Thank you, Discovery Gateway Children’s Museum, for introducing my kids to Tinkertoys, one of my old-school favorites. I remember spending hours playing with my grandmother’s Tinkertoy set. It held my attention—and my imagination—far longer than Lincoln Logs or Spirograph.
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The new Tinkertoy: Build Your Imagination exhibit at Discovery Gateway offers the entire family a HUGE roomful of Tinkertoy fun combined with GE’s innovative technologies. You’ll find giant replicas of the classic Tinkertoy construction sets and numerous educational activities that “turn imagination into working solutions to real world challenges.”
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Bet your Lincoln Logs can’t do that.
Here are some of the imagination-stretching activities you’ll find in the Tinkertoy: Build Your Imagination exhibit:
- Invent ~ Children are encouraged to think about where ideas come from, and to explore the emerging field of biomimicry – nature’s influence on design. Visitors can match real inventions with their natural inspiration and create a design of their own.
- Energize ~ Children can explore GE’s commitment to renewable energy as they use a kid-powered fan to test their own wind-powered TINKERTOY creations.
- Change ~ A Rube Goldberg-like contraption illustrates the power of creative thinking and how simple mechanisms work. The activity lets children select and position words to build silly – but thought-provoking! – sentences that serve as the springboard for innovation.
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I’m a sucker for any Rube Goldberg machine. Throw in the ability to vary parts of speech to make a sentence and I’m pretty much oblivious to any other exhibits.
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The larger-than-life and regular size Tinkertoys are on exhibit at Discovery Gateway through January 6th and included with your admission. For more information, click here.
While there, don’t miss some of my favorite exhibits—and by “favorite” I mean “the ones that keep my kids entertained the longest.”
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Not that I can’t be easily entertained too…
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Steph & I rock the KSL booth at Discovery Gateway
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Don’t forget all the other events and activities included with your admission.
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Here’s a sampling:
- Time for Tots ~ Nationally recognized literacy program for children 18 months to 3 years. | Tuesdays at 11am, 12pm, 2pm and 3pm
- Little Scientist ~ Class for children ages 2 to 5 years; children are encouraged to ask questions about nature and to seek answers through collecting things, counting and measuring, making observations and experimenting. | Thursdays at 11am, 12pm, 2pm and 3pm
- Amazing Me! ~ Children ages 3 to 7 years participate in a variety of health, safety and self-esteem building activities. | Fridays at 11am, 12pm, 2pm and 3 pm
Discovery Gateway Children’s Museum also offers birthday parties–yippee!
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I almost forgot—Discovery Gateway has a really cool FREE iPhone and iPad app called DGPlay App. With the DGPlay App, kids can do everything from explore exciting professions to choose and color their favorite bee character. Parents can use the app to learn more about the museum’s exhibits, get directions or make a donation.
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You can download the Discovery Gateway DGPlay App for FREE from the iTunes store.
jamie
what a fun event.
sheesh…another reason to wish myself closer.
~j
Emily Hill
I will keep giving you more and reasons…
Taralyn @ Keep Moving Forward With Me
Loved Tinker Toys growing up!
Emily Hill
Me too! So much fun!
Stacey M.
Sadly, we didn’t have either growing up, though school always had both. Guess I was deprived. lol
Emily Hill
Well, we didn’t have them but my grandmother did. I think we had Play-Doh and Barbies at my house!
Barbara @ Barbara Bakes
I think my grandson is almost big enough to enjoy it. Can’t wait to take him.
Emily Hill
It is so great for little ones. My 15YO is getting a bit too old but the 12YO still loves it.
carrian
I never had either :(
Emily Hill
I think that means you need to buy Lincoln Logs for your girls this Christmas.
Kendra @ My Insanity
That looks so cool. Can I enter and give the passes to my family in the area if I win?
Emily Hill
Totally!
Kendra @ My Insanity
Yea! I think we played with both at my Grandparents’ house. But don’t think we had either at my house.
Jones (@JoanieAtwater)
We definitely were a Lincoln Logs family, but I have played with tinker toys before :)
Emily Hill
I’ll forgive you. ;)
Jennifer Joiner
Love tinkertoys! What a fun giveaway!
Emily Hill
I’m a huge fan too. :)
Stacie S-H
I remember playing with and enjoying both but if I had to pick one I’d say I liked Lincoln Logs the most. I dont have kids but am entering to win these for a close friend if that is okay
Emily Hill
That is way okay! Thanks for stopping by!
Pauline M
Since we never had lincoln logs, we played with our tinkertoys ALOT! I remember trying to get our gadgets to hit the ceiling of our room!
Emily Hill
Did those gadgets ever make it? Perhaps you need to try again. ;)
Kim
This trip would be amazing for my boys. One of them is autistic and I think this is something we could actually all enjoy together!! Crossing my fingers!
Emily Hill
I will keep my fingers crossed too!
Michelle
Hooray! My kids love this place and we haven’t been in a couple of years! My kids love the ball blowing thing. We stayed there forever! The Tinkertoy thing looks fun! I love how they’ve integrated motor skills with reading!
Emily Hill
That ball blowing thing is always a hit as is that water feature. So much fun!
michelle riebeek
I never had tinker toys but my kindergarten did have lincoln logs and i loved building houses.
Emily Hill
I loved it as long as I had some sort of schematic to work from. I’m useless without directions!
Emily Woods
Would love to take my son, he would LOVE the water feature! The contest form above isn’t showing up for me… I am a fan on facebook though! :)
Emily Hill
Dang. Have you tried using another browser? I can see it in Chrome and Firefox.
Jamie M
We LOVE tinkertoys at our house, going to have to check it out!!
Emily Hill
If you’re a Tinkertoy fan then you definitely need to check it out!
Angie
We love Discovery Gateway!! I’ll admit….never played with Tinkertoys…perhaps that’s why I’m so excited to visit this new exhibit!
Emily Hill
Then it’s about time you did! Get on over there!
evonne
Since we have never been, this looks fabulous!!
becky f
this place is my FAVORITE. thanks for the giveaway
Josie
My kids really love this place and I love to see their smile when they are playing around there!! Its a great place for family time and partys!!!
Valerie
I was more of the Lincoln Log Girl. I loved making cabins.