Iowa 2008- Des Moines Science Museum

Des Moines Museum of Science

Family Vacation to Iowa
May 21-27, 2008

Friday
We had originally planned to go to Nauvoo this day, but when we woke up to thunderstorms we decided that Nauvoo wouldn't be such a good idea. So we opted instead to visit the Science Museum. We came here last time we visited when Kyra was smaller. It was nice to see her be able to do more and be more interactive with the exhibits.

Addy is about the same age that Kyra was the first time we came here. While she had to stay in the stroller for a bit, I think she had fun too.

I have really been trying to take more moments to heart. I have found that if I don't then I become miserable and thus miserable to my kids. But if I take life a moment at a time and enjoy those I have something to hold onto when the moments are not so good.

Here, Kyra and I, are enjoying a moment where we are discovering the power of wind. We hook a rubber hose up to a tube and depending on the width and hight of the tube it makes a different note.

Ryan trying to figure out leverage.

Kyle coming in for assistance.

Kyra showing up just in time to show them how it all works. ;~)
{Just kidding guys}

Kyra really enjoyed connecting gears to make a large propeller turn. While someone else did most of the work, we enjoyed the spoils of quick rewards.

Another exhibit on the power of wind. Kyra is working very hard to do it all by herself.

Addy loved the freedom she was able to have in the little kid section of the museum. It's an area where they are able to crawl around, run, touch and play with everything in the room. She really liked licking the blue window. Creepy lookin', huh?

A closer look. It was just too funny not to take a picture of her with the window.

Addy enjoyed pushing the "pins" of a giant pin board.

She really liked it when Grandpa helped her out and showed her the super fun red side.

Kyra liked to do body shapes on the pin board. It was really funny to see her do it herself because she would put her body from her knees to her chin on the pins. I guess the idea of sticking her whole head on it was just to weird.

Addy enjoying her freedom.

Addy liked to try to "catch" the balls as they spiral down the track. She got pretty good at it after a while.

Mom and Addy crawling around. Fun times!!!

Ryan and Dad Zielke tapping into their creative sides.

They try to make a ramp that would make a ball do a loop, but there were two problems: 1. not enough tracks and 2. they couldn't get enough speed on the ball. It would make it about half way around before falling to the ground.

So they improvised again to make the ball go around a ramp and land on a platform. This was a success.

Bubbles, bubbles and more bubbles. Anywhere there are bubbles there is Kyra happy as can be.

Addy chillin' with Grandma watching the balls go round and round.

Addy liked playing in the tubes they have there. Kyra wanted in on the action and joined in.

On the upper level was a large room where you could experiment with various things. One area you could try to manipulate water to flow in a specific direction to power a generator. We found another area where we could make paper rockets. We had a blast making them and then "racing" them. There were other areas, but those were the only two that caught our attention.

Kyra liked to help launch the rockets. Ryan's rocket flew the farthest, with my rocket close behind. Dad Zielke's rocket did not fly as far as he had hoped. :( But we all had fun!

While we were making rockets Addy finally fell asleep. It was really late in the afternoon and she was a bit cranky. Look at those cutie patutie toes. It makes you just want to eat them up!

We had a great time at the museum. We also saw the "Zap Squared" showing about electricity. Kyra did pretty well sitting through the show, but Addy was a bit disinterested and wanted to roam.

Thanks Mom and Dad Zielke for a fun day at the Museum.