The Kitchen
This is the place to really test your senses, discover patterns, and see if you can guess which regular pantry items weigh the most! The kitchen has all this and more for kids who want to put their cooking knowledge to the test. There is a carousel of spices where kids can take a whiff before guessing the contents (don't worry, they all smell delicious!) Open the refrigerator to learn about patterns and make educated guesses about what should come next. In the pantry, sort and weigh cereal and beans with a food scale. My son loves play cooking, so this was a big hit for him.

 Playing with patterns in the kitchen. Photo courtesy of the author

Sid’s Room
This was my favorite room. This bedroom looked exactly like Sid's room in the show. It has a memory challenge, a catapult, and questions for curious kids. Sid’s room is space themed and completely adorable. There is a touch-screen at Sid’s Desk, also known as the “Super-Duper-Ooper-Schmooper Big Idea,” that helps kids explore scientific principles further. Plus your little one can see if they are as big as Sid or as small as Zeke (Sid’s little brother).

 Playing with the catapult to "put the toys away" in Sid's room. Photo courtesy of the author

The Playground
This is a legit indoor playground, so perfect for these cold days, so even if your little one isn’t a Sid fan, this portion of the exhibit would be a draw. With balls, kids can test plasticity, bounce, and explore the sense of touch.

 Running around on the large indoor playground. Photo courtesy of the author

Backyard
If your city kid has ever had backyard envy with a desire for a treehouse, you can experience one in real life in the “backyard” area of the exhibit. Simple machines are set up so your kid can play like Sid, using a pulley to send toys into the treehouse and climbing inside for a good game of hide and seek.

 Checking out the tree house. Photo courtesy of the author

The Super Fab Lab
Test your hypothesis with science experiments and use real lab tools, like a microscope. This might be the most science-heavy portion of the exhibit and it is also a really solid introduction to scientific thought since many children visiting are not in grade school yet. My son loved the building blocks in the exhibit. He also enjoyed testing his theory on which surface would propel an object faster. For my race-minded little boy, this was especially fun to try over and over. The classroom also features a learning rug and more materials to test, like magnets, gears, and bugs, as well as concepts like friction, speed, and size.

 Testing out the theory of friction. Photo courtesy of the author

One great aspect of the exhibit is it also helps adults think of ways they could engage children’s intellectual skills at home. My nearly five year old and I enjoyed running from set to set, exploring scientific principles, testing theories, and playing.

Sid the Science Kid: The Super-Duper Exhibit! remains on view through May 6, 2018. The exhibit is included with general museum admission.

Good to Know:

• Sid the Science Kid: the Super-Duper Exhibit is open daily, but check the calendar if you want to meet Sid in person.
• The exhibit runs until May 6, 2018.
• Throughout February, which is science month at the museum, there will be opportunities to participate in events like the "I Heart Science Festival" on Feb. 19, 2018.
• Try new things with the Strolling Science Labs on select dates as seen on the calendar.
• Tickets for the museum can be purchased online.

The Please Touch Museum is located at 4231 Avenue of the Republic, Philadelphia, PA 19131.