McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center, Concord, NH (3 smiles)

We visited the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center in Concord, NH and here is my review....

Date:  2/28/2011

Parking:  Plenty of parking (free)

Gate/Admissions Attendant:  [$$$] See pricing info here.

Birthday Parties:  Yes.  See info here.  they also offer private functions.

Bathrooms:  Very Clean with changing tables!

Cleanliness of the museum:  Spotless

Store:  Plenty of fun souvenirs.  There is also a seperate dining area with lots to choose from.

You can also carry in your own lunch.  I was told by the museum staff that you can eat in the birthday party room if there is not a party scheduled however, if there is a party you can eat in the cafe.

Overall:  I would suggest this museum to school age children.  There are a few exhibits that the younger children can touch and climb around on, but a lot of the exhibits are labeled "do not touch".   It does have an elevator and stairs to get to the second floor and there are bathrooms on both floors.  We went into the planetarium and viewed a show.  It was very educational and kept my four year old engaged.  The show was 45 minutes long.  There is also an observatory that is open from 1-4 pm.  Here is the info to the observatory.  Have a great day exploring the galaxy and beyond.....

Chuckster's, Chichester, NH (4 smiles)

We went to Chuckster's today in Chichester and here is my review......

Date: 8/1/2010

Parking:  Plenty.  There was a large parking lot behind the park.  When coming from Concord make sure to take the road before the sign to get to the parking lot.

Gate/Admission:  The price varies depending on what you want to do.  They have several package options to choose from or you can purchase items individually.

Birthday Parties:  Yes

Bathrooms:  Yes.  We did not use them.

Cleanliness:  It was very clean.  Everything is outside and everything was well maintained nothing overgrown.

Store:  They are mainly known for their ice-cream.  The only other food they serve is hotdog and chips.

Overall:  Today was our first time at Chuckster's.  I went with two other adults, two teenagers and my four year old son.  Everyone had a great time.  I would say this amusement facility is geared more towards older children.  Several times my son got very frustrated while playing mini golf. This mini golf course is fun but more difficult than most.  There are water streams and ponds running throughout the golf course, which really add to the beauty and difficulty of this course.  Everyone aside from my son and myself went on the go carts.  Must be 48" or taller to ride alone.  They really enjoyed themselves.  Chuckster's also has batting cages, jumpsters, a rock wall and arcade.  If you have younger children I would suggest holding off especially if they become easily frustrated.  When you are there be sure to check out the world's longest mini golf hole.  This would make for an excellent date night for Mom and Dad!

Review by:  Kristen Perrinez

Fun Spot, Laconia, NH (3 Smiles)

We went to Fun Spot today in Weirs and here is my review......

Date:  7/10/2010

Parking:  Plenty.  There was a large parking lot on one side and on the other side they had still more overflow parking.

Gate/Admission:  It is free to get in.   You can purchase tokens to play games or ride the kiddie rides.  You have to pay separately for golf (inside and out) and bowling.

Birthday Parties:  Yes

Bathrooms:  They have several bathrooms located on both floors.  They are unisex and the ones we used did not have changing tables.

Cleanliness:  We arrived early afternoon and stayed for about three hours.  The place was pretty clean.  The rugs could use some updating, but compared to many other arcades I have been to that are dark and dingy this facility was in great condition in comparison.  

Store:  They serve many of the popular fast foods.  With the order of a whole pizza you received 10 tokens free.  They also served salads, onion rings, hot dogs, drinks, etc.  There was a nice area to eat inside as well as outside.  We brought our lunch and ate at one of there many picnic tables they had available.

Overall:  Today was our first time at Fun Spot.  We had an enjoyable experience.  We played mini golf outside where my son won the last hole and a free round of golf.  We paid for our tokens which lasted about an hour and a half.  We spent $20 and received 100 tokens.  Next time I would probably not buy so many as towards the end he was restless and ready to go.  We had a problem with a couple of games and when we spoke with the workers they came right over and fixed the problem also giving us a few more tokens for our inconvenience.  They were all very polite.  The one issue I had with the games was winning tickets was not easy and you were not guaranteed to get a ticket even on the little kid games.  For example; at Chuck E Cheese all you need to score is 10 points to win a ticket at skee ball, but at Fun Spot you had to score 100 points. My son did not seem to mind, but I know some children can be sensitive when they do not win.  Overall we had a great time going to the world's largest arcade!

Submitted by:  Kristen Perrinez

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!

Amoskeag Fishways, Manchester, NH (3 smiles)

We went to the Amoskeag Fishways in Machester, NH today and here is my review.....

Date:  5/14/2009

Parking:  Plenty

Gate/Admissions:  There is no fee to get into the Amoskeag Fishways.  They do however, have a box that you can put donations into.  The staff is very kind and informative.

Birthday Parties:  I did not see anything listed for birthday parties.

Bathroom:  There are two bathrooms down stairs where you view the fish ladder.  I did not see a changing table.

Cleanliness:  Very clean.

Overall:  It is very small, but they have a lot to offer as far as family programs and events. (Check out their event list here).  They also offer a lot of education programs.  (Check out their educational programs here).  If you homeschool, they offer a programs for that too! (Check out the homeschool programs here).  My son enjoyed the fish ladder, where we saw four Salmon!  He also liked the snake, frogs and turtles.  We were there for about 35 minutes then he was ready to go.  After we went to Derryfield Park (you can read my review here).  

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.

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!

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 Yankee Siege, Greenfield, NH (3.5 smiles)

We went to the Yankee Siege Trebuchet today, October 12, 2008 and here is my review.....

Parking:  Plenty in a dirt lot or along the road.

Gate/Admissions:  NONE!

Bathrooms:  Port-o-potties

Cleanliness:  This event is held outside in a huge field!

Store:  They sell hotdogs, snacks and drinks.

Overall:  Normally I do not review events.  I may start now!  We had a great time at this event.

They start at 1:00 PM and go until 5:00 PM.  They chuck pumpkins about every 30 minutes. They are in operation only in September - October and weather permitting.  The trebuchet is huge!  It chucks pumpkins really far.  Like 1800'!  It's really cool.  On top the hill there is a castle and in between chucks you can go up to the castle and check it out.  It has cute little rooms inside.  There is a huge gate where the kids love to explore the underground tunnel!  I think everybody should check this out!  It's free!  Oh, and they give free wagon rides pulled by Oxen!  I added a short video below to give you an idea of how this thing works!

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.

Squam Lake Science Center, Holderness, NH (4.5 smiles)

We went to the Squam Lake Science Center in Holderness today and here is my review....

Date:  8/19/2008

Parking:  Plenty

Gate/Admission:  [$$$]  Very informative and kind

Birthday Parties:  Yes

Bathroom:  We used the one near the front entrance.  It was clean with a changing table.

Cleanliness:  The grounds and the exhibits are very clean.

Store:  It's not the typical trinket store.  This store is packed with local products, cool carvings, fun games for kids, lots of books and stuffed animals.  I could have spent much more time in there, but with a two year old you gotta keep moving.

Overall:  This is a great place to experience nature in New Hampshire in a truly natural setting.  Most of the animals that live there are orphaned, injured, or cannot survive in the wild.  The exhibits are beautiful and the animals are so well cared for.  The staff is very educated on the animals and love what they do.  The animals are amazing.  We love the Bear exhibit and the Mountain Lion exhibit.  They have a children's play barn with fun things to crawl into and on while learning!  Go figure.  This spot is a true gem right here in our backyard.  The trail is well maintained.  I saw strollers.  I would recommend a jogging type stroller, but I saw other strollers doing just fine.  There is a spot with picnic tables that you can sit and eat.  No food or drink is allowed on the trail.  Just keep that in mind when your heading out!  Have fun and don't forget your camera.

Mariposa Museum, Peterborough, NH (3.5 smiles)

We went to the Mariposa Museum in Peterborough today and here is my review....

Date:  8/8/2008

Parking:  Plenty around town.

Gate/Admission:  [$$]  The staff is extremely friendly and they explain programs, craft, exhibits, where to hang your jacket, etc.  It feels like you just walked into a family member's house.  They are very warm.

Birthday Parties:  No mention of birthday parties on their website.

Bathroom:  There are two.  Both are large.  One on the first floor and one on the second floor.  I did not see a changing table.

Cleanliness:  The museum is very clean.

Store:  They have really neat souvenirs for sale.  I wasn't able to really check them out, but they were very colorful and they looked interesting.  There is no food or drink allowed in the museum, so take care of that business outside :)

Overall:  If I had to choose one word to sum up the Mariposa Museum it would be colorful!  It is so bright and cheerful.  My son loved the drum on the first floor.  I am sure it has a name, but I did not notice.  They encourage hands on!  At two you have to be a bit careful as to what "hands on" should be!  My son likes everything and some of the exhibits there are geared for older children / adults.  They have a lot of marionettes that we found interesting and fun to play with and on the third floor there are a whole bunch of instruments.  They also have events so check out their website for show dates/times.  There is also a craft room with a lot of books!  We spent some time in the craft room at the miniature tree house.  Go explore the Mariposa Museum.  While in town check out Adams Playground.

Seacoast Science Center, Rye, NH (3 smiles)

We went to the Seacoast Science Center in Rye today, August 1, 2008 and here is my review....

Parking:  Plenty

Gate/Admission:  [$] The staff is very friendly.  Just a quick note on admission that I will mention is that we had to pay to get into Odiorne State Park then pay to visit the Science Center.

Birthday Parties:  Yes (ages 4 and up)

Bathrooms:  There are bathrooms inside the Science Center and bathrooms outside.  We used one that was inside and it had a changing table!

Cleanliness:  It was okay.  Not filthy, but not spotless.  It could use some sprucing up!

Store:  There is a typical nick-nack store inside.  I did not notice any vending machine.  There is no food or drink allowed inside the Science Center.

Overall:  I think this spot is best suited for school age children.  There is a touch tank that has starfish that the children can pick up.  There is a small toddler area with books and a few other small toys.  My son really liked the fish tanks.  They have benches that the kids can sit on and get a good close up view of the sea life in the tanks.  Outside you can walk on the rocks and find sea creatures or have lunch at one of the many picnic tables.  Some of the picnic tables are right there overlooking the ocean.  It is a beautiful spot.  There is a playground with two structures and swings.  There are plenty of trails!  Today there were a lot of mosquitoes.  Odiorne State Park is heavily wooded so bring your bug spray!  See my review on Odiorne State Park.

Liquid Planet, Candia, NH (4.5 smiles)

We went to Liquid Planet Water Park in Candia today, July 30, 2008 and here is my review....

Parking:  Plenty

Gate/Admissions:  [$$$$$] The staff is extremely friendly and helpful.   Normally I do not comment on park pricing, but I will here.  Check the website for pricing.  There is a discount after 2:00 pm.  I would suggest arriving after 2:00 pm to avoid the full day price and the buses.

Birthday Parties:  Yes

Bathrooms:  There are three bathrooms (men's, women's and a family room!).  We used the family room.  It was very clean with plenty of room to change.

Cleanliness:  This park just opened this season.  It's very clean.

Store:  They have a cute souvenir store that has a lot of merchandise for sale.  They also sell ice cream (in the package) and drinks.  There is an ATM in the store also.  They have a lunch shack which has a lot to choose from at reasonable prices.  Plenty of shaded seating outside to sit down and eat your lunch.

Overall:  My son loved this park.  I liked it also!  The area for the younger children is fabulous.  It's deep enough for them to get wet but it's not intimidating.  They have great sprinklers and bubblers for the kids to play in.  The small water slide structure has three slides.  The kids love it!  They have neat bouncy things to sit on that spray water and little seats for young children to bounce in.  The park itself is small which is great when you have little ones.  There is a small pool and two large water slides.  There are limited umbrellas around the pool area though.  They do not allow any outside food or drinks into the park.  Many parents pack a lunch and leave it in their vehicle.  They allow you to leave and come back in.  We enjoyed Liquid Planet.  Go check it out!

The Children's Museum of New Hampshire, Dover, NH (4 smiles)

We went to the Children's Museum of New Hampshire today, July 28, 2008 and here is my review...

Parking:  There is plenty behind the museum or along the street.

Gate/Admission:  [$$$] The staff is very friendly and informative.

Birthday Parties:  Yes

Bathrooms:  They have family style bathrooms on both floors with small toilets for the little ones (so cute) and changing tables.

Cleanliness:  This museum is brand new.  It was very clean.

Store:  There is a souvenir store with lots of neat and colorful toys.  There is a snack area with tables and a vending machine with a variety of snacks, juice, water and I noticed soy milk.  They do not serve food.

Overall:  This is a great place for all aged children.  There are some really neat exhibits with something for everybody!  Even the adults were participating in the fun!  The craft area is really nice with tables set up for all age groups.  Head up the ramp for a really nice spot for children 0-3.  My son loved the train table and the book nook.  Right out back is the town playground with shaded picnic tables (full sun on the playground). They do not allow strollers in the museum, but they do have a room for stroller parking.  Keep that in mind if you have a very young child and a toddler!   The only downfall for me was that there are no structures for children to play on/in.  Otherwise, I think this is a great place to check out.

SEE Science Center, Manchester, NH (3.5 smiles)

We went to the SEE Science Center today, July 22, 2008 and here is my review....

Parking:  There is a few spots reserved for the SEE Science Center but most likely you will be paying to park by meter.  There are quite a few of meter spots out in front of the building.

Gate/Admission:  [$$] Helpful.  No line, no waiting.

Birthday Parties:  Yes

Bathrooms:  There are bathrooms on both floors with changing tables.

Cleanliness:  It's clean.

Store:  No store.  There is a vending machine for drinks.  They have a small space set up for gifts/souvenirs.

Overall:  I liked it.  There is a small section for toddlers.  Most of the exhibits are for school age children.  They do have a bubble table that my son really liked.  It is two floors and it has an amazing lego display that is set up like downtown Manchester during 1915.  It's the largest permanent lego installation at minifigure scale in the world!  It's worth the visit itself.  Go check out SEE Science Center!

Meredith Children's Museum, Meredith, NH (2.5 smiles)

We went to the Meredith Children's Museum and here is my review....

Date:  7/7/2008

Parking:  Plenty

Gate/Admissions:  [$$$] Quite different then I have ever experienced.  A ball on the counter with a hole in the top and a sign that says "Pay Wilson".  Really!  Then a man comes around when nobody pays Wilson and collects the admission.

Birthday Parties:  No mention of parties on their website, but I remember seeing a private function room in the basement.  If your interested in a party here, I would call them directly.

Bathrooms:  Scary!  They are located downstairs where it's dark and quite a walk from the main areas.  There is a changing table in the bathroom that looks quite old but it works.  

Cleanliness:  This place needs a good scrubbing and some general clean up and repair of the toys/structures.

Store:  None

Overall:  It's really sad to say, but I would not go back unless I was in Meredith with nothing to do.  It is too bad because it has a lot of potential and they have some great things for the kids to play with / play on.  Unfortunately, there has been little, if any, maintenance to this place.

Stonewall Farm, Keene, NH (4 smiles)

We visit the Stonewall farm often.  Here is my review....

Date:  7/7/2008

Parking:  Plenty, dirt lot.

Gate/Admissions:  NONE!!

Bathrooms:  There are a few outside and one inside.  The one inside is the one I used.  It has a changing table and running water to wash hands.

Birthday Parties:  Yes (Personally, I can't think of a better spot for a party of any kind!)

Cleanliness:  Pretty clean for a farm.  I do have to tell you though that my son and I did take a trail off the beaten path and he stepped in a cow patty!  Yuck.  Other than that it's pretty clean.

Store:  There is a farm stand in the summer.  I saw a sign for one in the main building, but I haven't seen it yet.

Overall:  I really like the Stonewall Farm and here's why...it's free, the animals are healthy and happy and my son can pet the calves.  He loves the calves!  They have beautiful horses, sheep, cows (and calves), chickens and bunnies!  There are spots to donate if you decide to do so.  They have a few picnic tables if you decide to bring a lunch.  There is a green house (I haven't been in it yet).  There is a small playground and a babbling brook that my son loves to throw rocks into!  This is a wonderful place for kids to check out a working farm and enjoy the animals!

Kaleidoscope Children's Museum, Manchester, NH (4 smiles) - CLOSED

Kaleidoscope closed 8/14/2011

We visited the Kaleidoscope Children's Museum and here is my review.....   

Date:  1/9/2011

Parking:  It can be difficult to find parking in the lot when you visit during 9am - 5pm as the lot is shared with other businesses.  There is pay to park though along the road.

Gate/Admissions:  [$$$] Friendly and informative.

Birthday Parties:  Yes.  A beautiful room to host parties.

Bathrooms:  Clean with changing tables!

Cleanliness:  Very clean.  I have seen the staff wiping toys down with a solution and have been told that they are all green!  Wonderful.  The staff is always cleaning up and rearranging the toys.

Store:  They have a cooler with water and juice (no milk) and they also have a great selection of neat toys.  Mostly wooden and educational toys.  No peanuts products allowed in this facility.

Overall:  I really like the Kaleidoscope because they are so clean and the space is set up really nice.  The museum is in an old mill building and the space is amazing.  There are a few structures for climbing, a puppet show area, a kitchen, a vet's office, soft climbing area for little ones and a great pirate ship that my son loves.  Kaleidoscope also offers a bunch of classes.  Check out their website for more information here.

**updated from Concord (closed location) to Manchester location