Art Centers at the Children’s Museum

We took a trip this week to our local children’s museum.  I was busy chasing around my daughter, but I managed to snap a few pictures of the awesomeness in this place.  The museum is amazing.  The lower level has a lot of things geared for dramatic play, such as a pretend garden, a water room, dress-up, puppets, etc.  There is also an amazing “bone” bridge to climb.  The upper level has building materials, like Tinker toys, Legos, blocks.  This level also has a giant hamster wheel you can walk in, dollhouses, a climbing structure, a pretend pizza making section, and an amazing art studio.  The rooftop has a garden and chickens!   I know I am forgetting some things, because there is so much to do in this place.

The art studio centers gave me some great ideas for ways I could incorporate more choice in my classroom.  I am interested in learning more about TAB classrooms, although I do not think I would transition to an entirely TAB room.  I am enjoying reading other blogs about choice based art.

Here is a “nature based construction” center in the children’s museum.

This is a recycled art construction center.

Here is a free standing cardboard (I think) sculpture, with origami hanging.

These are bottle caps mosaic-ed onto structural poles in the art studio.

This is a view of the art studio.

Here is the Lego table.  I LOVE this table and I’m thinking of finding a way to make or purchase something like this.  The metal tubs come out of the table and you could exchange it with different materials.

Here is the large bone bridge I was telling you about.

Here is a lovely mural outside the bathrooms.

An interesting wooden construction hanging from the ceiling…

Did this post give you any ideas for your classroom or home?