Port Discovery in Maryland

Port Discovery is ranked as one of the top children's museums in the country with good reason. The exhibits are quite wonderful. We went on a Sunday afternoon and were pleasantly surprised that the museum was not packed. There was plenty of room to roam around, and all of the floors were stroller accessible (elevator).

The three story climbing apparatus is centrally located at the middle of the museum and has climbing tunnels that let you out on each floor. This part of the museum was doable with our three year old as long as I followed behind. However children a few years older were able to make their way through the climbing maze quite well. The slides and tunnels were easy to navigate.

Our children also enjoyed cooking in the diner, shopping in the super market, and crossing the Nile in the Egypt room. One of the rooms that we spent the most time at was the water works room. The museum provides rain coats for children as they go in and there are many different water activities to experiment with. Some of the activities included shooting water guns at musical instruments to make a water band, a huge river with flowing water and all sorts of machines squirting water around and funneling it through to the bottom, and even an area with water pipes that you can move and connect to each other before the water pours out.

While it is a bit pricey ($12.95 per person ages 2-102), the museum is surely worth visiting every once in a while. Also, if you live near Baltimore and plan on going frequently, the family membership is quite affordable. The one complaint is that some of the things in the museum were broken. However, most of the museum was in great shape and the staff was friendly and knowledgeable about where programs were located. Additionally, the administration that runs the museum is quite caring and helpful too. The museum is constantly changing programs, so definitely call or check the website before going to see which exhibits are currently running. The museum is great for kids ages 3-10, with 5-8 being the most optimum ages.

Website: http://portdiscovery.org/#home
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Meadowside Nature Center, Rockville, MD

Located in Rockville, Maryland, this quaint little nature center provided us with a fun day in a small nature setting. They frequently have nature related events (including a reptile festival the day we went) that are geared toward young children. There are several small rooms in the nature center such as "The Legacy of the Land" room which shows examples of Maryland's natural environment, "Life in a Log Cabin", an entire indoor forest and cave, as well as a "Curiosity Corner" room with plush animals, fish tanks, frogs, and nature books. There were plenty of places to sit down and read stories about animals indigenous to Maryland.

Outside, there were large bird cages, and bee and butterfly gardens which my 3 year old enjoyed immensely. There are also a variety of different nature paths that are open for hiking. The paths were well shaded and we were able to enjoy a scenic walk through the forest. You can call in advance or check the website in advance to find out when the nature center runs their special events. This place is best for children ages 3-7 years of age and will probably provide 1-3 hours of entertainment.

Hours: Sun-Mon Closed; Tue-Sat 9am–5pm

5100 Meadowside Lane
Rockville, MD 20855-1812
(301) 924-4141

Website: www.meadowsidenature.org
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