Painting a Studebaker with a small brush
Written: Aug 12 '00 (Updated Aug 12 '00)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: a whole lot of fun, lots of things to do
Cons: older kids might be bored
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| tesserae's Full Review: San Diego |
[disclaimer: this is a review of the San Diego Children's Museum. All information was true of the exhibits/schedule in August, 2000. I don't know how often (or if) the exhibits change, so your mileage may vary. Please call the museum to check for current information: (619) 233-KIDS]
The museum is housed in a warehouse in downtown San Diego. Parking is scarce and mostly metered (15 minutes per $0.25), and there is no air conditioning in the building. If you plan on going during the summer, take bottled water and snacks (there is an outside snack area).
There are several areas to the museum -- the first is the artist's studio.
The Artist's Studio
The artist's studio is wonderful.
They have assorted tables (picnic tables with detached benches) spread out around a room, and each table has a different craft. There is a watercolour table, a cut and paste fabric/paper doll table, a rubbing table (where you rub a pencil over an object through the paper), a marker table, a sun visor table, and a mouse puppet making table.
There are several rows of stand-up easels (more like one big long one) with paper attached to clips and individual buckets of crayons.
There is a bubble section, which has a big stand filled with bubbles and wands of all sizes and shapes.
There is a (I'm not kidding, really I'm not) life size studebaker parked near the snack area and it is available for painting. Several buckets of paint (one colour per day) and lots of brushes are in assorted strategic areas around the car and inspiring children can paint to their heart's content. (When I first saw this, I couldn't help supressing a giggle. My inner child came out to play, too!)
There are a plentiful supply of smocks (for kids and grownups) and clean-up is easy with a long row of sinks, some step stools and soap. Still, if your child is as enamoured with paint and the studebaker as mine is, you might all want to wear paint-worthy shoes. It's water-based paint, but the splatters are sometimes easy to miss.
The Bathrooms
As a mother, bathrooms are very important to me. I want them to be easily accessible and clean. Thankfully, the bathrooms at the San Diego Children's Museum were both. There are signs everywhere requesting that little painted/glued hands are to be washed in the craft sinks, and it appeared as though most of the patrons had followed the instructions. There was toilet paper and seat protectors in every stall (yes I looked) and a very comfortable looking, overstuffed chair sat in a private area for nursing mothers.
The Stage
This was my daughter's favourite part of the museum.
It was an "impromptu stage" with real green curtains that open and close, an oversized red velvet throne and boxes of costumes. There are bleachers for proud parents to sit in and clap, and a backstage area for whispered encouragement.
The Hat (for the Cat)
Right next to the stage was a very large replica of the Hat from the Dr. Seuss Cat in the Hat book. It was big enough for parents -and- children, and around the edges near the bottom were many wonderful quotes on the importance of hats.
The Slide
This is a huge slide that spans from one end of the museum to the other. Technically it isn't a slide, but rather a very long canvas tunnel set over heaps of multi-coloured rollers. My husband went down with my daughter and he said it was a lot of hard work, and that the rollers hadn't been oiled recently. Perhaps this is to prevent overzealous 4 year olds from whizzing down and flying right off the landing, but I think it could have been possible to make them a little easier to move without compromising any children's safety. My daughter wanted to do it again, but my husband said: "No way! Too much work!"
The Paper Making Center
There was a wonderful little section in the museum that allowed kids to make paper. I have always found making paper a fascinating thing, but it is so difficult, messy and time-consuming, I'd rather buy homemade paper in home-pressed books.
Being able to make paper at someone else's place, with someone else's equipment and someone else's housekeeping is ideal for learning and enjoyment. They had several presses and shapes - one was a heart, another was a circle, and another was the 8.5 x 11 standard size. I didn't see any plants/flowers (my favourite ingredients in handmade paper), but there was newspaper, lots of fabric (denim, other kinds) and some confetti.
The Store
Pretentious, as all museum stores are, but definitely catering to children and infants. The best part was an old refrigerator stuffed with things and covered with Children's Museum magnets ($1.50 each). While there were a great many creative/intelligent toys and a lot of books, it wasn't anything you couldn't find in more variety (and cheaper) at your local crafts store or your local Toys R Us.
(They did have a toy accordian which I almost bought for my 2 1/2 year old - but which, thankfully, I was talked out of by my husband who said, "honey! It's a -loud- toy!" This, from the man who likes to play my daughter's djembé!)
The Assorted Indescribables
There was a small lavender rowboat filled with blocks for playing, a large (20 feet +) woman form with a skirt made small pieces of fabric (lovingly created and glued on by children), and a "Rain House Room" for storytelling and school class projects. There were life size blocks of assorted people of the world, in 3 parts which turned to mix and match heads, torsos and legs. There was a puppet area for children to create their own puppet shows and a maze made of chicken wire crates stuffed with different kinds of fur (yes, it was very strange, but surprisingly neat, too) for little fingers to touch without complete destruction.
Overall
The San Diego Children's Museum is a secret treasure. It is difficult to find and rarely advertised. At the same time, it is one of the best (indoor) spots for children in all of San Diego County. It's easy to spend a few hours exploring, creating, and playing.
I do recommend that if you go in the summer, you wear cool clothes and bring drinks. I recommend that if you go -at all- that you wear comfortable, play clothes and bring a snack and drink for your child (sort of like being prepared for all possible scenarios). Have lots of quarters/assorted change for the meters, and cash to get into the museum ($6.00 for adults & children over 3; children under 3 are free). Make sure you don't try to go on a Sunday or Monday - they're not open. Their hours currently are 10-5, Tuesday through Saturday. [Due to the changing nature of the world, please call (619) 233-KIDS to confirm days/hours of operation before attending]
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
tesserae
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Reviews written: 53
Trusted by: 46 members
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