We're "batty" for science!

I was trying to think of something fun to do with my boys this afternoon because they were both getting out early from school. I decided that it was time to "science up" a bit and go to the Discovery Science Center in Santa Ana. (Who knows? Maybe we'd learn something!)

We found ourselves almost alone at the Science center, apparently all of the hordes of kids on field trips had to be back at school by then and it almost echoed in the place. (It was GREAT!) We got to play with all of the fun exhibits, making smoke rings (with a machine you push on after it fills with smoke - they weren't passing out stogies), learning about erosion, and rode out 3 earthquakes in a simulator. We checked out Dino Quest, played a sim volleyball game in front of a green screen, and played with a virtual trickle of pebbles on a wall. Eventually we had to check out the bat exhibit. I knew this would be the exhibit they would love. Hadn't Squish learned all about echolocation in kindergarten? Wouldn't this bring back fun memories? Couldn't it? Yeah, the boys were so ecstatic that they had not only the run of the place but the full attention of all the employees there they ran from point to point to point, kind of afraid something batty would jump out at them (nothing did) or scare them. Clearly, we were the scariest things in the place. (see photo 3.) I was proud that Mr. W. was willing to put his head between the fake bat ears and hear how bats hear. His brother was sure they were going to attach or do something scary so he wasn't going near them.

My favorite part was a 3d maze (a hallway that had 1 turn....oooooo) you walked through that had images of bats and trees and things like mountains with caves, all that really did look 3d. (See photos 1 & 2). When I took pic #2 it looked 3d to me. I was so excited! Now it occurs to me that under the black light, with the neato glasses, it did look 3d as the walls did. At home on my blog though, not so much. Sigh. The very best part of the maze was just after I had finished reassuring Squish that nothing was going to jump out at him in this "maze" an employee innocently opened a door in front of us and walked down the hall. Well, he tried, but first he had to step over Squish's body now laying on the floor. Not really. But he understood (based on Squish's scream) what he had done and really enjoyed it (as I did). We walked through the maze 4 or 5 times, and I really thought it was the coolest thing in the center. If you have passes to the Science Center, go for the 3D maze. We're looking forward to "The Science of Gingerbread" next month!