Part of the challenge in finding something to do with my grandkids is the wide disparity in ability. These kids need room to run and burn off energy and I need a place to take breaks nearby.
This is why I like museums so much. My family and I are fortunate to live near Chicago, home to so many museums, so many of which have frequent free days. So once every other month, the kids play hooky from school (with their parents ok) and I take them into the city. We ride the Union Pacific North south into the city and get off at Ogilvie Station. From here, we’re only a short walk, train ride, or cab fare to whichever museum we’re after.
The Museum of Science and Industry is great because it’s very participatory, so the kids stay busy while they learn about coal mines, oceans or a real submarine. Sometimes we all enter together, stay in a group, and have a live narrative during the visit. Sometimes one of us will break off and meet back up later. And sometimes we get tickets, set a meeting point, and go off on our own.
We always follow museum with lunch so that the kids can debrief me on what they learned, what they liked, what they didn’t like, and how they felt in the museum. It tickles me to hear what they remember or loved.