I took my three younger kids (8, 5, 3) to the Port Discovery Museum in Baltimore today. We had a fun and educational morning. The staff was friendly and ready to answer questions or lend a hand when needed.
Each of the areas offered something different for each of my kids. My eight-year-old was great about reading all the signs and taking note of the many details. My 5 year old loved all the hands-on activities. And I loved that each space had something to keep my very active three-year-old busy and engaged.
We enjoyed the Royal Farms Convenience Store area. My eight year old loved reading the labels on the food containers and she helped the other two place the food in the correct food groups by the large mural. This lead to a conversation about eating well and taking care of our bodies.
The KidWorks climbing structure was a big hit. I loved that it required the kids not to just walk up the structure but also climb up ladders, up a rock wall, over mats and go down slides. I know they will sleep well tonight.
I think our favorite spot was the Kids Club Gallery with Dora and Diego. The kids learned about what can be found in our garden and got to dress up like an astronaut. The Animal Care Center was wonderful. The kids got to pretend to be vets as they learned about Rainforest Animals. The interactive computers showed us X-rays of the animals and how to care for them. It is a well-done educational exhibit. 
We spend a lot of time in the Wonders of Water. My 5-year-old son loved watching the water fall from the rain cloud and following it down the river. I think this was the first time the connection was made with where the rain goes once it falls from the sky. He has mentioned this fact several times since we've been home.
We ended our time there in the Studio Workshop where each of the kids made a Trash to Flash project with recycled items.
As a mom of several kids, I find that I appreciate the small things that make our outings easier. For example, it was great to hang our coats up in the coat room so we didn't need to carry them around. They also had lockers to rent for bags or bulky things that you didn't want to carry around. I was also pleasantly surprised at how clean the place was especially with how many kids come in and out all day. The bathrooms, each of play areas and the dinning area was spotless. I was impressed.
Upon leaving I like the fact that they checked our bands to make sure our numbers matched on our admission bracelets, a great security feature.
We brought a packed lunch with us and ate in the dining area but with in and out tickets, you could easily go grab lunch at one of the many restaurants close by.
My kids and I enjoyed our time and are eager to go back.
Port Discovery is located at 35 Market Place in Baltimore. Providing educational and fun exhibits and experiences for your children (and you!), Port Discovery is a perfect day trip for kids of all ages. They also offer birthday parties, Overnight Adventure Programs, very affordable Museum Memberships, and facility rentals, so keep them in mind when planning your next special event!
Megan and her family were given complimentary admission to facilitate this review. All opinions are her own.
