SPFD Discovery Center

We thought the kids would enjoy an afternoon exploring a space that wasn’t a Schlink household. After one too many occasions of Margo desecrating the Christmas tree, scaling the brick fireplace, and attempts to conquer the stairs, I figured a room filled with scientific toys was a safer place. We took them to the Discovery Center in Springfield, which contains over 50,000 square feet of scientific exploration. The center offers hands on learning such as playing with blocks, water, or magnets, brushing giant dentures or putting together skeletons. They have imagination-powered activities like home grown puppet shows and play-news desks to teach communication and the pleasures of airway media transmission. It was a heyday for everyone involved.

After checking out what I considered exciting activities involving wind tunnels, electricity, airplanes, and fossils, Deets and Margo decided on their favorite exhibit: playing “house.” Of course they did. In a familiar habit, I watched Deets gather up all the dishes from the miniature house and stack them into the sink. He shook his head, saying things like “this house is a mess.” (I’m not sure where he gets that.) Margo grabbed anything resembling food and stuffed it into her mouth, including a fake sacrum and bottles of glitter. Both of them were pretty pleased with themselves.