Providence Children's Musuem, Providence, RI (4 smiles)

We went to the Providence Children's Musuem today and here is my review.....

Date:  2/21/2010

Parking:  Plenty of free parking right next to the museum.

Gate/Admissions:  [$$$]  See pricing page here.


Birthday Parties:  Yes.  See page here.

Bathrooms:  They have bathrooms on both floors.  They are individual bathrooms with changing tables and stools!  Nice large rooms.

Cleanliness:  The museum was clean.

Store:  They have a neat souvineer store on the first floor when you walk in.  They do not sell drinks, snacks, etc.

Overall:  We had a lot of fun.  I really liked that the museum is all hands on.  There is a great water exhibit for the kids (remember to bring a spare shirt!)  My son was soaked.  It is two floors with stairs or you can use the ramp.  They ask that you do not bring large strollers through the museum.  You can use an umbrella stroller.  There is a spot designated for eating.  You can bring your own lunch or snacks.  They do not have any food or drinks there.  We did go over to a cute diner that is about two blocks away right behind the museum.  I would recommend walking.  We drove and had to pay to park in the lot to eat.  Go check it out.  It's a great place to visit!

The Children's Museum, West Hartford, CT (3 smiles)

We went to the Children's Museum in West Hartford, CT and here is my review.....

Date:  11/18/2009

Parking:  Plenty behind building.  Click here for directions.

Gate/Admissions:  [$$$$$] Admission info here.  Under 2 years old, free!

Birthday Parties:  Yes.  See info here .

Bathrooms:  There is a men's and a women's room on the main level.  Both are equipped with changing tables.

Cleanliness:  The museum is physically clean, but the building and most of the exhibits are old.  There is some tape on the floor holding the rug together and it looks like it could use an overall spruce up.

Store:  There is a small souvenir store with educational toys and there is a vending area with tables in the Excavation Station area.  You can bring in a lunch and eat at these tables or the many picnic tables outside.

Overall:  I was expecting the museum to be much larger and more up to date.  I was disappointed that some of the exhibits did not work or were just neglected over time.  Some of our favorites were the weather station, where the children can pretend to be a meteorologist on screen, the excavation station and the bubble maker.   The mini golf out back behind the museum needs attention.  When we first went into the animal room I was shocked at the small space the animals had to live in.  I asked a staff member if the animals had other room to roam around and they directed us out back where there is space for them to get outside and stretch there legs.  The animals they have are animals that have been recovered from homes that were illegally raising them or they were orphaned.  We went with two three year olds and were able to keep them busy for a hour and a half mostly because we circled around a few times.  Luckily, we found out that The Lutz Children Museum is only about twenty minutes away, so we did both that day!

Lutz Children's Museum, Manchester, CT (3 smiles)

We went to the Lutz Children's Museum in Manchester, CT and here is my review.....

Date:  11/18/2009

Parking:  Plenty around back of the museum.  Directions here.

Gate/Admissions:  [$$]  Admission page here. Children 1 and under are free.

Birthday Parties:  Yes.  Info here.

Bathrooms:  We used the family room.  It was large and had a changing table.  I also noticed that they stock a few extra diapers and change of clothes for accidents.  I have never seen that at any other place before!  Good thinking!  They also have a boy's and girl's room.

Cleanliness:  Very clean. In fact, there were several interns walking around picking up the museum as the children were spreading stuff around.

Store:  They have a variety of education toys when you walk in.  No food/vending machines.

Overall:  We enjoyed it.  It is small though.  There two exhibit rooms and one room with animals.  There are beautiful art pieces on the walls that were done by children all over the country.  They also have a train that goes around on a track.  The first exhibit room we went into was the Long Island Sound Exhibit.  We had two three year old boys with us and they found the boat to be very exciting!  The other exhibit is a farm.  They loved the cow that you can milk.  Well, you can pretend milk!  They also enjoyed the loft area.  The animal exhibit has small animals including rabbits and birds.  We spent about two hours at the museum.  No food allowed in the exhibit areas, but you can eat in the lobby area.  If you are driving from a distance consider doing the Lutz Museum and The Children's Museum in West Hartford.  They are only about 20 minutes from each other.

Montshire Museum of Science, Norwich, VT (4 smiles)

 We went to the Montshire Museum of Science today and here is my review.....

Date:  10/7/2009

Parking:  Plenty

Gate/Admission:  [$$$$$] View their admission here.

Birthday Parties:  Yes.  See info here.

Bathrooms:  They are located on the main floor.  They have changing tables & stools at the sink.

Cleanliness:  The museum is clean.  The trails and outdoor exhibit were also very clean.

Store:  There is vending machines by the bathrooms for water and snacks.  There is also a souvenir shop that has a lot of really neat stuff.  A lot of educational toys and games you don't see everywhere.

Overall:  We really enjoyed the museum.  It is not very big, but there is a lot to see and touch.  My son really enjoyed the children's area with the balls and the tunnels.  I was so impressed with the view and the building itself.  It is three floors with great exhibits that kept 2 three year old and their moms very busy.  The dinosaur exhibit is really fun.  My son spent a lot of time playing with the simulators!  The outside exhibit is really nice.  They use a lot of natural materials.  I definitely want to back in the summer where my son can get wet.  It was a bit too chilly to walk in the water.  We went on a walk down one of the trails and saw 3 deer!  The trail overlooked a beautiful river and right now the foliage is breath taking.  We had a fabulous day.  You can bring food into the museum, but only eat in designated areas.  We ate outside.  The train also picks up and drops off right there.  You can get more info one the train here.

We will be back.  We really enjoyed our visit!

Franklin Park Zoo, Dorchester, MA (3.5 smiles)

We went to Franklin Park Zoo today and here is my review.....

Date:  9/14/2009

Parking:  Plenty

Gate / Admission:  [$$$$$] Admission rates are listed here.

Birthday Parties:  Yes.  See their birthday page here.

Bathrooms:  I wasn't overly impressed with the bathrooms.  They were really smelly and they reminded me of camping.  They are like out houses.  BUT they do have changing tables and running water :)

Cleanliness:  The park was very clean.

Store:  We went after the peak season so, the park only had one souvenir store and one place to get food.  Most of the food is available on the weekends still though.  Here is there schedule.

In the one store we did go into it had drinks for sale along with a bunch of stuffed animals and typical souvenir shop stuff.

Overall:  I like it.  My son had a great time.  We were disappointed that the train was not running.  They only run the train on weekends this time of year.  We really enjoyed the Gorilla's and the Lion.  I attached a picture of the Lion because it was just so amazing to me that he was posing for pictures.  It is kinda weird to be at a zoo in the city.  You can hear traffic and sirens in the background, but I felt that the animals were sheltered from the hustle and bustle of the city.  They are shooting a movie there, so a portion of the park is blocked off, but they have detour walk ways, so you can still see the animals.  I was pleasantly surprised with the park.  There is plenty to see and if you don't grab a map you will most likely miss a bunch of stuff.  Check out Franklin Park Zoo.  I think it's worth the visit!

Story Land, Glen, NH (5 smiles)

We went to Story Land in Glen, NH on August 25 and here is my review.....

Date: 8/25/2009

Parking:  Plenty

Gate/Admissions:  [$$$$$]  See pricing page here.

Birthday Parties:  They offer group rates.  See pricing here.

Bathrooms:  There are bathrooms all over the park.  I also love that they have family rooms and nursing/napping rooms.  I saw changing tables in all the bathrooms we went into.

Cleanliness:  The park is clean.

Store:  There is food all over the park.  There are a few large souvenir shops also.

Overall:  We loved it.  It is kind of pricey, but we had a great day.  We got there at 9:30 am and stayed until 6:00 pm.  We brought our lunch, so we took a short break and headed right back to the rides!  The lines on some of the lines are pretty long.  For a three year old it can seem like forever.  At different times of the day there are shows going on and we did over hear an employee telling people in line that if you go to the rides with the long lines during lunch time you can usually get on a lot faster.  The water sprinkler/bubbler that is located near the raft ride is pretty fun on a hot day.  I wouldn't worry about changing into swim clothes for the Oceans of Fun Sprayground.  It's pretty had to get really wet over there.  We did bring all of our swim gear and it was not needed.  The kids got more wet on the raft ride!  Another huge hit at this park was the Loopy Lab!  We had 2 - three year olds and they loved shooting the balls around the room.  I posted a picture, so you can see what I am talking about! They could have spent the day in there!  We enjoyed Story Land.  Go check it out!

Funtown Splashtown USA, Saco, ME (5 smiles)

We went to Funtown Splashtown USA in Saco, ME today and here is my review.....

Date:  7/29/2009

Parking: Plenty of free parking.

Gate/Admissions: [$$$$$] They offer a combo pass for both the water park and rides or passes for only the water park or only the rides. You can see their prices here.

Birthday Parties: Yes. See there prices here.

Bathrooms: I noticed two places where they had bathrooms. One is over by the water park area and the other is in the ride area by the antique cars. There are plenty of stalls and there are changing tables. (one note: if you use the locker room in the water park there is no changing table, but there is a long bench)

Cleanliness: The park is clean. It is an older park, but well maintained.

Store: There are vendors everywhere! I was surprised to see how many places there were to get a cold drink or food. They also have picnic tables around if you bring your own food.

Overall: We really enjoyed this park. We started out at the water park area and ended up there after! It was an extremely hot and humid day, so having the water park was a big plus! The kids loved the water area. They also have a lot of younger children's rides. I was amazed at how many they had. We did almost everyone of them! My son loved the small water slide in the pirate area and the splash pool over by the big water slides. He was also very fond of the train! If you purchase the combo ticket expect to spend the day! We got there at 11:30 and didn't leave until around 4:30. We had a great time. This is a must do!

Kidzwurld, North Attleboro, MA (4 smiles)

We went to Kidzwurld in North Attleboro, MA today and here is my review.....

Date:  7/28/2009

Parking:  Plenty.  It is located in a strip mall right off of Robert Toner Blvd.  Here's the link to the directions.

Gate/Admissions: [$$] $8.99 per child during the week, $10.99 per child on the weekends.  Under 1 is free with a paid admission otherwise it is $5.00.  Adults are free.

Birthday Parties:  Yes.  Check out their info here.

Bathrooms:  There are two.  The women's room is very large with a changing table and a stool in front of the sink.  Thank You!  (I am amazed at how many places we go and there is no stool.  All the parents come out soaked and the child is wet also let alone the fact that it is nearly impossible to wash a child's hands with one arm holding them and the other trying to lather their hands, get water on them and then switch to the other side).  Anyway, 5 smiles for the stool!

Cleanliness:  Very clean.  They opened only a few weeks ago, so the place is spotless.  However, I did see them walking around with a push broom and picking up after people who left stuff on the tables.  I have a good feeling this place will be pretty clean.

Store:  They do sell food and drinks.  No Food or Drink from outside is allowed into the facility.  They have juice, water and snacks.  They also have tables and chairs to sit at and enjoy your snack or juice at.

Overall:  Clean socks day!  If you forget they sell them for $1.00.  We really enjoyed it.  I thought the blow up bouncy things were really neat for the smaller children.  I have been to a few bouncy house type places and I am always so scared of the little ones being knocked down.  This place has really cool bouncy houses for toddlers.  One of them is a very large train that is like a large tunnel with screens so you can see in (love it), one has a bunch of rescue type vehicles in it and the other is a bounce house with a ball pit.  All of them were perfect for toddlers.  I must also mention that they have two really neat cars that roll down ramps to the floor and go into a soft mat.  The kids love them!  I attached a picture, so you could see what I am talking about.  There is a small wall climbing structure, a see-saw, air hockey (which my son really liked), some arcade type games, two smaller roller coaster type ride on toys, a bunch of ride on bikes, bouncy balls, a few small house structures and a nice spot for younger children (under 3) with a gate all the way around it.  I love that this place is really geared to the younger children.  Everything in there is perfect for them.  We had (2) three year olds there today and they loved it.  It is small, but the perfect size to have fun and be able to keep an eye on your children and still have a conversation.  If you live near North Attleboro go check out Kidzwurld.  I think you will be quite surprised how much fun your kidz will have!

EcoTarium, Worcester, MA (4.5 smiles)

We went to the EcoTarium in Worcester, MA today and here is my review.....

Date: 6/17/2009

Parking:  Plenty

Gate/Admissions:  [$$$]  See pricing page here.

Birthday Parties:  Yes.  See Birthday Party page here.

Bathrooms:  They are everywhere.  I was amazed at how many bathrooms they have.  You will find them on every floor and outside by the dining area.  All of the bathrooms we went into had changing tables.

Cleanliness:  It was clean.

Store:  They have a souvenir store inside and an indoor lunch area with vending machines or an outside dining area with tables, chairs and umbrellas.  The menu is small, but we found what we needed.  They also serve slush drinks outside.

Overall:  We really enjoyed the EcoTarium.  The building is more like a museum/nature center with three floors of hands on exhibits.  There are also live animals inside ie. turtles, snakes, frogs, ferret and an opossum.  The outside has really nice walking trails.  Outside you will also find the Polar Bear, the Bald Eagle, numerous Owls, a Red Fox and a really nice playground area with a large sandbox.  The other really cool thing is that they have a train!  My son really enjoyed riding the train.  At one part there is a tunnel that the children love to yell in.  It's a really great place to go with children any age.  My friend and I went with two three year olds and we found plenty to do!  Go check out the EcoTarium.  You won't be disappointed!

Southwick's Zoo, Mendon, MA (4 smiles)

We went to Southwick's Zoo in Mendon, MA yesterday and here is my review.....

Date:  5/16/2009

Parking:  Plenty of parking in a grass field

Gate/Admissions:  [$$$$] Pricing page here.  My son was free (he's still under 3) and we printed the coupon from the website.  A $2.00 off per person coupon icon is at the bottom of the pricing page.

Birthday parties:  Yes (see website here)

Bathroom:  There are bathrooms throughout the zoo, but some are port-o-potty style or chemical trailers.  The chemical trailer I came upon had a ramp for strollers and a changing table.  There is a bathroom after you enter the zoo by the food with plenty of changing tables also.

Cleanliness:  Very clean

Overall:  We had a great day.  I did not bring a stroller for my son, so he had run of the place :)  It worked out well.  I just packed a backpack and followed him around.  He was smiling 90% of the day.  The first unhappy 5% was when we walked in and he could hear the Macaw behind a fence making very loud noises.  He decided then (at the front gate) that he had enough and was ready to go home....some coaxing and explaining, then just carrying him in past the Macaw and showing him what it was finally worked!  The other 5% of unhappiness was leaving!  I was amazed at how close you can get to the animals.  It is a pretty big zoo.  It took us 2.5 hours to cover most of it.  We didn't go on the rides, but they do have them.  You buy tickets or you can buy a combo ticket at the front gate.  There is a playground with a huge sandbox also.  You can bring in your lunch and you will find picnic tables scattered all around the zoo.  There was lots of shady spots and park benches along the way.  My son loved the train ride!  We drove 2.5 hours to get there and I would do it again.  We had a blast!  Go check out Southwick's Zoo!

Perpetual Motion, Lowell, MA (4 smiles) -- Closed

We went to Perpetual Motion in Lowell, MA today and here is my review.....

Date:  3/31/2009

Parking:  Plenty.  I made the mistake of parking when I pulled in and saw the sign.  I had to walk down an alley way to the other side of the building.  The alley way had broken glass on the ground and garbage.  There is a sign that points to the indoor play area, but being my first time there I didn't realize the door was on the other side of the building.  Now you know :)

Gate/Admissions:  [$$]  The price was $9.50 for my son and free for me!  They have a pricing structure based on age.  Click here for their pricing page.

Birthday Parties:  Yes

Bathrooms:  There are two in the under 6 area and two in the 6 and over area.  They are large. The one we used was in the 6 and under area and it has a huge counter for a changing table and a small sink!

Cleanliness:  It was clean.  I saw staff sweeping and putting toys away while I was there.

Store:  They have a lunch counter with tables set up between the two play areas.  It is very large.  The menu items were pizza, hot dogs, yogurt, chips, cookies, milk, water, juice and a few other things.  You can also bring in your lunch!

Overall:  We enjoyed ourselves.  Here are the highlights:  large sandbox, indoor swings, a slide into a ball pit, a huge train with stairs and slides, circular bike thing you can ride on and a great climbing structure.  I like that the older children's indoor climbing area is separate from the younger one, but it got me thinking about a family with multi-age children.  If you go with a toddler and a six year old you really need two adults.  The younger children are not allowed into the older children's area.  Just keep that in mind incase you fall into that category.  The space is really large and bright.  It is in an old mill building so the ceilings are really high and the windows are huge.  Getting there is pretty easy.  You really have to look to see the sign as your driving by.  It is not right on the main road it is set back and you have to drive down an alley to get to the indoor playground area.  I would go back.  If you live around Lowell I would imagine this would be the perfect spot for a rainy day!

The Children's Museum in Easton, North Easton, MA (4.5 smiles)

We went to The Children's Museum in Easton, North Easton, MA today and here is my review.....

Date:  3/4/2009

Parking:  Plenty.  There are spots along the street in front of the museum and a large lot behind the museum.

Gate/Admission: [$$$] $6.00 per person, children 1 year and under are free.  Staff is extremely friendly and attentive!

Birthday Parties:  Yes, see website for details.

Bathrooms:  There are two bathrooms.  Both are quite large with changing tables and stools for the children to step on to wash their hands (love the small details!).  The upstairs bathroom also has a small seat that you can strap your child into so you can use the potty!  Imagine that :).

Cleanliness:  The museum is clean.

Store:  There is a small store behind the counter where you pay admission.  They have educational toys, etc.  No food or drinks are sold here.

Overall:  Fabulous!!  We loved our time at the Children's Museum in Easton.  My son spent one hour on the main floor not even realizing that there were two other floors to explore!  There is so much to do in the museum.  They pay close attention to detail.  The camp area is adorable and they have so much hands on stuff that you can spend a lot of time at each exhibit.  I also love that they incorporate learning into playing and they also have so much for toddlers and older children to do that this makes for a perfect spot for families with multi-aged children.  We spent at least a half hour pushing balls down tubes and waiting for the bells to ring.  If you live anywhere near this museum, this is a must do!  We drove 2 1/2 hrs to go and it was well worth it.  We had a great day!  They have a lunch area in the lower level.  Bring your own lunch though they do not provide food or drinks.  One other note, if you are a stroller roller...not here.  With three floors there is no space for a stroller and no way really to get it up and down stairs.  We loved it.  I only wish we had a duplicate closer!!  I also noticed that in the summer they have an outdoor area for the children to play and picnic tables to sit at.  We will have to go back in the summer!

Party Playland, Hampstead, NH (3.5 smiles)

We went to Party Playland in Hampstead, NH today and here is my review....

Date:  2/5/2009

Parking:  small lot, but we had no trouble find a spot.

Gate/Admissions:  [$$] $6.00 per child, adults are free!

Birthday Parties:  Yes

Bathrooms:  Yes.  They have one with a fold down changing table!

                          Thank you, Staci for the info!

Cleanliness:  It was clean.

Store:  None.

Overall:  We had fun today.  My son really enjoyed jumping around and sliding down the slides. You have to really watch for bumping heads in a place like this though.  It is geared toward younger children which is great because there are only small children jumping around, but they do not have a lot of coordination, so bumps happen.  I liked that the doors on the jump houses had an elastic band on the bottom to help stop a child from falling out the door.  I also liked that it wasn't loud in there.  Also all of the jump houses are pretty small so it's much easier for the little ones to get into and out of them.  No adults are allowed in/on the jump equipment.  No food in the jump area.  You can however have snack or drink in the entrance area when you walk in.  Good socks day :)  All shoes come off before you head to the jump area.  We liked it.  I will go back again.

Children's Museum of Maine, Portland, ME (4.5 smiles)

We went to the Children's Museum of Maine in Portland today, January 25, 2009 here is my review....

Date:  1/25/2009

Parking: There is a municipal parking garage on Free Street that offers discounted parking for musuem visitors. Make sure you have your ticket stamped by the musuem for your discount. They also list the Gateway Garage on High Street or parking next the museum (not at a discount). We parked right along the street.

Gate/Admissions: [$$$$] $8.00 per person under age 1 is free. Group rates are available.

Birthday Parties: Yes

Bathrooms: There are large bathrooms on every floor. They also have family style bathrooms on the main floor. Every bathroom has a changing table!

Cleanliness: Clean

Store: They have a souvenir store on the main floor and on the lower level they have a tables and chairs for guests to bring a picnic lunch. During the warmer weather they have picnic tables outside also. Keep in mind there is no eating in the exhibit area of the museum.

Overall: Fabulous! My son had so much fun. He loved the ball area where you roll balls down inclines and he also enjoyed climbing around in the tree house. They have a water exhibit set up and as you can imagine it was a hit! They also have a touch tank that the staff opens during the day, a fire engine, a store, a cafe, a race car, a veterinarian's office, a farm exhibit, a campsite, a logging exhibit, a wildlife exhibit, a craft area, a boat and a children's theatre. I know I am missing a few things. Check out their website for a complete list of exhibits. I did not see any strollers in the museum. I saw a lot of babies in carriers on thier parents, but not one stroller. I don't see how you could bring a stroller in there because there are a lot of narrow spots and stairs. I will call the museum tomorrow and find out what their policy is on strollers. In my opionion if you are in Portland or anywhere near Portland you should check this museum out. We loved it!

**Update:  I found out that you are allowed to bring strollers in, but they discourage it on busy days.  You can park your stroller where you hang jackets.  It's located right behind the front desk area.

CoCo Key Water Resort, Fitchburg, MA (4.5 smiles)

We went to CoCo Key Water Resort in Fitchburg, MA today and here is my review....

Date:  12/10/2008

Parking:  Plenty

Gate/Admissions:  [$$$$$]  The daily ticket is kind of pricey.  (Much cheaper then flying the family to the Islands though!)   They do offer a variety of ticket packages.  See their online pricing here.  Children 2 and under are free.

Birthday Parties: Yes

Bathrooms:  There are two family style bathrooms with showers, a changing area and changing tables.  The family rooms are huge.  They also have bathrooms/locker rooms which are also huge.  They have a bunch of lockers and showers.  There is also a changing table in the handicap stall.

Cleanliness:  Very Clean!

Store:  They have a food counter and a bar located in the water park area.  They sell everything you can think of.  I saw hotdogs, hamburgers, pizza, french fries, etc.

Overall:  WOW!  As soon as we walked in I felt like we were on vacation!  The music was like being in the Islands.  The water park is really cool.  It has a lazy river (small one), large water slides, an indoor/outdoor jacuzzi, a pool with basketball hoops, an adventure pool with a net across the top and cool things to walk across and of course the large water playground area for the younger kids.  Beware that there is a large bucket that fills up on the top of the structure and dumps water over the structure.  A bell rings to warn you, but if it's your first time you have no idea!  My son was a bit scared of the water dumping all over the place, so he decided he enjoyed the showers in the locker room the best!  You just never know when they are 2 what they will gravitate too!  They have lifejackets in different sizes for the the small children also.  I was thrilled!  The temperature was beautiful and the water was warm.  I will go back to this park again in the dead of winter when I need the vacation cure!  They have other locations in New England:  Danvers, MA and Waterbury, CT.

**See comments - CoCo Key Management posted a note regarding visitors issues please see comments!

Bounce U, Bedford, NH (3.5 smiles)

We went to Bounce U in Bedford today, November 19, 2008 and here is my review.....

Date:  11/19/2008

Parking:  Plenty

Gate/Admissions:  [$$$]  It cost $11.00 for my son, but adults accompanying the children are free.  There is also a deal if you have siblings.  The first child is $11.00, siblings are $10.00.  You can also purchase a pass for $50.00 for 5 bounce sessions.  Kind of pricey for a two year old who only lasts about an hour!  Children under two are free.  Not sure I would bring a child under two because it can be kind of dangerous with bouncing toddlers and preschoolers!  I did see parents with babies and toddlers.  It looked pretty tricky.

Birthday Parties:  Yes

Bathrooms:  Two large bathrooms right outside the bounce area.  Both have changing tables.

Cleanliness:  Very clean.

Store:  There is a water bubbler in the bounce area and outside of the bounce area there is a soda machine that has soda and water.  No food or beverage inside the bounce area.

Overall:  For the first half hour we had a blast.  We went into this one bouncy house with a small slide and fun things to bounce off of and into.  Be careful of the door areas getting into the bouncy houses we saw a small boy bounce right out!  Then my son saw this huge slide!  You climb up the ladder to get to the top (the ladder is totally secure and part of the actual structure.  It's more like climbing up stairs with rungs that has side walls) anyway once at the top you are supposed to get into this bag and slide down....try explaining that to a two year old! He was more interested in just flying down the slide any which way.  I figured we could do this maybe twice then we could move on.....ahh...no!  Up and down, up and down, up and down with me at the top explaining to him that he has to move out of the way so others can come down.  I was pretty much ready to mosey along at that point.  Of course as soon as I got him out of the bounce room, got his shoes and jacket on, I noticed they were opening up the other room.  The other room looked like they had neat stuff in it.  I guess they open the other side at 11:00 so next time I will try to go around 10:30 so he can do both sides.  Be ready to climb on into the structures with your children.  Some of the structures seem kind of big for the little ones, but if you go when we did (preschool time which is Tues, Weds, Thurs 10am-12pm) there are only children 7 and younger, so they can take their time climbing up things.  One other thing I should mention, it is loud because of the machines running that keep the structures blown up. Some children found that kind of scary.  I liked it, but it is kind of hectic with a two year old.  I was worried that he may fall out of the bouncy houses and you have to really watch the knocking of the noggins!  I saw a few children bump heads.  I am curious what you guys thought...comment and share your reviews!

Chuck E. Cheese's, Manchester, NH (3 smiles)

We went to Chuck E. Cheese's today in Manchester and here is my review.....

Date:  11/13/2008

Parking:  Plenty.  It is located in a strip mall off of South Willow Street. (Across from the Mall of NH)

Gate/Admission:  It is free to get in.   You can purchase tokens to play games or ride the kiddie rides.  Otherwise, it is free for the children to play on the climbing structures!

Birthday Parties:  Yes

Bathrooms:  There is a men's room and a women's room.  Both have changing tables.

Cleanliness:  We went early in the day and left around 12:30 pm.  The place was very clean, but then again there were only a few of us there.  I have been on the weekend before and it can be very crazy.  Obviously, on the weekend tables are messy and there is lots of stuff hanging around on the floor.  Not today!

Store:  They serve food.  They have pizza, salad, hot dogs, french fries, sodas, etc.  Prices seem reasonable.  I notice a lot of coupons with family deals in weekend flyers.  It's the kind of place where you order at a counter, find a table, place a number on the table and the staff delivers it when it is done.  Be prepared on the weekend to have a bit of a tough time finding a free table.  People tend to leave jackets, etc on the seats even when they are not eating.

Overall:  I have been before when my son was a bit smaller.  He wasn't able to do much then and really did not like the Chuck E. Cheese that walks around and waves to the kids!  We did not see the costume Chuck E. Cheese today only the mechanical one, which he was okay with.  It was a good place for my son to play indoors today.  He climbed around on the toddler structure and liked the small carousel horse ride.  He rode on a few other small token eating rides, but all in all I only spent $5.00 in tokens and we were  there for about an hour and I was okay with that!

Imajine that, Lawrence, MA (4.5 smiles)

We went to Imajine that in Lawrence today, October 21, 2008 and here is my review.....

Date:  10/21/2008

Parking:  Plenty.  It's located in a large mill building with a huge parking lot.

Gate/Admissions:  [$$]  The staff is friendly.  Coats are hung in the hallway which is outside of the play space.

Birthday Parties:  Yes

Bathrooms:  There are two located in the hallway outside of the place space (where you hang your coats).  Both rooms are equipped with changing tables!

Cleanliness:  Very clean.  The toys look well cared for also.

Store:  There is a food counter there with a dining area.  They have all sorts of things for kids.  The prices are great also.  I noticed grilled cheese, mac & cheese, chicken nuggets, french fries, yogurt, fruit, animal crackers, hot dogs, pizza to name a few.  They also sell juice, milk, water, soda and snacks.  The dining area has highchairs and is very clean.

Overall:  We really enjoyed Imajine that!  I had heard about it a while ago and wanted to check it out.  The location is great!  Once you get off of the highway it is right around the corner.  Easy to get on and off the highway.  My son loved the dinosaur climbing structure.  It is perfect for toddlers and preschoolers!  Not too big, easy to maneuver and neat nooks to explore.  He spent most of his time in there.  The craft area is wonderful.  I have been to quite a few places and I think this place had the best craft area and here is why.  The tables and chairs are spread apart so each child has their own space.  The crafts that they have out on the tables are perfect for toddlers and preschoolers (ie. stamping, play-dough, painting and drawing).  There is a large chalk board with large chalk.  The craft supplies are lined up along a wall with counter space and a sink.  The lighting in there is cheerful and the space is roomy.  The large mill windows supply the space with wonderful natural light also.   When we arrived they had a woman with a guitar singing children's songs.  When she finished singing they had fun children's music playing.  I know that sounds like a given, but you would surprised how many places we go to and they don't have music playing in the background.  I love when they do because I enjoy watching the children get into the music!  It's so cute to watch them make up their own dance moves.  Back to the review...there is a bounce house, an area for younger children / babies, a reading area, a boat to climb around in, a play house with a kitchen, living area, a garden area outside the house and a large grocery store!  My son enjoyed pushing the cart around and choosing his own plastic food!  Great place.  Worth the drive.  Check it out!

Space Center, Hooksett, NH (2.5 smiles)

We went to the Space Center in Hooksett today and here is my review.....

Date:  10/15/2008

Parking:  Plenty

Gate/Admissions:  This is a place where you purchase tickets to go on rides.  Kind of like a fair. We paid $3.00 per child to go in the jumping house (train) and $4.00 per child to ride on the carousel horses.   Adults are free for both of those activities.  Tokens are needed to play video games or ride on the little toddler rides (like the dinosaur or the Flintstones car).

Birthday Parties:  Yes

Bathrooms:  There are two bathrooms.  The women's bathroom has a changing table.

Cleanliness:  From 1-10, I would give it a 4.  It's not super clean.  The carpet is quite old with stains and rips.  It is held together with duct tape in spots.  We were the only people there so I can't comment much past that.  The windows on the door were pretty filthy though.  The dining area looked okay.

Store:  They have a large dining area where they serve food and drinks.  I believe you order at the counter and pick up your food then find a table to sit at.

Overall:  This wasn't my favorite place to bring my son, but that being said I think it is geared toward older children.  For toddlers they have a carousel horse, a bouncy house (train), a little train to ride on, an indoor playground (it is pretty big) with toddler ride around toys, small rides for toddlers, and a few games that they can play.  There was nobody there though, so my son could run around and touch everything.  I would go back if it was raining or snowing and I had to get out of the house.  Otherwise, I think I will wait for renovations or when my son can tell me I am totally wrong and he loves this place!  On the way home we stopped at Livingston Park which is not that far from there and had a wonderful afternoon playing on the playground and walking around Dorrs Pond.  You can see my review of Livingston Park here!

The Discovery Stop, Londonderry, NH (4 Smiles)

We went to The Discovery Stop in Londonderry today, October 7, 2008 and here is my review.....

Parking:  Plenty (It is located in a strip mall off of 102)

Gate/Admission: [$$] The staff is very friendly.  They give you a bin to put your shoes in.  (Good socks day!)

Birthday Parties:  Yes

Bathrooms:  They have large bathrooms with changing tables!

Cleanliness:  The facility is very clean.  Some of the toys in the Toddler area look worn, but they are clean and orderly.

Store:  They have a snack counter with drinks and snacks.  The prices looked fair.  They also have a small store section where they sell toys.  (mostly wooden educational toys)

You can bring food and eat it by the snack counter, but make sure you do not pack any nut products!

Overall:  I had been to The Discovery Stop once before when my son was under a year old.  Now that he is older (he's 2) I like it better!   There is more for him to do.  They have an awesome play structure that the kids love to climb around and explore.  Today it was very quiet and all of the children were around my son's age, so the structure was great.  I have been there though when the place is packed and older children are in the structure.  It can get a bit rough.  They have a play kitchen area, a Post office, cars for the kids to ride in, blocks, crafts, fun discovery tables, a small boat for the children to play in and they have two digging stations for children 4 and older.   My son and I enjoyed our visit today.  I will definitely go back.  The climbing structure alone is worth the trip.