Girls Day Out : A Day at the Museum

Today I decided to venture into downtown Charleston and let Kyndall have her first experience at the Childrens Museum.   (Technically called the Childrens Museum of the Lowcountry, but whatever)When we first moved here a few years ago and I was working as a nanny, I practically LIVED at this place with the kids I kept!!  I always thought it would be neat to someday bring my own kids back to visit the museum if we still lived here.  Well, here we are 3 years later and today was that day. 

I parked at the very top of the parking deck so that we could take in some of the gorgeous views of downtown Charleston before walking across the street to the CML.

**It needs to be said that all of these pictures were taken on my point and shoot camera that I keep in my diaper bag.  It was just too much to try and chase a toddler AND haul around my huge SLR camera.  So, I apologize for the quality---definitely not my best work, but you will get the point.

This was the first time that Kyndall wore her "moon shoes" and her braces out in public. Not because I'm embarrassed, but because usually she doesn't do much walking when we're out and about for errands and such.  But I knew that today she would benefit from having them on, and she did!  I didn't carry her at all!  She practically ran all over that museum!

The museum is inside of the old train station.  That's it on the left, the smaller of the two long buildings with the red roofs.

I'm not really sure why they call it a museum, because it's not a museum at all. It's more like a learning facility. There are 7 rooms, each of which has a theme. As the kids travel from one room to the next, they're constantly learning, feeling and experiencing whatever that particular room's theme

 is.

First up was the "ball" room, where the kids learn all about velocity, speed, gravity, force, etc.  Obviously this was a little above Kyndall's head, but she got the concepts of each station pretty well I think.

 

Our next stop was to the water room.  This is probably the most popular room in the entire museum, as it stays pretty busy with curious kiddos who are soaking wet!  In this room they learn about the water cycle, bridges, levy systems, dams, rapids and the force of water. 

I love this little replica of our very own Cooper River Bridge!

Next was the pirate ship room...........

The next room we visited has always been my favorite, simply because it's so realistic!  It's the grocery store!  It's set up exactly like a real Publix, complete with real check outs and scanners, a deli, shopping carts/baskets, and all the groceries you could ever need!  It's adorable!!

This check out actually has a computer that scans each item, give the name, price, quantity, etc!  Just like a real store!  It even prints a receipt for the kids to take!

This little "angel" kept stealing Kyndall's cart and taking her things.  I watched as Kyndall patiently put up with the little girl's bossy ways and I was proud that she didn't fight back or get upset.  I hope she stays this easy-going!

So, what did Kyndall shop for?  Let's see.....Shampoo, a lobster, some fruit and a bell pepper.  So random, but those were her choices!

Oh, and she grabbed some fresh flowers on her way to the check out

I'm also a big fan of the "Totally Toddler" room, because it's strictly limited to kids age 3 and under.  After seeing Kyndall get shoved around by bigger kids a few times, I was ready to be able to sit back and just let her play without worrying she would be trampled.  This room has lots of soft mats for climbing, books, sensory toys, puzzles, etc.  Just perfect for toddlers!  (And tired Mommies who just want to sit and take a break!)

It was too hot to go outside, but this fire truck looks pretty fun too!  They even had fire "gear" you could put on like boots, hats, and a firefighter jacket.

Our last stop was the castle room, where kids can find hidden tunnels, stairs and passageways that take them into all kinds of secret spots.  They also have medieval type dress up clothes that the kids can wear and swords and other props to play with.  Of course, Kyndall went straight to the building blocks first.

The only room we didn't visit was the art room.  It's pretty cool too, but I thought Kyndall might be a little young for it.  It's basically a huge room full of every type of art supply you could ever imagine---scissors, paint, glue, pipe cleaners, tissue paper, glitter, etc.  You can make anything you want and then let it dry while you explore the other rooms. 

We stopped for a quick juice break before heading out to get a late lunch

I wasn't sure where we would eat, but I knew strolling down King Street would be really fun!  If you ever come to Charleston, you HAVE to visit King Street.  It's considered the shopping district, and there's not a single thing on that entire street I could possibly afford!  However, it's fun to browse the boutiques and shops just to see what it's all about.  There are also lots of nice restaurants along King Street, none of which I was willing to pay for either!  So, I was happy when we came upon a Moe's just a few blocks down from the museum.  Kyndall and I both got a kids meal and we ate for a whopping $7 total!  Take that, King Street!  =)

After lunch, we wandered around beautiful Marion Square.  I would equate Marion Square to New York City's Central Park, but on a much smaller scale.  It's a gorgeous open park in the heart of downtown where people go to read, lay out, walk the dogs, or just sit and relax.

St. Matthew's Church, one of my favorites (Sights like this make me wish I had my GOOD camera with me!)

Looking down the infamous King Street

Believe it or not, after lunch and our downtown stroll, we went back to the museum again!  Once you pay your entry fee, you can come and go as much as you want that day.  Kyndall enjoyed the day so much that I ended up buying a yearly membership, which will get us in for free for the next year.  I have a feeling we'll be spending a lot of time down there!  I can't wait to take Matthew back with us so he can see Kyndall in action.  She had a ball!  She didn't take a nap at all today, not even a power nap in the car on the way home.  Despite that, she was GREAT and didn't fuss or whine a single bit.  It was a terrific day and I look forward to doing it again soon!!