It’s been on our list for a really long time. And after such a great visit the other day, I wondered why we had waited so long to make it over to Westport to play.
Earthplace was having a ‘Meet the Critter’ morning (as they often do) and so we managed to get out of the house and over to Westport by 10 which is darn impressive for us these days. And truth be told, we were an eensy bit late so barely caught the story before the critter. The critter of the day was a ferret and all the little kiddos were pretty happy campers after getting to pet a critter, even if it was only a ferret. It was a short but sweet morning activity but Becky, the naturalist in charge, stuck around to very happily point out many of the other critters that were housed in the Ecology Resource Lab including a salamander, some frogs and the teeniest, tiniest turtle I think I’ve ever seen. Becky was actually really enthusiastic, in a way that makes it obvious a person really enjoys their job. So refreshing.
A handful of kids lingered peeking into the tanks looking for slimy critters, some got out their snacks, others started playing with blocks and the rest scattered into two of the other rooms at Earthplace. We followed the crowd into their interactive natural history museum where M peered through scopes, did some crayon rubbings, had a puppet show and thoroughly loved the thingamagigger near the entrance. I don’t even really know how to describe it, but every kid stopped to play with it and every kid was enthralled by it. I know. This is totally not helpful. But the thingamagigger was cool, trust me. In their museum the Tiny Tree House was a dedicated space for little ones like my 8 month old E with several toys and a special crawling cubby lined with bright colors, interesting patterns and images of cute baby faces. What is a crawling cubby, you ask? Well, first, I’m pretty sure that’s not really what it’s called. And second, it’s a narrow space that’s up off the floor and fenced off. Big kids could get into it, which was fine with me, but little crawlers couldn’t easily get out of it. More importantly, it was like a safe zone for little ones up and out of the way of big kids playing nearby. Kudos to Earthplace for remembering that babies like to play, too.
After enjoying our packed lunch in a food-friendly zone, we eventually made our way into the Animal Hall, where they house critters like bunnies, birds, an owl, some snakes including a very well fed boa, and more. It goes without saying that a room filled with live animals is a guaranteed hit with the kiddos. Since it was a decent day we stepped outside to see their birds of prey. We got a great look at every bird out there, including two gorgeous bald eagles and my all time favorite, a barn owl. B-e-a-u-tiful.
Because it was February and lots of snow was still on the ground, we came prepared with snow gear in case their trails were open. They were, sort of, but we never really made it past their preschool playground (which is open to the public during non-school hours). With a newly updated, fully equipped playground, I had to drag M away from there at the end of the day.
With a “Mommy, I’m so happy you brought me here!” as we were getting into the car, Earthplace gets a solid A from a momma that’s always in search of a good nature center to spend the day. Can’t wait to explore Earthplace again once things warm up out there!
the essentials:
Westport, 10 Woodside Lane, #203-227-7253
Open Mon-Sat 9am-5pm; Sun 1pm-4pm
Admission is $7 for adults & children 12+, $5 for children 1-5 & Seniors, FREE for children 1 and under
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