Museum of Natural Curiosity

My cousin, Stephanie, asked if we wanted to go to the Curiosity museum this past Friday. Without knowing anything about it, I said, "Of course!" As I looked more into it, I saw that it didn't officially open until May 15th. Uhhh.... I let my cousin know and she just said that she was special and we would definitely get in. Turns out, when you have a year pass to Thanksgiving Point like Stephanie, then you got a free preview day at the museum! Awesome!

And I'm not even going to apologize for the picture overload because this place was amazing.

It was a really rainy, windy day so I was glad it was indoors!

Okay, let me explain the inside: there are four levels and each level is HUGE. Each area within the level has only one entrance and exit, so parents can just hang out at the entrance and let the kids run free without worrying about the kids escaping out another side. The bottom level has a great toddler area as well as tons of climbing stuff. There was also a large, fast (according to one dad that braved it) slide that Kaden couldn't get enough of. We didn't get to go to each area on each level, and we were still there for three hours.

On the main/second level is a whole bunch of applied learning. This is a touch tunnel where, once the kids are inside, everything is pitch black and they have to feel their way out. There's nothing slimy in there, but there are some obstacles to get through and around.

Kaden going in...

Camera for parents to keep an eye on their kids in the darkness.

 Also on the main level was a huge room and half of it was filled with hard foam building blocks and the other side held five (or 6?) giant wind tunnel fans. The kids can make their own devices to see what makes the items fly the highest.

Kaden building his flying contraption.

Ready, set, GO!

His went really high, but after I told him to put a coffee filter on it, it hit the ceiling!

 In another part of the main level is a water area. We didn't get to do everything here, either, but the kids loved the parts we did get to.

Stephanie's oldest daughter, Sophie.

 This area is great for toddlers with the goal being that they don't get wet. Steph still stripped her baby just in case because splashing.

Cute Abigail!

This taught the kids about dams and waterfalls.

The water would shoot out of the holes at the bottom and the kids could build paths with PVC pipe and tubing.

Ari's shoes were getting wet, so we grabbed some oversized boots for her, too.

A wind tunnel where the wind gets up to 85 mph.

Love my cute kiddos

 After the water place, the girls wanted to check out the flying contraption place.

Ari just loved putting anything up the tunnel.

Lexi made one with some help from Kaden.

Shane and Steph's baby daddy, Chris, had more fun with the blocks than the kids did.

Timber!

The next level was a ropes course and it. was. HARD. Steph had warned us to wear tennis shoes if we wanted to do it, and I'm glad she did. Although if I'd worn flip-flops I would have gotten out of it. The kids had no problem with it, but oh my gosh it was crazy. The level above that is another more difficult ropes course where you're actually wearing a harness and everything. I really wanted to do it, but by this time the kids were showing signs of not having had naps. Next time, though.

There was a good sized playground outside that the kids were thrilled to play on since the rain had finally stopped.

Sophie!

Zip line

Since the rain had stopped, Steph suggested we go to the farm part at Thanksgiving Point since the kids would get unlimited pony rides. Score! When we got there a few minutes later, we were literally the only ones there due to the previous rain. The kids rode the ponies for half an hour, taking only a couple of minutes in between rides to switch ponies.

I have no idea how Ari ended up on the biggest horse, but I thought it was hilarious.

Kaden was really nervous at first.

No hands!

One handed!

Kaden started to loosen up after getting on the big horse (Odis).

 A couple more people got there, so we let them take a turn with the ponies while we explored the other parts.

Can we leave them there?

Posin'

This cow was scheduled to be milked at 5:00, so we killed an hour because I've never seen that in real life.

While we were playing in the jail area, a worker came up and asked if the kids would want to go on a wagon ride. Um, yes.

Sophie and Lexi

Kaden

Ari was so excited for the ride

Pulled by a tractor

It was COLD with the wind blowing so the girls snuggled.

The hay bales they use for Halloween mazes.

 Steph and her family left after that, but we still had half an hour to kill before the milking of the cow. What should we do....pony rides again!

Kaden finally getting brave enough to ride without hands.

Ari loved all the ponies and named them things like Cupcake and Princess.

Ari really, really wanted to ride this one (it was the smallest), but she was pregnant!

This one was Lexi's favorite.

Ready to be milked

Lexi's turn

Kaden's turn

Ari didn't want to milk it, so she just pet the side. And for the first time in my life, I milked a cow! Shane was going to take a picture, but he was helping the kids wash their hands. It was a lot different than I thought it would be, although it shouldn't have been anything new to me. ;)

After that, we invited ourselves over to my friend, Emily's, house where she was gracious enough to provide pizza for dinner. The kids played while the grown ups chatted and we ended up heading home past the kids' bedtime. Ari was asleep before we hit the freeway and Lexi followed shortly after. It was a really, really great day.