Last week we went to the Royal Ontario Museum with the kiddies and some friends from a local group I am becoming a part of called The Community Element. When we were in DC a couple of years ago, we checked out a Smithsonian every couple of weeks in the winter. It was fantastic! And free! And a warm indoor space where Gabriel could crawl around and not actually get at anything. So I was excited to get back in the groove and see the ROM here.
It's been years since I have been, so I had forgotten all about what it as like inside. It was definitely a bit of a drive to get down there, (but maybe not such a big deal if you need someone to nap on the way anyway while the other eats every snack in the bag). Friends of ours took the subway that has a stop right outside but we opted to take the car for emergency getaway. Luckily it actually was really easy to find parking right outside!
Unfortunately the ROM is not free. It is for kids, but not adults. But it is really kid friendly--lots of elevators, exhibits glassed in, play spaces, bathrooms, lunch spots and plenty of interesting things to see. Everything from dinosaur bones to fish to a plethora of taxidermied animals--the most impressive being the big dinosaur skeleton in the front lobby as you enter the building.
It was great to let the kid wander around together exploring and exclaiming their observations and asking questions. Gabriel is just getting to the age where he's asking, "What's that for?" rather than "What's that?" He wants to know what the purpose of everything is. Such a curious young mind. I look forward to a time when he is able to talk so much that he can explain to ME what he thinks things are for. I'm sure he will come up with the most creative explanations and stories.
For the most part everything was glassed in. But leave it to my kids to find a way..... I turned my back for one minute and Whooop! Over the glass toward the ancient dinosaur bones went one of Maggie's boots.... Fortunately nothing was touched in the catapulting and the shoe was retrieved by a very understanding security guard. One of the moms told me that the last time some of the kids managed to squeeze through the glass between the exhibits and got inside..... So... not a perfect system, I guess. Glad to know it's not just my kids!!
What is it about fish, huh? Kids just can't get enough of looking at them... Theo, Gabrie's friend was asking all sorts of questions about the fish. There was one in particular that had all sorts of bright colors. He told us the fish had so many beautiful colors so that he looked "nice for the ladies" which sent us into fits of laughter. Out of the mouth of babes, huh? Although I am sure that he didn't come up with that all on his own.
So after a pretty busy morning, both kids zonked out in the car on the way home while I stopped through a drive-thru for a much needed coffee. It was pretty much a perfect system and really glad we were able to get out and explore more of the educational amenities that Toronto has to offer for kids. Looking forward to connecting more this year with these moms--other museums, farms, locally-minded places--all places that feed curiosity and inspire kids to be thoughtful and critical thinkers.
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