There are lots of great places in Columbus to take kids but number one on my list was the Center of Science and Industry or COSI. It has been in place since Lee and I were kids and although it continuously reinvents itself there is another nostalgic items for those of us who have been around awhile to really feel at home. Plus it was one of my kids favorites when they were little and I have tons of memories and pictures from visiting there.
In order to beat the crowds, Jeremy, Kyrston, Oliver and I arrived right on time and immediately went to the kids area on the top floor. This area has improved and evolved since my kids were little but still has a wonderful vibe. The coolest thing about this part is learning is always at the forefront and making it fun and teaching kids is what COSI is all about.
This space is pretty similar to many other children museums, but they have kept my favorite area which was the water space. My kids would spend lots of time in this area and I was thrilled it not only still existed but also was improved. It made my heart lift to put Oliver in a waterproof smock and let him go crazy just like Kyrston did at that age.
The kids area is great but the other areas are for both grownups and kids and we all had a blast. Jeremy is a science guy and it didn’t take long for him to join in on the fun.
Each area has it’s own theme and one of my favorites that was new to me was the dinosaur area. Not only did they have dinosaur bones, but also recreations using fur or feathers to clothe the dinosaurs based on recent scientific theories. Seeing a velociraptor look like a giant chicken was pretty interesting and much less scary that Jurassic park!!
The other favorite section was the ocean which had more water features for the bigger kids and a small submarine that Jeremy actually got into with Oliver. No way for me but they had a great time.
Throughout the museum there were new exhibits mixed in with some older ones that I remembered from taking the kids. They even had the two disc’s you can talk to each other with which Lee remembers trying out in the fourth grade. My favorite was the car on a giant lever which you can lift with a rope. Again fun and educational and there was plenty for everyone.
At the very end Oliver got to pick one toy and ultimately he selected a cool robot that acts like a Rhumba and turns when it hits things. I also let Jeremy pick any science kit he wanted so he and Oliver could work on it when they got back to the house. I later learned Oliver woke Jeremy up the morning after they got home and wanted to play with it right away. The trip was seriously everything I could have hoped for and we added a nice page to the scrapbook I keep for my adventures with Oliver and for me at least it was the highlight of my week.
The whole week was really special and I am so thankful to everyone who helped make it happen.
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