Exhibits - MP

Today, RK and I spent several hours going through the exhibits and trying to figure out what will work for us both for the second floor, but also what we might be able to use now. Here's a little of what I found that I think we could put to use sooner (rather than later - except for one)...

Kid Spark by the Ontario Science Centre (the Ontario in Canada) - this science centre manufactures and sells exhibits, including many that are truly scalable and would fit our needs. One thing I saw that I thought was way cool was the "Build Your Own Coaster" exhibit where kids get all the pieces to build a roller coaster and then use balls to try it out.

Luckey Climbers - This was very cool - climbers that really prevent kids from falling more than about 18 inches. They are structures that are covered in netting and kids can climb through them and they get back down. Very hard to explain so look at the picture. We could do something like this but perhaps use open books as the "steps"!

Energy Exhibits - We also saw several great energy, environmental, conservation exhibits. They were pretty neat and the best thing - portable! These included exploring solar power, creating energy to light a bulb, creating wind, etc. They were relatively inexpensive and can definitely be used around the library and even at some courtyard events!

Mindsplash Airways - These are exhibits that can range from 30 feet by 20 feet to small traveling exhibits. They are continuous tubes that have a lot of air pressure that can move objects through them (balls, scarves, etc.) Children can learn about the properties of air and wind.

Crazy Contraptions - These were pretty low tech but sure looked fun. I could see these being incorporated into the library right now. These were large magnetic boards that allowed children to play with gears (by interlocking them you can create several motions), magnetic shapes to create various animals, and magnetic tubes and pieces to create slides for balls to slide down. All very cool.

Moonsand - I think I mentioned this last time, but this time we just have to get it. This sand that is coated in some substance that keeps it from sticking to you. You can play with it just like sand (it's as soft as sand) and you can build things with it. Love it!!