Portland Children's Museum

Last year for Liam's birthday we went to the children's museum. It was such a hit, that we decided to make it a birthday tradition! After a quick dentist appointment, we headed up to the Washington Park area of Portland. The Children's Museum is located in the same parking lot as the Oregon Zoo. Since we arrived bright and early on a rainy Monday, the parking lot was pretty empty. The price to get in is a bit spendy ($27 for the three of us), but if you really enjoy your time their, you can get a year-long pass at a somewhat reasonable price, although I can't remember exactly what it is off the top of my head.

As soon as we walked in the door, Liam was mesmerized by the water room, which is located directly across from the main entrance. This is such a fun area for the little ones! The museum provides smocks, so the kids can splash and play and parents don't have to worry about having a wet kid on their hands. There are so many hands-on activities just in the water area, that we stayed in there for a good half an hour the first time, and Liam insisted on going back twice.

Then we moved on to the transportation room. The have a city bus, ambulance, and a huge train set. Liam liked exploring all of the things in this room, but kept coming back to the trains.

After the trains, it was back to the water! This time Liam and his dad built dams and created waterways.

The construction zone and the fish tank were also fun! He wanted to look just like Grandpa, so he put on a tool belt and carried around a big pipe. 

Next was the clay art studio and the light exploration room. Both were fun, but didn't quite keep his interest.

Then we found a room with a sensory table filled with rice. For some reason, this was pretty exciting to Liam and we spent quite a bit of time there.

We had the best time while visiting the Children's Museum. Liam was so interested in every room and the activities that they included that he was sad we had to leave, even after two hours and no nap. He played so hard, that the second we were in the car and moving, he was out and stayed that way for 3 hours. 

If you're looking for a fun and educational way to spend a morning/afternoon/evening, there is no better place than the Portland Children's Museum! There are so many rooms, each with their own interesting activities, that  no matter how many kids you need to keep occupied, there will be something for everyone.

Portland on Dwellable