing on their own more. And maybe reading directions a little less!

All summer long, make sure to let your kids have their own Powerful Play Experiences. Use the hashtag #PlayMoreMN online when you share your photos. And don’t be afraid to let your kids figure out some of the things by themselves. It’s how they learn.

Location and Tickets

Minnesota Children’s Museum
10 West Seventh Street
St. Paul, MN 55102
651-225-6000

Hours:

Sunday – Thursday 9 a.m. – 5 p.m
Friday – Saturday 9 a.m. – 8 p.m

Children’s Museum Free Day

Tickets are normally $12.95 for ages 1-101. But the Third Sunday of the Month is always free thanks to Target. Make sure to get there early because it will be crazy there. But it still one of the best free museums in Saint Paul.

*Thanks to the Minnesota Children’s Museum for providing admission. 

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