the brooklyn children's museum

They say that the early bird catches the worm, and, for us this morning, that worm translated to free entrance into the Brooklyn Children's Museum. I had been wanting to take Garrett there for some time, and consequently I think I might have been more excited about our visit than he was. But as soon as we stepped inside and he realized the endless possibilities in that place, his enthusiasm far exceeded mine.

Garrett's favorite exhibit, hands down, were the small pools of water in the Totally Tots area. If we'd let him, he'd have spent hours filling up his watering can, then pouring the contents through the play water wheels.



Caleb also seemed to enjoy himself, but it'll be a few more years before he has as much fun here as Garrett did.



Perhaps because it brought back such fond memories of my childhood visits to the children's museum in Salt Lake City, my favorite exhibit in the museum was World Brooklyn. In this section you could explore a pint-sized version of Brooklyn and do everything from make a pizza in L&B Spumoni Gardens (based on an actual pizzeria in the Bensonhurst neighborhood) to shop for groceries in an international market. Garrett especially enjoyed booking vacations to the Caribbean in the travel agency and running the register conveyor belt in the grocery store.



I love how the many cultures of Brooklyn are represented in this exhibit. It serves to remind me of just how fascinating a place Brooklyn is. Did you know that nearly 40% of Brooklyn's residents were born somewhere else, and that over 125 languages are spoken here? It's amazing. Brooklyn really is "home to everyone from everywhere." To see more images of World Brooklyn, click HERE.

And for those of you looking for some good Brooklyn-centered fun, check out the museum's Family Activities page. I am particularly interested in their Walking Tours. Perhaps this summer we'll have to explore Bensonhurst beyond what we see every Sunday when we go to church. Pizza at L&B Spumoni Gardens anyone?