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EAT, DRINK & PLAY   -   GET OUT OF TOWN
Get Out of Town! - Kidspace Children's Museum
Fun for Every Age
June, 2007 - Issue #32
If your kids ever ask if they can crawl through an ant hole, get behind the wheel of a Toyota Land Cruiser or see eye to eye with a scorpion, don't panic.

These are perfectly safe and completely normal activities. They're quite convenient, too. Visiting Kidspace Children's Museum in Pasadena will satisfy all three requests and wow your young ones with other exciting, hands-on activities.

Located on a gently-sloping three-acre site across from the Rose Bowl, Kidspace's two exhibition pavilions and outdoor gardens and play areas are made for exploring. Unlike adult museums, Kidspace emphasizes doing instead of looking. Ant farms are interesting to observe, but wouldn't you rather crawl into the hole?

My 4-year-old daughter Laurel hesitated at first. At the entrance to the kid-sized burrow, her cousin Emily, 7, urged her inside.

Getting There
Take the 5 south to the 210 east. Exit at Seco Street. Turn right at Seco Street. Turn left at Arroyo Boulevard. Turn left into Parking Lot 'I'.

Hours
Daily, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visit website for closures due to football games at the Rose Bowl.

Cost
$8 for adults and children. Kids under 1 are free.

Contact
Kidspace Children's Museum
480 N. Arroyo Boulevard
Pasadena 91103
626-449-9144
www.kidspacemuseum.org

Rocky Cola Cafe
Exit the 210 at Ocean View Boulevard. Go south. Turn left on Montrose Avenue. Located at corner of Montrose and Honolulu Avenue at 2201 Honolulu Avenue. 818-249-2233
"You go first," Emily said. Laurel didn't budge.

"She's too scared," Emily said to me.

"I'm not," Laurel said. They finally crawled inside and I walked back up the stairs to see them emerge smiling and laughing.

They continued on to a 40-foot climbing tower that resembles a wisteria vine. The over-sized green leaves form a spiral staircase that winds toward the ceiling. Emily hustled to the top and proudly waved at me, but Laurel held back.

"These are not really safe," Laurel explained, with all the authority a 4-year-old can muster. I guess she wasn't impressed with the quality of the safety netting that wraps the tower from floor to ceiling.

When Emily went back up, Laurel decided to risk it and scaled the tower. Having summitted and returned safely, she declared, "Dad, I went to the top, too!"

While the girls were busy climbing, April helped our 2-year-old son Drew into a vintage Toyota Land Cruiser that anchors "The Dig," a paleontology exhibit featuring hats, vests, dig tools and wire brushes. He was content just to sit behind the wheel and imagine the excitement life will hold when he gets his driver's license in 14 years.

He finally relinquished the driver's seat and we headed into a darkened, black-lit cave full of creepy crawlies. The millipedes, hissing cockroaches and a whiptail scorpion were all safely contained in glass-enclosed habitats mounted at kid's-eye level.

Next to the cave is a beehive with a window for a wall. The kids stood fascinated watching the bees work while some made their way in and out of the hive via a tube running up through the ceiling.

Bee watching only lasts so long. Soon, the kids were on the move again. We eventually made it outside, where wide winding walking paths invite little legs to run. They slowed down briefly to try the Spider Web Climber, a large rope web suspended just off the ground, but nothing kept their interest until we reached the Root Wad.

Just like the name implies, the Root Wad looks likes a plant's root system set above ground, with the addition of two dozen or so kids clambering all over it. The rubbery, intertwined branches were irresistible, even for 14-month-old Brooke.

A glance at my watch showed lunchtime looming. It was time to feed our excited and soon-to-be ravenous brood. We skipped the museum's Nestle Cafe, which is probably tasty given that it's run by Wolfgang Puck Catering.

Instead, we opted for the Rocky Cola Cafe, a safe place to bring a pack of hungry youngsters. Its cushy red vinyl booths are spacious, and the oldies tunes to match its '50s theme help drown out any rambunctious outbursts.

It was the perfect ending to a very fun day. And judging by the enthusiasm everyone displayed, I'm sure we're in store for similar days - ones that start with, "Daddy, can I climb the leaves today?" To which I will respond, "Only if you think if it's safe."

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Eric Harnish is a Newhall resident.
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