Playing Scientist

I am fond of making plans, and I am equally fond of cancelling them. Actually, that isn't true. While I frequently cancel plans, I'm always deeply dissatisfied when I do. And yet, I still do it...all the time.

Last week, I almost did it. I planned to take the kids to the Calvert Marine Museum. I had an itch to go after spying sea otters on my parents' pier for the first time in ten years, and since the museum has a pair of otters it seemed like a fun idea. Then I discovered that on Friday they were having their twice annual home school day, so it seemed perfect.

However, when I woke up Friday to snowy weather, the prospect of trying to get four kids out of the door by nine seemed impossible and completely unappealing. Plus, the last time that I tried to take my kids to a museum did not go so well. I called my mom to bag the whole thing, but then called her back three minutes later to say wait, wait, I changed my mind. Let's go.

So we went.

And I am so glad we did.

Sena, generally, loves museums of all varieties. It's easy to engage her. Her nerdiness runs deep. Gus, however, is pulled in as easily. So the fact that he loved the place meant a lot. There were lots of hands on activities, and the museum had undergone massive growth since the last time I was there when Gus was a baby and Sena was a toddler. The giant Megalodon hanging from the ceiling of the Paleo Hall was definitely a highlight. And Arlo enjoyed pushing any and all buttons he could find.

It's pretty awesome having such a beautiful museum dedicated to our specific part of the Chesapeake. I think that was part of the appeal for Gus; he wasn't learning about far off places that he can't particularly relate to. He was learning about his backyard.

The weather did keep us from checking out the sea otters though, so we are going to have to head back once warm weather comes round these parts in earnest.

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