This post is sponsored by Minnesota Children’s Museum
Maybe you’re like us. Try as you might, you get fully engulfed in the gift-giving of the holidays. Maybe in years past, you decided you were going to be minimal or even decided that you were going to abide by the 4-gift rule: something they want, need, wear, and read. But then, that beautiful endcap with the latest and greatest entices you. Or your favorite big box store sends you an email with a flash sale.
Before you know it, you get the thing/toy/craft/set. Then comes the moment…they open the gift and play with it for 5 days only for it to be forgotten in the corner and sent to the inevitable “toy discard pile.” We get it, we’ve been there too.
How about something different? What about a gift that not only allows you and your family to see and experience the benefits year-round but also provides a safe, fun learning environment for you and your kids to enjoy?
Yes, we are absolutely talking about a membership to the Minnesota Children’s Museum. Giving experiences as gifts is such a great way to ensure you’ll have opportunities to make family memories that last a lifetime. A Minnesota Children’s Museum membership is a great gift not only for your family but also for a family you love.
You’ve most likely read about why it’s a great idea to get a membership. Maybe you have a friend or a neighbor with a membership. But we recently visited the Minnesota Children’s Museum (all three floors of it!) and learned some pretty interesting things that were new to us. (Just wait until you read #5!)
5 Things that Surprised Us about a Minnesota Children’s Museum Membership
1. For a family of 5, a membership pays for itself in just two visits.
When positioned this way, it makes perfect sense why membership is a great option for a family. Not only is this a great value, but it’s also just plain smart economically speaking. A Minnesota Children’s Museum Membership covers an entire household (not just one person!) and families can visit as much as they’d like for a full year.
Minnesota Children’s Museum members also get other perks like discounted guest tickets, discounted admission to other attractions and children’s museums across the country, and more.
2. There is – quite literally – always something new.
There are 11 exhibit spaces for children (and their adults) to explore. Some of our favorites include:
- the post office in Our World (kids LOVE sending packages up and down the conveyor belt)
- the green screen and laser maze in Shipwreck Adventures (you can easily spend 30 minutes at the green screen)
- the giant spiral slide in The Scramble (kids went down probably 20 times)
- the ball launchers in Forces at Play (pretty sure they built this with adults in mind, lol)
- and the water table in Sprouts (water+kids=winning combo)
3. Playing at the Minnesota Children’s Museum is more than just fun.
Perhaps you’ve heard the quote, “Play is the work of the child.” This quote by Maria Montessori is supported by dozens of studies on what childhood play does for a young mind. Play is central to a child’s development. When your child plays, it gives them many different ways and times to learn. A Children’s Museum membership offers you unlimited access to both structured and unstructured (both important!) opportunities for the important work of play!
4. Access to new exhibit sneak peeks!
We learned that Emotions at Play (based on Pixar’s Inside Out) is coming to the Minnesota Children’s Museum in the summer of 2023! Members and visitors will be invited to interact with hands-on and digital exhibit features that demonstrate the important role of emotions in our everyday lives. The experiences will focus on the five emotions featured in the award-winning film: Joy, Sadness, Anger, Disgust, and Fear. Through hands-on, playful experiences, children and their families will have the opportunity to learn to recognize emotions and explore how they are expressed.
Additionally, right after the holidays, there will be a new exhibit called Framed: Step into Art (coming this January).
5. Suprise! We have a promo code for you!
Save $20 on a gift membership or $2 off gift tickets when you use code TCMC20. Visit www.mcm.org/gift for details. This offer expires on Jan 15, 2023, and is valid on Household and above memberships and regular-priced gift tickets only. (Cannot be combined with other offers.)
Who are you going to surprise with their very own Minnesota Children’s Museum membership this gift-giving season?
