Indonesian Digital News Archive: Science

Video: GoPro Goes To Alaska

I was very reluctant to post this video, mostly out of jealousy. You see, I was invited to go along on this GoPro trip to Alaska to study the Aurora Borealis, but had to decline due to a schedule conflict. I really, really want to join the team, but it was a fairly short trip that was overlapping with one that I had already signed on for. So, watching this video is just a reminder of what I missed out on, which isn't easy to take. Beautiful scenery, cool premise and amazing adventure. Maybe next time!

Great Falls Discovery Center

The Great Falls Discovery Center is a nicely kept little nature center, near the fish ladder and Unity Park, a decent playground with the only real see saw I've seen recently. I parked on the street, for free, right outside the Center. There is a cute little garden outside and well maintained yards, but this isn't really outdoor space for the kids to play.
The interior boasts many dioramas of local animal life, including several interactive features (buttons to push, a computer program to play with). However, for my 5 year old, the displays were quickly digested (especially because he has seen quite a lot of these kinds of exhibits). The most engaging area for the kids was a small table set up near the gift shop that held tadpole-to-frog models and books on the same subject. There are quite a few activities held there for the preschool set, though I haven't attended any yet.
The whole museum was clean, including the restrooms.
After exploring the Discovery Center we made our way to Unity Park, down the street. What appeared at first glance to be dilapidated turned out to be a pretty nice park! The equipment was a good mix of new and old, a pavilion provided shade for our snack, and the sport fields were in use, creating a nice community feel.

West Hartford Children's Museum

We've visited the West Hartford Children's Museum several times. It takes one hour exactly from our home, and is very close to the highway so it's easy to find. Parking is free, and though the lot has often been crowded I've always found a spot.

This museum really is a kid pleaser. A physics oriented room painted vividly is a big draw. Other features: A large fossil dig area with goggles and dress up vests, a surprising number of live animals (many snakes, lizards, turtles, and a few small mammals), a lego room, a toddler area, and some other fun nooks and crannies. The outdoor space is disappointing here, and I haven't seen much improvement over the course of my visits - though I allow there has been some. A dinosaur themed mini golf area had really gross old water that the kids kept fishing golf balls out of. My friend and I were appalled. Really Gross.

You can choose indoor seating for your snack, next to some exhibits and basic vending, or outdoor seating at picnic tables under a shade tent.

Admission is FREE with your Springfield Quadrangle membership.

Boston Museum of Science, Boston MA

We've visited this museum several times, and keep discovering pockets that we missed before. This is a large museum with exhibits that will fascinate kids from 1 on up. The youngest visitors will probably spend lots of time in the Discovery Center. Though only a corner of this enormous building, it has two floors of preschool age activities: a vacuum tube, various building materials, a strong blower, a water table, a bee hive, animal costumes, live woodland animals and insects, animal bones, hiding spots... those are the elements I can reel off without even thinking about it. Not comprehensive - so you can get an idea of how much the Discovery Center offers. The exhibits in the rest of the museum are too numerous to count. An electricity show is free with admission and is exciting. I still remember the climax of the show from my childhood, when lightening is created right in front of your eyes. The last time I took my children there, my oldest, at 4, did not have the attention span for the show so we'll try again next time.

Parking is extremely convenient and usually costs us $11. The garage is attached to the museum itself so even in winter weather it works out great. There is a large cafe with tons of food choices and copious seating. We choose to bring our lunch and then supplement with buying a treat there. It's really expensive. The other huge advantage is that by bringing your own food you are skipping the whole line experience. There are often large school groups, and it is always crowded. Once the kids' tummies are full they are ready to go.

If you are a member of the Springfield Science Museum/Springfield Quadrangle, your admission is FREE. And you don't wait in line, just continue on to the turnstiles, show your membership card and you are in the museum. That's it. Through the Association of Science and Technical Museums, the Springfield membership will privilege you to free admission at the Boston Children's Museum, the Ecotarium, the Boston Science Museum, and many more museums in other states. We have been members for several years now- our annual fee would be paid for in visits to the Quadrangle alone, never mind the aforementioned additional places.

Museum of Science

Grossology Exhibit, Springfield Science Museum, Springfield, MA

This exhibit was better than I expected it to be. My oldest, who is almost 5, liked it the most and utilized almost every display, except for one that really required reading. The activities spanned oversized "Operation," a climbing wall, a burping feature where you pumped soda up a straw until the machine burped (a favorite), video games and a fart noise maker. It really kept them occupied, though I was pretty bored. I get my share of gross raising my family, you know?

The exhibit is housed in the same special exhibit room that is usually used. Take the right hand staircase when you reach the double stair, or wheel up the African animal ramp then make a left.

The prices of the special exhibits keep going up, unfortunately. This time you'll spend $4 per person over 3 years old.

My post on Springfield Science Museum

Springfield Science Museum

Ecotarium, Worcester, MA (Update)

Our recent visit (June 2009) was a lot of fun. I found that exhibits had been changed/renewed since our last visit, sometime in the midwinter of 2008-2009.

We got to see the polar bear. The tree canopy was still not open. The person I spoke with said that there are pretty strict weight and height limits so my kids might not be eligible to do that yet anyways. We'll be back there soon - after several visits I am even more convinced of it's lasting interest. The boys played on the pirate ship in the toddler area for a good 45 minutes, a feature that had barely caught their eyes previously. There are plenty of corners to discover here.

Original Post:
We are very happy to have discovered the Ecotarium. Our admission is free with our membership pass to the Springfield Museums. After gaining admission at the front gate, the parking is free.

The museum itself is an interesting building with an eclectic array of exhibits. You'll enter at the top level, right by the gift shop. The shop is nice and they do have some smaller items. When we get our kids a treat we tend to want to spend $1 or so.

Walk down a curved staircase to the second level. More animal stuff, some dino stuff, a presentation area - on our first visit we saw an excellent owl presentation.

On the ground floor, there are live animals in the aquarium/terrarium area, lots of fun weather related exhibits. My husband's favorite feature is a tidal pool camera; by turning a dial you can watch hours of sea activity in mere moments. It is really cool to see the starfish and sea urchins moving in time lapse.

From the ground floor you exit to the grounds. This is the reason that the compound is such a wonderful destination. There are more animals in small, self contained buildings and environments throughout the grounds. We haven't seen the polar bear (!) but it has been fun to explore the trails.

The playground is fine - the rope ladder is an interesting feature & the sandbox is large.

There is a train - tickets are several dollars. We haven't gone yet.

The snack bar that is open only a few hours a day, so bring your food.

Ecotarium

Sunwheel, UMass, Amherst, MA

I accessed this spot from Amity street, but I believe you are also able to use the UMass Stadium entrance.
We were there on a sunny day, which I recommend since it dramatizes the rocks/sculptures/icons. The kids had a blast running around here, and spent a long time in the meadow of wildflowers just outside of the mowed circle that surrounds the monument.
The meadow and a small bridge create the sense of being in a park - a defined area. I liked this. We spent about an hour here. That's probably the upper limit of entertainment here, except maybe older kids who were more interested in the meaning of the Sunwheel. Or if you picnicked.

Sunwheel Website

Make a sunwheel at home

Astronomy and Spirituality

Dr. Spooky's, South Deerfield, MA

"I vill Suck zee Money out of your Wallet!"

Dr. Spooky's cost us $26.50 to get in with 2 parents and 2 kids . However, there were a lot of cool exhibits. Spiders, bats, birds, and rodents were the stars of this zoo. There was also a dinosaur section which included killing claw fossils (the second toe of many carnivorous raptors was elongated, curved, and razor sharp), a model of a large pterosaur, and a somewhat disappointing "dinosaur fight" where you basically go in a dark tent and they play a recording of roars and thundering footsteps. The store area had a lot of dinosaurs also. It was open to the rest of the museum (slightly annoying).

On one hand I would love to go back to see it again, on the other hand.... $26.50? I could take us all out to lunch.

Reasons to Look Under a Dead Log

1. Nature is not dangerous for children. Take commonsense precautions like sunblock and bug repellent, but if you find yourself on a path by a river on a gorgeous day in May, sunlight streaming through new, unfurling leaves - think of it as an extra dose of vitamin D and keep walking. I'll admit that when I had two children under 2, and when I had two children under 3, and now with three children under 5 - I avoid deep water because I feel it isn't safe with only one parent. There is no need to worry about wild animals or bugs. Hiking with kids is safer than a lot of other activities due to lack of motor vehicles.

2. Children do appreciate nature. Kids need you to model appreciation for nature - to call their attention to beautiful or fascinating aspects of the natural world. This pays off when your 4 year old spontaneously prays, "Thank You, God, for this day! The sky is so blue!" and your 3 year old pipes up, "Mom, I see a forsythia! It's a beautiful yellow forsythia, over there!" My kids love water - small streams that they can dam up with rocks and sticks, or still water to throw stones into. They love sticks, for walking, throwing, weilding, smacking - and in the open woods, they can have sticks. They will eagerly hunt for Signs of the Season, identify plant species and observe animals.

3. It's not difficult to introduce your children to nature. All you need to do is step outside. The book, Last Child in the Woods, makes a point that natural world is not a separate entity from an "artificial world" that you live in, but can be found immediately outside our doors and windows in most cases, if not down the street. Your yard probably contains plenty of plant species, bugs and worms, and you can see birds, squirrels, clouds, sun and moon. This book posits that continuity in observation of a familiar nature spot is more important than far flung exploration, climbing mountains, etc. Louv demonstrates the importance and lasting effect of watching a single area, for instance an empty lot at the end of a city block, or the ditch behind the grocery store where kids ride bikes - or your backyard.

4. There's a lot to do in every season. In our area, hiking can happen all year long, with the exception of really cold snaps where temperatures are in the teens and low twenties. Bundle the kids up, keep the activities short. Include short outdoor play sessions when you do another activity, like a museum or shopping. Snow is the ultimate play dough, blocks, art surface, science experiment... Kids are different - I have one that complains of the cold incessantly and another who will hardly wear his coat. Experiment with what works for your family, but don't stay in once the temperature dips below 50, or refuse to walk in the rain. A rainy day is a day you are living and breathing.

Richard Louv, Last Child in the Woods

Dead Log Activity Guide

Earth Week 2009, Western Massachusetts

I'll continue to add events that look good, as I find them.

At the Notch - (April 20) This is one that I'll definitely attend with the kids. I have always been pleased with nature programs here. (my post)

Review: We had a good time at this event. The leader, Ginny, was very welcoming and very prepared. The group was larger than usual and all the kids were excited about the program. Children searched for signs of spring and collected loose treasures in clear boxes that were provided.

At UMass - (April 22) Sounds like fun, with a petting zoo and other attractions. Parking might be hairy - but on a nice day, park in downtown Amherst and walk.

Review: We attended this event and found it fun. A collaborative painting on big planks of wood was set up, my kids rather liked the bubble machine, there was live music and free tea. This event could possibly have been a little better organized, (the main thing being that there was no petting zoo as promised...)

In Belchertown - (April 22) The Conservation Commission will be hosting a Nature Walk of Piper Farm on Earth Day.
Article in: http://www.belchertown-news.com/

In Belchertown - (April 25) Earth Day Celebration at the Clapp Library, 11-1. Sponsored by the Belchertown High School L.E.A.F. Club (Local Environmental Action Club)

At the Springfield Quadrangle - (April 19) Earth Day Festival. We attended last year and had LOTS of fun casting a fishing line, making paper, eating free ice cream, dancing to live music, and much more. (my post)

Review: We arrived around 12:30 and were able to enjoy the all of the above exhibits and activities, as well as visit the George Walter Vincent Smith Museum to make an elephant puppet (one kid), visit the Science Museum (the other kid). They do a great job on this event.

At Mt. Tom - (April 22) Earth Day for Families. Two times with different activities/age groups at each one. (my post)

Nature Programs with Rachel Roberts

We have attended a workshop given by Rachel Roberts at Northfield Mountain. We found it to be a great experience. There were multiple hands on projects, I mean half a dozen, not two! There were activities from complicated to simple. Rachel read two books and the kids enjoyed that also.

Below, I have copied the text of Rachel's email outlining the next 4 events that she will be leading:

The Greenfield Public Library presents "Sensational Seasons: Buds & Blossoms" a FREE workshop for families with young children. Join educator Rachel Roberts on Saturday, April 18 from 10:30-11:30 am in the Levanway Room for a workshop featuring games, books, and hands-on science and art activities exploring the parts and processes of plants in the springtime. To register, call Rachel at (413) 774-7290 or email robertsrml@verizon.net. This program is supported in part by a grant from the Greenfield Local Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.

The Great Falls Discovery Center presents "Discovery Science: Fascinating Frogs!" a FREE workshop for families with young children. Join educator Rachel Roberts on Thursday, May 21 from 10:00-11:00 am for a workshop featuring games, books, and hands-on science and art activities focusing on the fascinating life cycle of frogs. No pre-registration is required, so pop in! For more information, go to the Great Falls Discovery Center's website: http://www.greatfallsma.org/ . This program is supported in part by a grant from the Montague Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.

FOR SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN:

The Great Falls Discovery Center presents "Discovery Science: Playing with Plants" a FREE workshop for school-aged children. Join educator Rachel Roberts on Wednesday, April 22 from 10:00-11:00 am for a workshop featuring hands-on science and art activities focusing on the fascinating processes of plants. No pre-registration is required, so pop in! For more information, go to the Great Falls Discovery Center's website: http://www.greatfallsma.org/ . This program is supported in part by a grant from the Montague Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.

Join educator Rachel Roberts at Northfield Mountain Recreation & Environmental Center for an exciting FREE program exploring the parts and processes of plants in the springtime, "Nifty Nature: Buds & Blossoms" on Friday, May 8 from 10:00-11:30 am. Together we will read Susan Blackaby’s, “Buds & Blossoms” and do a variety of fun hands-on science and art projects connected with the book. We’ll learn about how plants respond to seasonal changes and look closely at their life-cycle. Weather permitting; there will be time to investigate buds, blossoms and other wildlife outside around Northfield Mountain (so dress appropriately). Pre-register by calling NMREC at 800-859-2960. This program is supported in part by a grant from the Northfield Cultural Council, a local agency supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.

Hitchcock Center, Amherst, MA

Near the Larch Hill Reservation and the Bramble Hill Farm, this low brown building houses a gem of a nature center. Not only a great selection of books for browsing (borrowing if you are a member), but a live turle, goldfish, stick bugs, madagascar hissing cockroaches, millipedes, and more. Stuffed (as in, taxidermically) animals surround you, animal-themed puzzled, puppets and toys abound. There's a clean restroom there. It is a small space. The storytime at 11 on Tuesdays is fantastic and includes a nature walk. The walk is usually well under one mile and geared toward the group on any particular day. It is guided and the children are engaged in nature study- finding tracks, buds or birds' nests.
Hitchcock Center
Hitchcock Center History

Bramble Hill Farm

Southwick Zoo, Mendon, MA

My visit here was two summers ago, on a hot hot day. The zoo was less impressive than I remembered it, having gone there as a child. However, the large visitor/science center was great, volunteers were holding millipedes and snakes; there were a lot of activities. If I return to this zoo I'll spend more time here. There were some charming features like a wooded area with a stream. My kids enjoyed the fox that they glimpsed through the trees.

There was a dinosaur section with large dinos you could ride, as well as an excavation area. Adjacent to this was an amphitheater; on the day of our visit a really awesome bird show was taking place but they were too young to go in at that point - specifically because a sign by the entry said that loud noises scare the birds.

The sea otters put on a wonderful show for us. A seating/vending/ride area had a train and a couple of other things that ranged from coins to a couple of bucks for the train. Waters were $2.

Parking was free, but the lot was pretty packed. Lots of buses, too.

Southwick Zoo

Lupa Zoo

Lupa Zoo (my post)

Dinosaur Footprints, Holyoke, MA

Pull of Rt. 5 onto a half circle parking area. Walk down a small hill and you'll find this sign, and actual, honest to goodness, dinosaur prints. There's a culvert with clean water running through, so there were some rock throwing opportunities. The river is in sight through some trees. We did not spend much time here as it was an adjunct activity.

Dinosaur Footprints (Trustees of Reservations)

Magic Wings Butterfly Museum, South Deerfield, MA

This is a truly magical experience. This large facility has a greenhouse filled with flowering plants, birds, lizards, and THOUSANDS of amazing butterflies.

Parking is free, the lot is large. You enter into an atrium filled with butterfly art and information. Off to the right is a cafeteria. The food prices are ok, not great. You are not supposed to bring outside food, but I have done so in the past without a problem. The last time I visited my middle son requested a dish of fresh pineapple, which I bought for him even though it was $2.50 - it was a pretty good deal as the pineapple was fresh (not canned) and fresh (cut that day) and the portion was fairly generous. There are two entrances to the butterfly area proper. One is through a gift shop - it looks lovely but is filled with countless butterfly decorations made of glass and other non-child friendly materials. I have steered as clear as possible. The other entrance leads through a bug zoo. Many glass cases contain insects of note, and the displays are really great. You will get a lecture on the rules of the butterfly sanctuary but, in short, don't run, don't kill, and don't touch.

Each tour gives you about an hour in the butterfly area, which is a good amount of time. Aides handle the lizards and bugs and allow kids plenty of opportunity to touch them and learn about them. In addition to butterflies, many lizards and birds are housed here.

Look out - it is HOT in here - about 85 degrees year round. Dress yourself and kids in light clothing. There is a coat closet in the main room that you enter into.

Restrooms were not memorable, so, fine.

Magic Wings

Dinosaur State Park, Rocky Hills, CT

In the late 60s, during excavation of a construction site, one worker noticed some dinosaur tracks in the rock. Turns out, this area is home to one of the best preserved sections of prehistoric footprints in North America. A large geodome was erected directly over the fossilized bedrock. The exhibits inside the museum were not very fascinating, but adequate. The largest exhibit features an indoor bridge across a dinosaur scene which incorporates models, wall murals, and sounds. The track exhibit explains how the fossils are formed and other relevant information. Several dioramas set into the walls show the terrain in various eras. The activity area was very well equipped with art supplies, lots of dino toys, puzzles, models, live lizards, books, etc.

The real prize of this museum is the network of trails outside. The woodland has been cultivated with Jurassic species so that it more closely resembles the terrain where Coelephysis roamed.

There is plenty of free parking.

The restrooms were not memorable - adequate.

There is no food for sale here, but indoor and outdoor dining areas are provided.

Dinosaur State Park

Public Parks in Rocky Hill

Rocky Hill Ferry

Museum of Natural History, Amherst College, Amherst, MA

I don't have a complete review because I sat in a side hallway with 8 day old baby boy the whole time. What I saw from the entrance to my spot was impressive. My husband and kids had a great time. We are looking forward to visiting again.
The parking situation is not great. I would use downtown Amherst metered parking or street parking, especially during the school year when the Amherst College lots are full.

Amherst College Museum of Natural History

Campus Map

Montshire Museum, Norwich, VT

We've visited this museum only once, but we will surely return. The main floor has numerous hands-on science exhibits as well as a toddler corner/climbing area with a ton of neat surprises (like a bear hibernating in a tunnel). The second floor has more educational exhibits for older children, an enormous ant farm and a stuffed moose! Up on the third level there is a fog machine and the exit to the outdoor portion of the museum. When we were there the weather was frightening, and we ventured no further than the trail head. It looks like a gorgeous network of trails with easy one mile hikes through much longer ones. The outdoor spaces here are really beautiful so we can't wait to go back. We had lunch in a diner nearby. No food is served at the museum though there is a cafeteria provided. I don't remember the restrooms, so I probably found them adequate.

Montshire

Springfield Science Museum, Springfield, MA

Parking is free - there are two lots, one directly in front of the ticketing area, and another across the street.

The Science Museum is the first building you'll see as you approach. This museum hosts the popular dinosaur exhibit once per year. Regular exhibits include an aquarium & terrarium area, many examples of stuffed animals, early American History, an Earth Sciences section, a planetarium (still looking forward to this - have removed myself due to crying both times I tried to take them in), and a dinosaur area.
The Science Museum hosts most of the special programs that are available at the Quadrangle. On certain days additional areas are opened - a really awesome activity room in the basement and a second area with art projects near the planetarium.

The gift shop is lovely, and set up pretty well so that the high end fragile stuff is on one side and the kid friendly stuff is on the other. Unfortunately it's impossible to avoid the gift shop because the seating area where you can have your lunch is literally inside the store. There are a few vending machines there, but otherwise no food for sale, so definitely bring your own. The restrooms are fine. The best one is the handicapped one located right in the entrance area.

We have a membership to this museum complex and it is a GREAT DEAL. The regular admission, the other museums that we can visit for free on the passport program, such as the Boston Children's Museum, the Boston Science Museum, or the Ecotarium. The special programs that they hold there, the permanent exhibits and the weekend family events... all of these make the membership very worthwhile for us.