After being trapped inside this winter, your kids no doubt have serious spring fever and are bouncing off the walls, leaving you exhausted. Luckily, there is a cure! A heavy dose of playing with shape-shifting robots, discovering dinosaur bones and exploring underwater shipwrecks at The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis is just what the doctor ordered.
The treatment begins in an unusual place – the parking garage. If you think you hear a talking automobile out there, you aren’t imagining things (just make sure you don’t tell the kids ahead of time). The real thrill is inside the museum in our newest exhibit, TRANSFORMERS: ROBOTS IN DISGUISE™. Children and families are encouraged to choose between Autobots and Decepticons, then use these robots to test their problem-solving skills. Visitors will experiment to figure out how these robots magically twist, turn and contort into cars, animals or rescue vehicles.
Have a child who is acting out? Let them! At Inside Hollywood Film & TV: You’re on the Set! join the film crew and experience all the behind-the-scenes magic that happens before the director yells, “Action!” Watch your child fly through the air donning her superhero cape while she learns about green screen technology. Or, join in on the fun as your little guy hosts his own talk show. You and your children learn together how the lights, camera and action all come together.
More extraordinary acting takes place in Lilly Theater with live performances of The Paper Bag Princess. Based on Canadian author Robert Munsch’s book, this unusual story tells the tale of a princess who journeys to save her prince. Still, there is another uncommon twist: they don’t live happily ever after! This unpredictable musical is great for the whole family with a show time of 45 minutes (perfect timing for restless children).
If you are still experiencing spring fever symptoms, take the fun home with you! Make flipbooks like the ones in Inside Hollywood Film & TV: You’re on the Set! Or, take a lesson from TRANSFORMERS and expand upon it. Experiment with transformation by putting water into different shaped containers and freezing it. Your house is full of hidden treasures. Conduct a scavenger hunt by looking for objects that can be used or manipulated to use in a variety of ways. Some potential items might include: baking soda, vinegar, diapers, clothing pins, paper clips or dryer sheets.
Should the kids get antsy again with spring fever-like symptoms, gear up for racing action in Hot Wheels™: Race to Win. Just in time for the Indianapolis 500 and summer vacation, this exhilarating exhibit opens in May and explores speed, power and performance to see what makes cars go fast!
