Our 2018 family reunion was a blast! It was the first time in 4 years that we have all been together. We filled the week with lots of family-friendly activities, that were all cheap and fun! St. Louis, Missouri is the perfect city for families looking for an affordable activity or vacation.
Day 2 of our reunion was spent at the Magic House Children’s Museum in St. Louis, Missouri. It is a museum full of hands-on learning experiences for all ages! I would not attend without a child (that would be a bit weird), but it was entertaining even to me as an adult.
There are a countless activities. We spent almost an entire day here and STILL did not even get through all of the museum. They have exhibits that change periodically and they update those on their websites.
Our favorite exhibits included: the bubble room, the static ball, the tape tunnel, and the Kenya exhibit!
The bubble room. This was my favorite part of the entire museum.
It was entertaining for everyone! For the two year-olds to the grandpas!
There were different activities to create bubbles in the room. Some included pipes,
others included pulleys,
and everyone’s favorite: the hula hoop. You can create a giant bubble around yourself by pulling on the string connected to the hula hoop soaked in the soapy water.
The tape tunnel was a playground of tunnels and a slide, made entirely of packing tape. It was a fun place for children about 12 and under to run and play in. Pictures of the entire playground are on their website but here are a few!
The static ball is a main attraction for the Magic House. There is a room where you place your hand on this ball. They turn on this machine to create a large amount of static electricity. While you are touching it, it makes your hair stand straight up! It can be a little scary with how loud the machine is so be aware that smaller children may not want to participate (which is ok!). It feels a little funny to have the electricity move through you, but definitely worth the wait in line!
Also note the pose Makayla is in for her picture. The workers ask you to stand facing THEIR camera so they can sell you professional pictures, but if you turn a bit, your family can snap a photo on their phone.
A temporary exhibit they have going on right now is the Kenyan exhibit. Children and adults can go to this mini town in the museum to learn about the people of Kenya! You can go to the market, the home (which includes a craft section), the school, and the elephant orphanage! It’s so cool and a really fun, cultural exhibit!
Things to Consider:
Prices are listed on their website as $11 a person, but with how large our group was (about 20 people) we got tickets for just $6 a person! Try finding another group/family to go with you to get a better deal!
Just for your convenience, they have food there at the museum! A few of us ate at the cafe. If you are interested in eating here, the food is good! However, the prices and portions are not family-friendly, so we suggest bringing your own lunch.
A few cons we thought of were the workers at the Magic House. They weren’t attentive at all and some sections needed attention for regulation. Not a huge deal, just an inconvenience. Another con would be the price if we had not received the discount.
Overall, the pros were way more than the cons! We loved how interactive the museum was! All exhibits were hands on and entertaining. They have a different areas for all variety of ages and interests. There was a place for active kids, kids who love water, art kids, toddlers, everyone!
The Magic House was a great experience and we would recommend it for your family!
Check out more details on their website.