This is a totally fun exhibit that examines the science and mechanics of how toys work with hands on displays and tons of cool classic toys.  The toys are divided into five classifications of mechanics: circuits, pulleys, cams, linkages and gears and has twelve different hands on stations for kids to explore how each works –using toys as their study.  
 

As the name of the exhibit suggests, for each type of mechanism there is the cross section of the inside of a toy displayed to illustrate how these different machines work.  The toys are classic favorites like Operation and Hungry, Hungry Hippos.  

Don’t miss the very cool, ginormous Etch a Sketch with its inside workings bared, who knew it worked on pulleys? 

Or the 1950s Mr. Machine "robot" that works on gears.

Or learn all about circuitry with Operation. 

My son loved building and experimenting with gears to make a toy ballerina spin, playing with the giant pulleys, creating and breaking circuits and just about everything else.  Your preschooler will, too.  

To enhance the exhibit the museum is also offering additional workshops where kids can create their own old fashioned toys: buttons spinners, push and pull toys and Christmas crackers.  Check the website for details.
 

Toys: The Inside Story

Through January 2, 2011 at  The Long Island Children’s Museum
11 Davis Avenue, Garden City
Admission: $10, Seniors are $9, children under one year of age are free.  
Workshops are an additional $3.

Photo Note: The exhibit is a traveling exhibit created by the Montshire Museum of Science and our photos were taken while the exhibit was traveling through NYC during the summer of 2010.
 

Read about what else is happening on Long Island.