Whether you’re visiting Long Island with children or you’re a full time resident, the Long Island Children’s Museum is a MUST VISIT for families. It’s a huge space full of seemingly endless opportunities for kids to touch, run, climb, burn off energy, and even…LEARN!
Firstly, families will walk away from the Long Island Children’s Museum with a better understanding of the history and culture of the island as well as appreciation for its natural beauty.
Long Island Culture in the Tot Spot.
The most rewarding part of travel, in my opinion, is walking away from a place with a strong sense of the destination’s culture and history. Therefore, I was so impressed with the attention to detail and inclusion of so many important components of Long Island’s culture in the toddler play area.
The large boat for kids to “drive” and interactive lighthouse were a nod to the island’s strong and storied maritime history. Little ones can climb up the light house, flash its lights, signal the warning horn, and use the slide to get down from the top in a fun way.
Pick your own farm Long Island Children’s Museum
Secondly, another hallmark industry of Long Island is agriculture. It’s exciting at any age to drive to to the many farm stands as well as the “pick your own” farm fields at the eastern end of the island.
At the museum, toddlers have the opportunity to “plant produce,” pick produce “from out of the ground,” and sell vegetables, meat, and dairy at a “farm stand.” This was a hands on way for little ones to gain an understanding (a basic one) of how the process of growing and selling produce looks for Long Island’s farmers.
There’s even a small hen in the corner of the room (fake of course) and when kids lift up its tail, eggs roll out! Every child that I saw who tinkered with the hen’s tail-feathers was absolutely thrilled.
While Long Island’s public transportation is limited in comparison to New York City — the Long Island Rail Road can be a great way to get from place to place. In the Tot Spot, kids can “drive” the LIRR train, collect tickets, and sit on board the ‘train’ as a passenger.
Seaside Exploration in Long Island Children’s Museum.
Thirdly, it cannot be overstated that the beach and water are embedded in a Long Island way of life, and it’s been that way for centuries. In the “Sandy Island” exhibit, kids can have a day at the beach by digging, playing, and relaxing in a big sandbox!
After, they can ‘role play’ at the Seafood Shack just a few steps away by serving up Long Island favorites like lobster and crabs. Kids have the opportunity to learn about map reading, identifying Long Island beach creatures, and the differences in sand from one part of the island to the next.
Seasonal Changes.
Some exhibits in the Long Island Children’s Museum change with the seasons. We happened to visit twice this summer, and therefore got to enjoy the “Our Backyard” experience.
There was a large water table set up as well as fountains so that children could fill up (and dump) tin buckets and watering cans. There’s a garden to walk through and explore, and the opportunity to shovel, big, and push wheelbarrows full of rocks. We’re excited to see what’s in store for fall and winter!
Tactile and Immersive.
Additionally, I want to emphasize that the word ‘museum’ in the title of this place might be a touch misleading. If you see the word ‘museum’ in the title and think, “yeah my child doesn’t have the attention span for that” — don’t worry! This isn’t a stuffy place full of staff reminding you to “look, don’t touch.” Everything within the Long Island Children’s Museum is safe and meant to be touched!
When we visited this summer, there was an entire “exhibit” about bubbles. Children could use big bubble wands or a pulley system to practice making them, they could even stand in the middle of a gigantic bubble! Next door, kids were able to put on ‘slippers’. This helped them glide across a “roller rink” that sat beneath glowing disco lights. This was a fun and safe way to get the feeling for real skating.
On the second floor, little visitors could learn about everything from car repair to how telephones work. This happens by interacting with the hands on machinery. For example, we learned about Long Island’s history of shoe shining. By reading the plaques next to the ‘shoe shine’ station, we even gave our son’s sneakers a quick polish!
There’s a sound room for learning about instruments of the world. Kids (and parents, let’s be real) have an opportunity to play each one. Everything is interactive and made for the enjoyment of children.
Mini Museum Experience.
Are you a nerd mom like me who’s secretly hoping that even their smallest child will walk away with some semblance of a real museum experience? There’s plenty of opportunity for that!
On the second floor, there are museum style placards. Here you can learn about the Long Island history that inspired each exhibit. Also, there are several small ‘galleries’ where families can admire paintings centered around a universal theme.
In conclusion, in the ‘community gallery’ guests can examine the artwork of local school children whose pieces are put on display. It gives the students the excitement of having their work presented to a real audience. While simultaneously giving little visitors a reminder that no one is too young to be a “real” artist!
Also, there are ‘artists in residence’ series from all around the East Coast. They lead budding creatives through painting and drawing. The most recent artist in residence, Janet Fredricks, helped little ones capture nature concepts in their pieces.
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