shenandoah valley discovery museum.

We've recently discovered our love of children's museums, so I wanted to share some of our favorite things about each one that we visit. We went to the Shenandoah Valley Discovery Museum today for a birthday party and had the best time! Even if you're not going as part of a group, the admission price is very inexpensive for hours worth of fun!

First of all, the fact that birthday parties are a possibility here are an excellent alternative to the not-to-be-named overdone options that parents dread. The kids had a great time celebrating and learning together!

The layout of this kids' museum is on multiple floors (with elevator access), including the roof! Each level has different activities that tie into the theme of that particular floor. Some of Nathan's favorite activities included:

Apple Packing Shed -- learning about pulleys, how to make 'work' easier, gathering apples, putting them through the 'machine'

Climbing Maze - a maze that replicates the path through the human body, the exit of which made me giggle like I was five (lucky that my five year old didn't 'get it')

Health Works -- from climbing through an ambulance, to seeing how an x-ray works, to playing doctor, this area was a huge hit!

Newton's Cradle -- because what kid wouldn't like this?

Lego's -- my kiddo is obsessed! This table was his happy place!

Triceratops Skeleton -- a huge hit with Nathan because he loves the Little Critter book about the lost dinosaur bone

If you're looking for a fun and educational family outing, I highly recommend this location!