Paging all Disney Junior fams and fans. Want a place where kids can explore, play and learn? Count us in. Whether your little one loves the hit show or is simply a curious learner, Liberty Science Center’s newest kid-friendly exhibit, Doc McStuffins: The Exhibit, has something for everyone and lets your kid be the doc for a day. We sent our activities editor Lauren with her three kids in tow, a 5 year old and 4 year old twins, and they had the most fun day. Here's what to expect on your visit.
Sectioned off in a semi-enclosed space (which is helpful for containing little escape artists), the exhibit is spacious with any easy-to-explore layout. Enter the “hospital” by the reception area with Chilly, where kids can field incoming calls, then roam through to the operating room with Doc, pet vet with Stuffy, and nursery with Lambie. Each area lets kids explore through pretend play, screen games and learning centers.
The interactive exhibit has been thoughtfully assembled, caters to a wide variety of interests and age groups and has lots of opportunities for hands-on play. Got a kid who loves to dress up and engage in pretend play? Help them slip on a lab coat and perform a check up on a toy horse, or care for one of the many baby dolls in the nursery. Kids can change, feed and wash the dolls. Perfect for kids who love to be the mommy or daddy. Got one who loves their screen time? Make it educational with the touch screen activities parents and kids can play together, like making a diagnosis in a big book of boo boos. Or, for the very active, let them burn off steam and keep busy on a small slide or turning the crank to recharge toy pet Squibbles.
Each area comes equipped with English and Spanish-language signs with simple educational info, such as what a vet does, what an X-ray is and how to practice good hygiene – AMEN to that. Because we know that if Doc tells our kids to wash their hands, it’s much more likely to get done, amirite? Plus, the open layout allows kids the chance to explore at their own pace. Though the exhibit is probably best for kids five and under, kids a little bit older, especially those who still love Doc and friends, will have blast. And the information they receive will resonate better the older they get.
Visit the Liberty Science Center website for tickets and more information. Then get ready to grab your stethoscope and step into a world where getting a checkup is actually fun and exciting.
Liberty Science Center Liberty State Park 222 Jersey City Blvd, Jersey City 201.200.1000
