DESTINATION RECREATION BY H E AT H ER P O L IFK A - R IVA S
Innovation Playground
DEBRIEF
complexity of the task was a turnoff for Ruby, my son, husband and another museum visitor joined forces to figure out the game. I’m not entirely sure they mastered it, but it was fun to watch them try.
OCTOBER 2017
KIDSVT.COM
We paid our admission, got our hands stamped and headed into the temporary installation. A room filled with large foam blocks and emanating beeps, blurps and pings greeted us. Ruby immediately started to doodle at a water painting staTHE tion, while Henry found ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, a shadow puppet light ISSUE 1 College Street, Burlington box and began creating an elaborate world. The exhibit, created in partnership with Champlain College Emergent Media Center and Generator maker space, is divided into different experiential stations that celebrate play and its role in encouraging innovation. A sensorpowered projector allows users to “paint” brightly colored designs on a large screen, while a cardboard-box rocket ship connected to a digital display makes kids feel like they’re actually cruising through space. Ruby OUR MISSION hopped into the box to give it a try. To enjoy a fun, casual family outing When she leaned left or right, the ship free of bickering and whining. on the screen followed her movements, enabling her to bob and weave THE AGENTS through an asteroid field. The activity even included pew pew laser sound Heather: Yours truly. Stay-at-home effects. Full disclosure: Both my mom, chief organizer of the PolifkaA digital husband and I had to resist the urge to drawing Rivas household. Always up for an push Ruby out of the way so that we station adventure and challenge. could have a turn. The exhibit showcased work Karl: The husband. Eternal optimist of cajoling even to agree on getting in designed by local college students, as long as he is well caffeinated. the car. Once at his destination, his prompting me to wonder if perhaps Ruby: The 5-year-old daughter. ’tude changes and he usually enjoys Henry’s video-gaming obsession Generally loves to hang with Mom himself and, gulp, even his parents’ might serve him well someday. and Dad but occasionally needs the company. One such activity required users to promise of a creemee for additional interact with three items — a rocking motivation. LOCATION horse, a ship steering wheel and a Henry: The 9-year-old son. A homeThe newly opened Innovation set of bongos — to try and move a body on the weekends who needs a lot Playground exhibit at ECHO. small square to a target. While the
INN V ATION
Foam blocks
By the end of our visit, the four of us were totally engrossed in building a huge robot creature with the giant blue foam blocks scattered around the space. Ruby held up the body, Karl and I wrestled with some of the larger pieces and Henry dashed around looking for antenna parts. It was a great opportunity to be playful, creative and collaborative as a family. In fact, I can’t remember the last time we all got along this well. Mission accomplished. K Innovation Playground runs through January 15, 2018. As of September 30, the exhibit also includes a maker space with a rotating set of STEM-based programs — on topics from circuits to robots — that encourage tinkering and play. ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain is open year-round from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, except for Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve and day. Admission is free for ECHO members and kids age 2 and under; $11.50 for children ages 3-17; and $14.50 for adults. Vermont residents get $2 off the price of admission.
In “Destination Recreation,” local parents review family-friendly attractions. Got a spot you think we should feature? Email us at ideas@kidsvt.com.
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