boost!

Finally, our membership to the Science Museum of VA has paid off.  Each year we debate about joining.  It's a nice place to go when it's too hot, or when there's a new IMAX you can afford, or when there was a new temporary exhibit....but other than that, the kids knew all the exhibits and it seemed that half of them were always broken.

But Friday, they unveiled their newest permanent exhibit...stating it had been 10 years since their last one.  Well, about time!

We went to the members only preview. (Note to self: if you're not doing the members only stuff, then there's really no point to being a member.)

The first thing you see when you walk in...a tight rope!



The kids must have done this one hundred times.  See that green glowing light behind Diego?  To me, that's one of the coolest parts...you are given a chip when you enter that you have to scan each time you do an activity.  When it's green, you can start.  The chip collects data about how fast you can do the challenges, and then you can better your score, or compare yourself to others.



The kids did this singing station briefly, but I don't think we really got it the first time around.  You can make your own music video and then watch it.  I took this photo because these two have been getting along AMAZINGLY.  Much less fighting than I expected so far this summer.



Juggling scarves, who knew?  It's so much fun and even I can do it!



Check that out, Mom!



Loved this quote on the wall.



This musical section is so cool....you can make your own beats using the screens, and the instruments mounted in front of you and up high will play according to what you've programmed.  Loud and fun.



Don't do it, Joaquin!  I thought they should have some alarm or shock or something if you push it, don't you?




Healthy eating is also a part of the exhibit.  Here, Diego is trying to make trays of food on a conveyor belt...it spits out the pieces at the end.



Carmen hung out in her stroller and even managed to fall asleep for part of it.



There's lots of visual games, too.  The boys hogged this one where you had to memorize which tiles were lit up on a grid.



How small can you make your body?  Joaquin could fit into a surfboard case.



There's even a yoga challenge.  The best part is how active each exhibit is.  Each time you do it, it will be different for you.





We left happy after two hours in only this one part of the museum.  That's a first for us!  I'd say the new Boost! exhibit is worth it!