Last week was Maura’s April vacation from school and we put the time to good use. Except for Tuesday, when Maura had a dentist appointment, we had a fun outing every day she was off from school. I’ve already written about our first outing, down to Cape Cod to go hiking on Monday. On Wednesday we visited one of our favorite haunts, the Children’s Museum. On Thursday was a trip to Weymouth’s annual April Vacation Carnival. On Friday Jennifer took the afternoon off and we took another family hike, this time in the rugged terrain of the Blue Hills Reservation.
We arrived in Downtown Boston on our Wednesday outing in time for an early lunch and a visit with Jennifer at her office building before we went to the museum. Though it rained later in the afternoon the weather was beautiful when we arrived in Boston so Maura and I ate our baloney sandwiches on the Greenway. Because it was Earth Day there was an event going on and we enjoyed listening to a rhythm band and watching stilt walkers as we ate our lunch. Afterwards we met Jennifer for a stroll and desert which she brought with her from an office party. Her building was having an Earth Day event in the lobby and we picked up some biodegradable swag. The Children’s Museum was as usual noisy, chaotic and crowded. Maura had a wonderful time. There were no new exhibits of note but there were a few Earth Day demonstrators there as well and Maura got a piggy bank for her collection.
Thursday morning we spent at home because we had a coupon for an unlimited ride bracelet that started at 2 pm. Maura was very excited all morning. Julie Tittler and Peter came over to join us at the carnival. Maura loves carnival rides and she had a great time, though she couldn’t convince Peter, who is four, to ride any rides with her. Maura is big enough to ride almost all of the carnival rides by herself now, including some of the really wild ones. I didn’t ride with her this time. I would have had fun doing but I wanted to save a little money. I did play a carnival game to win Maura a prize. I won a plush husky puppy throwing darts at balloons. Sometimes it’s worthwhile to spend ten dollars for a two dollar stuffed animal.
On Friday Maura had hot dogs from Windy City Eats for lunch and then went to pick Jennifer up at the T-station. Since we forgot our Blue Hills trail map we went to reservation headquarters to pick up a new one and started our hike from there. We hiked for about three hours, out on the very rugged Skyline Trail and a longer and flatter route back. The weather was almost perfect and the hike was wonderful. It’s really great to get out and get some outdoor exercise on a perfect spring day. We were all exhausted by the time it was over though. The steep and rocky terrain is hard on knees and ankles.
April vacation made me look forward to summer. Maura has a few weeks of activities planned over the summer, she’ll be attending a day camp at one of town parks one week and spend a week apart from us with her grandparents in Indiana and another week with us. We will both be home for most of the summer and I plan on taking her on lots of outings.
Showing posts with label Boston Children's Museum. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Boston Children's Museum. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Friday, September 19, 2008
A Quiet Day, Tuesday September 16th
Maura had no school on Tuesday. It was state primary election day and our school system always schedules a teacher development day on election days for the safety of the students and the convenience of the voters. We decided to make a trip to the Children’s Museum. Because of our membership the outing would be very inexpensive. The cost of the museum visit was already paid for, as was Jennifer’s transportation and six-year-olds ride the T for free. Only my T fare had to be paid for, though we had trouble scrounging enough money for it and still leave enough for a few gallons of gas in the almost empty tank of the car.
Once we determined that there was enough money for my T fare we headed for our bus stop. We thoroughly enjoyed the rest of our morning. Maura loves the Children’s Museum any time. Weekdays during the school year are the best times for adults to tag along. The museum wasn’t crowded and the noise level was much lower than it is with a crowd. I was saved a headache and Maura didn’t have to wait to have a turn at many of the exhibits. Even the art studio wasn’t packed, though we did have to wait a few minutes when it was closed for lunch. Maura enjoyed her usual favorite exhibits and especially the art studio, always one of the highlights of our visits. On this trip we made paper beads from old magazines. They were easy and fun to make and in no time we had enough for a fairly long string of colorful beads. The only down side to our trip was that Maura was tired at soccer practice and wasn’t in the mood to run or pay attention to her coach.
Once we determined that there was enough money for my T fare we headed for our bus stop. We thoroughly enjoyed the rest of our morning. Maura loves the Children’s Museum any time. Weekdays during the school year are the best times for adults to tag along. The museum wasn’t crowded and the noise level was much lower than it is with a crowd. I was saved a headache and Maura didn’t have to wait to have a turn at many of the exhibits. Even the art studio wasn’t packed, though we did have to wait a few minutes when it was closed for lunch. Maura enjoyed her usual favorite exhibits and especially the art studio, always one of the highlights of our visits. On this trip we made paper beads from old magazines. They were easy and fun to make and in no time we had enough for a fairly long string of colorful beads. The only down side to our trip was that Maura was tired at soccer practice and wasn’t in the mood to run or pay attention to her coach.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
The Children's Museum, Tuesday August 12th, 2008
With a steady rain falling, I drove Maura and I to the T-station, stopping on the way to purchase a small umbrellas, since we didn't have one handy and it promised to rain all day. As it happened, the rain stopped and barely used the umbrella, but we probably would have needed it if we hadn't had it.
After a quick stop by the building where Jennifer works to deliver a forgotten lunch we headed to Quincy Market to get lunch for ourselves. It might not have been a good choice. We had a fine lunch of clam chowder followed by gelato bought from two of the many food stands inside the central market building. I let Maura pick what we would have and she was not disappointed. I was a bit shocked, though, by how much we spent. The food was delicious and the service wasn't bad despite the crowds and the fact that we were eating at a lunch counter, but the bills seemed high even for Boston.
When lunch was over we deviated from out original plan of visiting the Old State House and headed for the Children's Museum instead. Since I got a membership the last time we went the Children's Museum won't cost us any more for the rest of the year. It was a few extra blocks but Maura doesn't mind walking and I don't think she was disappointed.
At the Museum we enjoyed a few special events. We saw a demonstration of Chinese martial arts put on as part of Boston's China summer of Chinese related cultural events on the occasion of the Beijing Olympic Games. The demonstration was fascinating, to Maura as well as to me. Afterward we picked up a Department of Conservation and Recreation Park Passport and a poster of the stamp designs for it, signed by the artist.
Shortly after that we headed home. I was finding the noise and chaos of the Children's Museum a little hard to deal with and was starting to get a headache. Maura wasn't ready to leave but she didn't give me any trouble. She's starting to learn that complaining doesn't help and knows that I will take her back again.
After a quick stop by the building where Jennifer works to deliver a forgotten lunch we headed to Quincy Market to get lunch for ourselves. It might not have been a good choice. We had a fine lunch of clam chowder followed by gelato bought from two of the many food stands inside the central market building. I let Maura pick what we would have and she was not disappointed. I was a bit shocked, though, by how much we spent. The food was delicious and the service wasn't bad despite the crowds and the fact that we were eating at a lunch counter, but the bills seemed high even for Boston.
When lunch was over we deviated from out original plan of visiting the Old State House and headed for the Children's Museum instead. Since I got a membership the last time we went the Children's Museum won't cost us any more for the rest of the year. It was a few extra blocks but Maura doesn't mind walking and I don't think she was disappointed.
At the Museum we enjoyed a few special events. We saw a demonstration of Chinese martial arts put on as part of Boston's China summer of Chinese related cultural events on the occasion of the Beijing Olympic Games. The demonstration was fascinating, to Maura as well as to me. Afterward we picked up a Department of Conservation and Recreation Park Passport and a poster of the stamp designs for it, signed by the artist.
Shortly after that we headed home. I was finding the noise and chaos of the Children's Museum a little hard to deal with and was starting to get a headache. Maura wasn't ready to leave but she didn't give me any trouble. She's starting to learn that complaining doesn't help and knows that I will take her back again.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Our First Trip, August 5th 2008
We waited until 9:30 when rush hour was over before leaving the house for the day. A short walk brought Maura and I to the nearest MBTA bus stop. I plan to make as many trips as possible using public transportation. Parking in Boston still costs more than gas and I don't like to swear in front of my daughter, which are two excellent reasons for taking the T.
Our destination was a familiar one and one of Maura's favorite places since she was two--the Boston Children's Museum. It took us a little less than an hour to get there by bus and Red Line train, including the two block walk across the Fort Point Channel from South Station. In the plaza in front of the Museum we sampled bamboo shoots, which Maura didn't care for, and considered how we would spend our day. Then we went in to buy our tickets. I opted for a membership, partly as an early birthday present for Maura who will be turning six soon. We'll need to go seven times during the next year to get our money's worth and Maura will appreciate the more frequent visits then we've made during the last few years.
The purpose of the day's visit was to begin doing research for our book and we had come armed with notebooks for recording the day. I let Maura mostly pick our itinerary at the Museum. As usual she climbed the three story climber that graces the Children's Museum's lobby and then spent some time in the crowded and noisy exhibits near the museum entrance. Raceways, which teaches physics and the scientific method with rolling golf balls on various tracks, has always been a favorite. After a while we move to the slightly quieter and less chaotic exhibits upstairs.
At around 12:30 its lunch time. We're both hungry and I could use a while off of my feet. We buy hot dogs at the Hood Milk Bottle, now run by the Au Bon Pain restaurant in the Children's Museum. While we eat our lunch we enjoy watching the sparrows steal food right out of the pigeons beaks.
After lunch we pick up free tickets to the next Kidstage showing of The Three Little Pigs. Maura's seen Kidstage shows before, but this was my first. It was an audience participation skit where the most of the cast was picked from the audience and the whole audience had lines. Maura and I had a good time repeating "Not by the hair of my chinny chin chin," together.
After the show we headed back upstairs. We checked out the new (and temporary) China exhibit, the Children of Hangchow which features kids from Boston's sister city in China. Maura dressed up like an actress in a Chinese opera and enjoyed looking at stereo pictures of Chinese sites and at the model water buffalo and the video about a girl's visit to the country where she learns how to plant rice.
Our visit would not be complete without the obligatory visit to the art studio. On this trip Maura made a picture with water colors and crayons. She learned that if she painted over crayon the paint wouldn't stick to the crayon.
We left the museum at about 3:00 and headed for home. I wanted to be sure that I had time to make dinner after we got home but before I had to be at work in the evening. I also wanted to beat rush hour. I had made a list of questions to ask Maura after the trip but I never did. I was too tired and needed to rest. We'll be back at the Children's Museum again soon.
Our destination was a familiar one and one of Maura's favorite places since she was two--the Boston Children's Museum. It took us a little less than an hour to get there by bus and Red Line train, including the two block walk across the Fort Point Channel from South Station. In the plaza in front of the Museum we sampled bamboo shoots, which Maura didn't care for, and considered how we would spend our day. Then we went in to buy our tickets. I opted for a membership, partly as an early birthday present for Maura who will be turning six soon. We'll need to go seven times during the next year to get our money's worth and Maura will appreciate the more frequent visits then we've made during the last few years.
The purpose of the day's visit was to begin doing research for our book and we had come armed with notebooks for recording the day. I let Maura mostly pick our itinerary at the Museum. As usual she climbed the three story climber that graces the Children's Museum's lobby and then spent some time in the crowded and noisy exhibits near the museum entrance. Raceways, which teaches physics and the scientific method with rolling golf balls on various tracks, has always been a favorite. After a while we move to the slightly quieter and less chaotic exhibits upstairs.
At around 12:30 its lunch time. We're both hungry and I could use a while off of my feet. We buy hot dogs at the Hood Milk Bottle, now run by the Au Bon Pain restaurant in the Children's Museum. While we eat our lunch we enjoy watching the sparrows steal food right out of the pigeons beaks.
After lunch we pick up free tickets to the next Kidstage showing of The Three Little Pigs. Maura's seen Kidstage shows before, but this was my first. It was an audience participation skit where the most of the cast was picked from the audience and the whole audience had lines. Maura and I had a good time repeating "Not by the hair of my chinny chin chin," together.
After the show we headed back upstairs. We checked out the new (and temporary) China exhibit, the Children of Hangchow which features kids from Boston's sister city in China. Maura dressed up like an actress in a Chinese opera and enjoyed looking at stereo pictures of Chinese sites and at the model water buffalo and the video about a girl's visit to the country where she learns how to plant rice.
Our visit would not be complete without the obligatory visit to the art studio. On this trip Maura made a picture with water colors and crayons. She learned that if she painted over crayon the paint wouldn't stick to the crayon.
We left the museum at about 3:00 and headed for home. I wanted to be sure that I had time to make dinner after we got home but before I had to be at work in the evening. I also wanted to beat rush hour. I had made a list of questions to ask Maura after the trip but I never did. I was too tired and needed to rest. We'll be back at the Children's Museum again soon.
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