Play and Explore at the Stepping Stones Museum

A few months ago, Groupon ran a deal for a four pack of tickets to Stepping Stones Museum in Norwalk.  Though a trip to this museum would require a bit of a trek for me from West Hartford to Litchfield County, the museum looked pretty fun, so I knew I needed to try it out.

Given the long drive, I decided to go when my husband could come with me and the kids. Our adventure took place this past Sunday and we headed out early in the morning so that the kids would nap while we drove and so we would arrive when the museum opened at 10.

The parking was FREE and the lot was fairly empty when we got there, but the emptiness didn’t last for long.

We headed into the museum and went straight to the large closet to hang up our coats and store any extra supplies we brought, but didn’t want to carry around.  {I think that guy was wondering why in the world I was taking a picture of a closet.  I don’t blame him.}

We went to check in with our Groupon pass.  I was certainly happy we weren’t paying the regular price for entrance.  It is a bit steep.  But if you have a membership there or with another museum offering the reciprocity program, the cost becomes much more reasonable.

We received a map of the museum and were pointed in the direction of Tot Town.

I recently learned from a friend that the museum underwent a major renovation last year {thanks for the info, Catherine!}  I checked and the renovation was a $17 million dollar renovation and expansion!  No wonder the place is so nice!

Anyways, so we headed over to Tot Town  to check out the area designed for the 0-36 month crowd.

First stop was a parking lot for strollers.  You definitely couldn’t bring a stroller in Tot Town.  Most other areas of the museum a stroller would be ok, but they definitely ask that you not bring a stroller if at all possible.  It is requested that strollers be used for sleeping babies only not for general kid transport.  But I did see some parents with multiple non-walkers using a stroller in the main part of the museum and this did not seem to be a problem.

Time to head into Tot Town.

Once we entered, we found that there was even another area specifically designed for non-walkers.  We dropped off our diaper bag and took off our shoes before we entered.

This area had lots of fun activities for the little ones.

Bruiser was very entertained by this elephant.  It blew air out of its trunk and a ball would balance on the end.  Bruiser preferred to remove the ball and have the air blow in his face.

Sparkles practiced ballet at the bar, tried on the spider costume, was entertained by the fish tank, played peek-a-boo with her dad, and checked out the interesting toy in the big orange room.

Here are a few other pictures of this fun area.

If I was a member here, this is where I would have all of my playdates!

After playing in the pre-walker area, we got out to explore the rest of Tot Town.  There was so much to see and do in this area.  I simply didn’t get enough pictures to capture all of the fun.  There was a big tower with stairs on one side leading to an upstairs kitchen and a slide on the other side.  Underneath was a little hide-away only big enough for the young-ins.

Then there was an automotive area with cars to race and tools to build.  Plus plenty of Legos (always a crowd pleaser).

Then onto the arts and entertainment area.  There was a keyboard you can play with your feet, lots of dress up costumes, a giant microphone, and fun costume dressing areas.

Then these two had to try their hand at the fishing area.  They didn’t catch a thing, but they sure look cute!

We really could have stayed in Tot Town all day, but I knew I needed to see the rest of the museum, for myself, and for our readers!

Next stop was the Energy Lab which was full of these amazing water features.  This exhibit was really for the slightly older kids, but my one-year olds enjoyed themselves as well.  We carried them around and let them splash in the water, play with the colored balls, and they were fascinated by the different experiments the older kids were doing.

But before we get there, the first step was to put on a little lab coat.

Then they had an opportunity to explore all of the energy related exhibits.  There was rushing water everywhere with balls floating throughout.  The kids could build a dam and then watch how the water and the balls flew down the shoot when the dam was released. They could create wind power to move the balls and all sorts of other science experiments could be conducted.  The children in here were having a lot of fun.  Most of the parents were pretty entertained as well.

Also note that the energy lab is another area where you definitely cannot bring a stroller.  It is just not accessible.  If I had been by myself with my two non-walkers, we would not have been able to go here.

Following the Energy Lab we went on to check out the rest of the museum.  There was still so much to see and do.  We were on a bit of a time crunch with the little ones, though, so we didn’t get into as much of the details in the rest of the museum as we did for the first two exhibits.

There was an area called Healthyville that had activities related to eating well and exercising.  I saw kids practicing Karate, shopping for fruits and vegetables, climbing a rock wall and practicing their snowboarding skills.

There was also an area called Build It! and ColorCoaster that we saw from a distance but did not get a chance to explore.  There is great information about these exhibits on their website, though.

We did venture down to the Multimedia  Gallery.  The kids were having a really great time in here.  There was a computer generated band playing and a dance floor covered in lights that was filled with little ones “cutting a rug”.  It was too dark in there to get any good pictures, though.

On our way back from the Gallery, we went through the Light Gallery.  I’m sure there were some interesting things to learn in this area, but for our two, it was just a huge long hallway to crawl down.

Hi twin.

About this time it was 11:30.  We were planning to grab lunch in the Bulls Head Market Cafe, so I thought it might be a good idea to go ahead and eat now.  It turns out that was a good call.  Though I neglected to get ANY pictures of the cafe and eating area (what was I thinking?) it was a great place to grab a bite for lunch.

There were many tables and they even opened up a second section of tables around 12 when it got really crowded.  When we got there at 11:30 there were plenty of tables (and high chairs) to choose from.  By 11:45, the place was packed.  High chairs were a very hot commodity.  I think I only saw about six.  This was actually really surprising to me given that it is a children’s museum.  Hopefully they can invest in some more high chairs in the near future.

For lunch, we got the kids some chicken fingers and sweet potato french fries.  I got an actually yummy chicken sandwich and my husband got a decent turkey sandwich.  You could grab a pre-made sandwich or order something from the grill.  There was a decent selection for a little cafe.  We also saw many people who had brought in their own food which was definitely not an issue.

After lunch, it was a quick trip to the bathroom for a diaper changing session.  There was a family bathroom in the cafe area which was very convenient and equipped with a baby changing area.  The other restrooms in the building all had baby changing stations as well. Their website also mentions that they have “diaper changing kits” in the museum store if a diaper emergency arises.

After the kiddos were all cleaned up, it was back to Tot Town for a little more fun before heading home.

I’m not sure why Sparkles isn’t smiling here.  I promise she was having fun 🙂Before we left we took a peak in the Age of Reason Museum Store.  The store was actually filled with lots of wonderful toys.  Definitely worth checking out if you are looking for a unique toy for your little one.

Overall, I think this museum is definitely worth the trip.  Even my little ones were thoroughly entertained with all the activities available.  As a twin mom with two non-walkers, I definitely needed a second set of hands to help with managing the little ones, but once they are of walking age, I could certainly take them here on my own.  We also need to come back when the weather warms up a bit, because I hear the outside Exhibit, the Celebration Courtyard, is lots of fun as well.  This museum is definitely a must-see.

THE MOMSENSE:

Stepping Stones Museum for Children

303 West Avenue, Norwalk, Connecticut

(203) 899-0606

info@steppingstonesmuseum.org

Website: http://www.steppingstonesmuseum.org

 

Hours & Admission

Open Tuesday through Sunday 10:00 am – 5:00 pm

Open on Mondays during the summer

Special Member Hours Wednesdays and Saturdays 9:00 am – 10:00 am

Free admission on the first Thursday of every month from 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Museum closes at 3:00 pm Easter Sunday, Independence Day, Thanksgiving Eve, Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve

Museum is CLOSED Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day

—————————–

Adults $15
Children $15
Children under 1 FREE
Seniors (over 62) $10
Members FREE

Parking FREE

Membership information can be found HERE.

Hints & Tips:

• There are some great visitor tips available on the Stepping Stones website here.
• There are exhibits available for children from infant to 7+ years.  Their website has a breakdown of exhibits by age which you may find helpful.  Check it out here.  Like with most museums, though, you really don’t get your money’s worth until your children are proficient walkers and can really get around and explore.
• Try not to bring a stroller.  You certainly would not be able to take a stroller into Tot Town or the Energy Lab.  There is stroller parking available, but it is limited.  If you have a baby that you need to carry while older ones are enjoying the museum, the best option is probably to bring a baby carrier.
• Dress casually and wear comfortable shoes.  Also plan to get a little wet in the energy lab.  kids + water = water EVERYWHERE.  They do have waterproof “lab coats” for the kids and there are dryers available when you leave the exhibit.
• Bring your own snacks and food with you and enjoy in the cafe.  Keep these items in the coat room until you need them.
• Admission to the museum is FREE on the first Thursday of every month from 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
• If you’re considering museum membership, be sure to check out the reciprocal children’s museum pass that will also allow access to hundreds of other children’s museums in CT and elsewhere.  You may even be able to join the museum in your town and have access to Stepping Stones as part of the program.  Contact Stepping Stones or your local museum for more information.

COMING UP:

Thursday we’re visiting a toy store that can get your wee ones “on the right track.”