Yes, boys, go ahead....you can touch it!!

Last Tuesday, the boys and I made the trek up to Kankakee to a place called Exploration Station. If you are local and you haven't heard of this place before, it is a children's museum, but it's a bit different than the kind you might be used to!

This museum is an absolutely great place to take curious little ones, because the whole point is to TOUCH everything! It is not a huge place, but there were still tons of things to see and do, and lots of different things to learn about. We met Aunt Aimee, Luke, Olivia, and Grandma 'Nette, and it was well worth the drive!

Just an example of some of the things the boys saw and got to explore (all of these things were large--built so that they could get the idea of the real thing): a jet airplane; an ambulance; a tractor; a medieval castle complete with a prison, king's throne, and a real drawbridge; a block area complete with soft blocks that were as big as the boys; a pirate ship; a dentist's office; a post office; a water room; a planet room; and a 50's diner!

Col, my big boy, standing in front of the shapes exhibit.

He looks so grown up in the pic to me...

The boys 'flying' the jet airplane

Cameron driving the ambulance

Ethan driving the tractor

Ethan checking himself out in the mirror area

Me and sweet Olivia...23 takes later, this is the best one I got of us!

"Auntie, I know this is fun for you and all, trying to get this picture of us together...but can you please put the camera down and PLAY with me instead of trying to get me to smile? This isn't very fun."

The four boy cousins on the 'throne' in the Medieval Castle room
Ethan on the pirate ship

We had a nice lunch....Colin and Cameron were entertainment for Olivia!

Mommy and Ethan, who actually ATE that day

Aunt Aimee and Luke
Colin with Grandma, being silly for the camera as usual.

This is his, "I'm not not a boy, I'm a growling dinosaur!" face.

Ethan having some down time after lunch with his precious blankie

Cameron and Colin loved this next area. They had a giant shallow pool shaped like a crab (with eyes, claws, and everything) that was filled with water. This room was even complete with little water covers for the kids so as not to get clothing too wet!

Cameron still somehow managed to soak himself, however....

but they were so enjoying themselves, who cared?

Once Colin figured out how to get 'inside' the crab, Cameron had to climb in too!

"Just hangin' out, playing with my peeps....I mean, fishies"

Can you see the claws and the eyes of the crab?
Oh, yeah, and can you see how stinkin' cute Cameron is? Don't miss that. *giggle*
Luke and Ethan checking out the whales

Grandma 'Nette, helping to show how long the water gown was on Ethan. It was like a dress! He didn't care too much for the fact that Mommy was insistent on getting a picture of this...

The following are my absolute four favorite pictures that I took all day. In the 'water' room there was an exhibit with seashells. I showed Ethan (you can see my hand on the shell in the first picture) that you could put the shell up to your ear and "hear" the ocean. He seemed to think that was really neat, and decided to take the shell and try it out for himself. You can see what he thought of what he was "hearing" .....


"Here, Ethan, look!
You can hear the ocean in here if you listen really carefully!"

"Hey cool! Mom's gonna let me check this one out for myself...."

"What's that I hear in there? The ocean, you say? I think I do hear it..."

"Yes, yes, I definitely do! Holy COW!"

The next stop was another wonderful little area, and I think was my children's favorite area in the whole place! They had recreated a 50's diner, with all kinds of fake (yet, strangely REAL looking and feeling) food for the kids to play with. The boys loved making all kinds of different things and serving it up to me, Aunt Aimee and Grandma 'Nette.


Cameron working hard at his first creation....

"Check out the sundae I made just for you Mommy!"
Cameron and Mommy enjoying his sundae....
I sure could have gone for a real one by this point in the day!

Ethan found this cute little caterpillar tube to play in, and loved it! He stayed in here longer than he stayed in any other spot in the whole place...I think the look on his fact says it all!

Colin serving up a special treat he "made" at the Diner
Olivia and Luke seeing how many germs they can fit in their mouths *giggle*
Grandma and Cameron sharing a special moment in the Diner

All in all, it was an absolutely packed full but very fun day. All the kids a great time, and so did the mommies and Grandma. I would definitely give this place a great recommendation!