Baby H and The Children's Museum

by Natasha

My husband and I recently took Baby H to The Children’s Museum for the first time.  It was quite a colourful affair.  There was many different exhibits and activities for the children to learn from and explore. Baby H is too young to grasp everything, he’s also not walking yet so the experience is a little different to him than it would be to a more mobile toddler.

There are approximately thirty exhibits showcasing different countries and bits of their cultural representations. Upon entering the Children’s Museum, we were given a passport that gets stamped once we enter each country on site.

We started our journey in India, where Baby H and his dad boarded a bus and pretended to drive off into the sunset.  Baby H was fascinated by all of the flashing lights and colors.

After India we proceeded to the marketplace housing vendors from different countries.  Baby H played with Swiss cheese, then moved onto Dutch clogs and Chinese fruit and veggies. We even made it to Egypt for a camel ride and a short stop at the pyramids.

Each country’s exhibit was set up to better display the cultural and traditional elements, with a small area for children to participate in local arts and crafts. Once again, our little boy was too young to participate - but the children that were in the area seemed to really enjoy themselves.

With the great number of activities and spots to visit in the museum, I would suggest that trips be planned for no less than a whole afternoon just so you can get the most out of your outing.

If you go for a full day, there is a cafeteria in the basement of the museum where you can purchase snacks and sandwiches. They also have a patio with beautiful view of Parliament Buildings and the Ottawa River.

We will definitely be back to the museum.

Natasha is a new mommy to her first born, Baby H. She runs ShopHaven, a blog that reviews products and profiles local businesses and individuals from the Ottawa area. Natasha is also the creative force behind ShopHaven Baskets; a highly customized gift baskets service.