CT Mommy Blog

It’s been an extremely hot summer in Connecticut.  I’m not one to enjoy being outside for an extended period of time in the heat and humidity, but being stuck at home with two toddlers makes for one very long day.  I’ve been trying to find things to do with the little ones that will help pass a few hours but still keep us out of the heat.

We’re members of Kidcity Children’s Museum in Middletown, CT.  It’s a great family-friendly museum.  A family membership is $100 for a year. You can also get a Reciprocal Membership for $125 that gives you Kidcity admission as well as 50% off admission to museums nationwide in the ACM Reciprocal Network.

Juliette & Olivia crawling in the Toddler Sea Cave

We bought the membership shortly after the girls’ first birthday.  They were still not walking yet so we hung out mostly in the Toddler Sea Cave for children 2 and under.  This is a great area for babies and toddlers to crawl and walk around the carpeted room.  They ask that you take your shoes off.  In case you forgot your socks they provide clean pairs of socks to borrow.

Olivia took her first steps at Kid City!

The theme of the room is underwater.  Beautiful murals line the walls giving the illusion that you are “swimming” in an underwater cave.  There is a small slide that is the favorite hang out for the more active toddlers.  My girls were amazed by the glowing bubbles.

Now that they are mobile, we’ve been venturing throughout the rest of the museum. I’m really impressed with all of the exhibits.  Being a former teacher, I can appreciate the educational value behind many of the displays.  Being a new mom, I can appreciate having a place for my girls to burn some energy away from home.

Juliette walking the plank on the Pirate Ship.

The museum is broken down into three floors.  The basement is solely for toddlers 2-years-old and under.  Toddlers get their hand stamped to play in this area.  On select days they have “Big Swim” days where older siblings can join their toddler brother or sister in the sea cove.

Olivia collecting eggs from the farm.

Each room has its own theme.  Some of the girls favorite rooms are the pirate ship, farm, music room, cabin and diner.

Olivia sorts vegetables at the Kid City Diner

There are several quiet areas where kids can take a break from the activity, and moms can nurse younger children.  We often take a snack break before heading back out into the fun.

I would say that the biggest negative to the museum is that it can get a little busy, especially when everyone is trying to escape the extreme New England weather.  One perk of having a membership to Kidcity is their members only mornings.  It gives members the opportunity to explore the museum without it being too crowded.

We were the only people in the cabin room on the “Members Only” morning. The girls loved having their first tea party.

I really appreciate having my membership to Kidcity, especially when the weather doesn’t allow us to have fun outside. It gives us a day of educational and active fun. It’s often hard to find something age-appropriate for 19-month-old toddlers, but this place really keeps their interest.  The museum is open to children ages 1-8.  I would recommend taking a day trip to Kidcity with the whole family, and if you live close enough, think about buying a family membership.  For a family of four, it pays for itself in 3 visits.