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Sail Boats, Roll Balls & Ride in a Hovercraft Chair at the Brooklyn Children's Museum's New Interactive Installation
The Brooklyn Children's Museum is really on a STEM-themed roll. Hot on the heels of its last science-minded exhibit comes From Here to There, an interactive installation where kids can learn how objects move across land, sea and through the air. Children explore abstract concepts like gravity and friction by playing with pulleys, balls, water and pressure. Since it's aimed at elementary schoolers, I know my three- and five-year-olds may not have grasped all of the science behind the experiments. But that didn't stop them from having a blast.
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Developed by the Rochester Museum & Science Center and the Sciencenter in Ithaca, NY, From Here to There is an engaging, 1,500-square-foot exhibit featuring a dozen hands-on stations where kids can make things move across water, land and in the air. Though suitable for all ages, school-age kids will definitely get more out of it. Still, my young children were able to do most of the activities, even if they didn't always understand the point.
My three-year-old daughter loved playing in the Earthmovers section, which is specifically designed for tots. She rolled the red balls around, scooped them up into toy trucks and launched them down a ramp. It was wonderful watching her figure out how to use all the tools at her disposal.
Air Tubes, which shows the power of pneumatic tubes, was also a hit. My kids giggled as they sent balls to each other across the room through pressurized tubes, watching wide-eyed as they zipped quickly along.
My five-year-old's favorite was WaterWays, where he moved toy boats through a canal. Since he was able to adjust the water level with levers, he had fun experimenting and trying out different positions. Meanwhile, at Set Sail, my kids controlled the direction and speed of various sailboats by manipulating windpipes.
I was personally really impressed with the Hovercraft chair, which lifts kids (and petite adults!) up on a cushion of air so you can twirl and twist floating just above the floor. Up, Up, and Away also explored air travel via a miniature hot air balloon (be patient: It takes a while to inflate and heat up for the launch). Meanwhile, other attractions illustrated the physics behind friction, magnetic levitation and the power of pulleys.
What we liked most about the exhibition is that you don't just press a button and sit back and watch what happens. Kids are really involved at each station, trying out different mechanisms and materials, and making decisions. Regardless of how much they understand, From Here to There gets children experimenting and exploring.
From Here to There is on view through Sunday, May 10 at the Brooklyn Children's Museum, 145 Brooklyn Avenue at St. Mark's Avenue. Free with admission: $9, free for children under 1.
Read about other awesome exhibits for kids in our Museum Guide.
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