DESTINATION EDUCATION: Ontario Science Centre can help your preschooler become a science whiz.
The Ontario Science Centre is good for younger children, too.
Staff photo
What to do with the kids on a bitter cold day? That was the question we asked ourselves on a recent Sunday morning. Staying home was not a compelling option, since our four year old would be bouncing off the walls by noon.
When my husband suggested the Ontario Science Centre, I half-heartedly agreed mostly because I couldn't come up with an alternative.
Don't get me wrong, I love the Ontario Science Centre.
As a teacher I have enjoyed many class trips with my nine- to 12-year-old students, complete with laboratory demonstrations and OMNIMAX films. I just didn't think of it as a good place to take a baby and a four year old.
"They're too young. This will be a waste of money," I said as we pulled into the parking lot.
Boy was I wrong. Fast forward five hours into the future and we were back in the same parking lot, with our newly purchased family membership in hand.
It turns out the science centre has more than enough to entertain a child of any age, and their parents, too. Over the last decade, many renovations have been done to update the centre and make the exhibits more interactive, with a special focus on the younger crowd.
From the start our kids were mesmerized.
Our baby, only 10 months old, was fascinated by the digital images displayed on the floor in the foyer. Our four year old ran around stepping on the moving fish, which were interactive. We hadn't even entered an exhibit hall yet and I was already eating my words.
Our first stop was the KidSpark - an area specially designated for children eight and under. The water play area was a hit, as was the kid-sized supermarket. Another section allows kids to build a roller coaster and construct a house. Everything is meant to be touched, moved and played with.
There are even special areas for small children, so our 10 month old could crawl around in a safe environment with age-appropriate toys.
As little tummies began to grumble, we were pleased to discover various locations throughout the science centre to sit and eat a lunch brought from home. Although there is a restaurant and a cafe on site, it's nice for the budget-conscious parent not to feel obligated to buy a meal.
After lunch we discovered the Space Hall, home to Toronto's only public planetarium.
We caught an innovative new program designed for children under five called "Eyes on the Skies". Our daughter loved learning about the moon and the stars at her kindergarten level, complete with a singalong of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.
Throughout the museum, friendly scientists in white lab coats were on hand to answer questions and engage the children.
These scientists also run free workshops, demonstrations and shows at varying times and locations daily, many of which are geared to preschoolers.
At the end of the day, we took in the Electricity demonstration. This is the trademark show with the Van de Graaff generator (the ball that makes your hair stand up). Our daughter was too shy to go up, however, I was coerced on stage to the delight of my camera-toting spouse. I have to admit, it was kind of fun.
Time was up and we hadn't even hit half the exhibits. That is why we were excited to learn we could use our ticket payment toward the purchase of a membership. Far from being "a waste of money", the cost is so low we will already be saving on our next visit.
Sylvia Chiang is a Scarborough elementary school teacher who is always looking for something fun and educational to do with her two children. Destination Education features family outings in Toronto that have an educational focus and have proven to be fun for the whole family. For suggestions and comments, email letters@insidetoronto.com and put Destination Education in the subject line.