On September 20, Barry and I picked up Isaac and Mona for a 3-day/3-night stay with us in the motorhome out at Pio Pico in Jamul, CA. We decided to surprise the kids by going to the New Children’s Museum in San Diego. We haven’t been there since our visit back in May when the museum began a “soft” opening with safety restrictions for Covid. Days open are still reduced, but reservations are no longer needed. Masks are required for everyone now including the kids, and you still select either the 9am-noon session or the 1pm-4pm session. The kids were super excited that we were going. Since the sand room was eliminated a year ago, three hours is a perfect amount of time to do everything appropriate for those 3-5 years old. While the entire set of outdoor activities had been put away, the lower level remodel was completed and open. Going on a Monday while many schools were in session was ideal because there were very few people present.
THE LOWER LEVEL
We were all excited to see and try out the new slide option that goes from the main floor to the lower level. It was pretty awesome! A staff member monitors the entrance to ensure the person is tall enough/old enough to go down, and that the current person sliding has exited the slide safely before allowing the next person to start. This I appreciated seeing because you go down fast. Isaac loved it. Mona and I opted for the stairs.
Isaac went up the stairs and down the slide numerous times. Mona had a ball climbing up a short climbing wall to “house” with a curving slide that was more for her age.
It didn’t take Mona long to master that climbing wall! Isaac soon joined her.
Inside was a projector and several bean bags to rest or play before descending on the red slide.
Also on this lower level were these giant “TinkerToys”. What fun they were to build with or without a plan. These “TinkerToys” were made from a solid foam material making them very light and easy for young kids handle.
Isaac and Mona still thoroughly enjoyed the inflated rainbow tunnel to run in and jump.
It is fun to witness Isaac and Mona as their experiences expand with some of the same activities from one visit to the next. Confidence comes with familiarity, but also simply getting bigger and developing better gross motor skills adds to a new level of enjoyment. This was clearly evident on the following two play areas.
The Whammock is a colorful, hand-dyed, braided nylon, work of art that creates a multi-layered hammock suspended from the ceiling. There are numerous round openings to reach the next layer inward until the child is in the open center area. Our previous visit in May, Isaac made it to the center. This visit Isaac helped Mona make it to the center!
Onward, upward and inward:
Unique view of the open center area:
Climbing Rope to Bubble Window – In May, they both loved climbing up, looking out the window and sliding back down. As they watched this other child jumping to the large bean bag, it didn’t take them long to try it. As the gained confidence they jumped from a higher and higher spot. We were shocked.
Braver!
Isaac FLIES!
The “TIME MACHINE”
Papa has played with the kids having an imaginary time machine with the 1/2 bath in the motorhome, so Isaac was delighted when he discovered this time machine today. Soon he took Mona with him.
We love doing things like this with the kids. They played hard for three hours! This was definitely the perfect way to start our last three-day sleepover before we head to Yuma for the rest of the fall and winter.