Moving up to Northern Pennsylvania, about a two hour drive, is the Crayola Experience in Easton. This 4-story building is chock-full of hands-on and make-and-take fun. Each floor has several different attractions and almost all of them are included in the price of admission. My kids love the two-story climbing structure, although my little 2-year-old needed a lot of help from her brother to get through. At the top floor, you can melt crayons into rings, cars, and fun spin-art.
One of our favorite spots is Modeling Madness. You use tokens (you’re given two when you buy your tickets and you can buy more, 2 for $1) in vending machines to select different colors of their Model Magic clay. Pick as many as you want and get creative! Tables have different tools and markers and there are instructions on how to make a model. The clay air dries for a nice little keepsake. Another attraction we love, that also uses tokens, is Wrap it Up, where you get to choose out of several different crayon shades and make your own name for them. Then, once you print your wrapper, you use a special machine to wrap the crayon.
There’s so much to keep kids and adults alike entertained; a water area where you can follow boats through canals and channels, a photo booth that creates coloring pages out of your image, and an interactive wall that projects and animates your artwork. Be sure to check out the Factory Show to learn how crayons are made. Crayola Experience gets very crowded at times; we tried to go during Spring Break and couldn’t even fit in the door. An employee told me to avoid holidays and Saturdays but that Sundays usually don’t get too crowded. If you don’t mind having a later drive home, I recommend going after lunch and staying until closing. It’s always nice and calm, and the kids can pretty much do whatever they want without having to wait in any lines.
Address: 30 Centre Square, Easton, PA 18042
Cost: $18.99 for guests 3+
Deals: Teachers get in for free. They also offer discounts for different professions weekly. Entertainment Books also have coupons.
Food: You can bring your own food or enjoy their eatery. There are also several nice restaurants within walking distance.