Part One of Two
Many attractions in our area have been around for quite some time. We might even have our own childhood memories of them. Two places that bring up lots of great memories for parents my age are the Garden State Discovery Museum and Paws Discovery Farm. These are two places that I love to take my kids depending on the weather.
For mostly inside fun, head over to the Garden State Discovery Museum in Cherry Hill. It’s been around since I was a kid, and a lot of the favorites I remember are still there today. The children’s museum is an open-format but separated by themes of pretend play and exploration. When asked, my son chose two sections as his absolute favorite. He loves the dinosaur room, where you can “dig” for fossils, find out some fun facts about dinosaurs, and the best part: climbing up through a T-Rex style playhouse (complete with a slide!). His second favorite is the treehouse; he can climb through the tree trunk to the top deck, where he has a complete view of the museum. Under the tree, there are nature facts to learn, a “spider web” to crawl through, and little puppet stage with animal puppets. My 2-year-old daughter loves to cook in the diner and pizza shop, feed the “horses” in the farm, and get wrapped up in a giant bubble.
From make-and-take craftivities to dress up and other pretend play areas, there are so many sections to bring out the imagination and creativity of every child. There’s also an outdoor garden with some bunny friends to visit. With a snack bar available serving kid-friendly food and the allowance of outside foods, you could easily spend a full day there. Look for special events such as movie nights in their theatre, holiday themed breakfasts, and even theatre productions.
There’s also access to KidFit, a new kid’s gym that features a zipline into a foam pit. More on that in an upcoming article.
Address: 2040 Springdale Road, Suite 100 Cherry Hill, New Jersey 08003 Parking: free lot parking
Cost: $13.95 for guests 12 months and up; $12.95 for seniors
Savings Guide: Active and retired military, disabled veterans, military spouses/dependents are buy one ticket, get one free; teachers also get in free (bring your I.D. for both savings). Check Groupon for deals and the museum offers a great Black Friday membership deal: 16 months for the price of 12!
Good to Know: Borrow the Museum Pass from Waterford Township Library and get in for FREE (up to 6 people)
