The Please Touch Museum in Philadelphia

Since it is only me and the little guy, we decided to journey over to the Please Touch Museum today (this was as much for me as it was for him). We got there exactly when it opened (9:00) and were told we were the first young people to come through for the day...this was a major advantage since everyone else there were octogenarians or older and couldn't do a lot of the exhibits.

The building itself is absolutely breathtaking; it looks like it could house a Smithsonian. Also, unlike the zoo, all the help was family friendly and SUPER patient with the children there. I know it's there job, but it's amazing how many staff members I heard swearing at the zoo! Anyways, the presentation is very nice and the exhibits are awesome.

True to its name, the Please Touch Museum encourages hands-on learning and constant activity. As a result, a couple of the really cool exhibits are broken/clearly worn down, but a young kid couldn't care less...they just want to see the ball rolling!

Another thing that I found great was that nothing was gender specific. They didn't offer a princess room or a construction area (though they did have a really cool ball digger--but there were more girls in line for that then boys!). I like that it didn't play into stereotypes and allowed all genders to explore together. It's something that you don't see often enough.

The website boasts that a person could spend up to 4 hours + there...but with one busy little kid, we saw everything in an hour and five minutes, so I wouldn't plan an entire day around it. Also, if you have AAA, you save $2 on each ticket, so that is worth it.

Final Say: This place makes me want to have kids just so I can bring them here.

Rating: For the 8 years and under crowd this place is definitely a 9/10

Also, I plan on posting pictures of it tonight!

Back to School

School has officially begun, so while the little guy and I will still go places and do things, the rating will become more scarce. For the time being though, I still plan on writing amusing stories and tales about my days as a Mainline nanny!

Hershey, PA

This weekend, my family and I had the misfortune of going to Hershey, PA. Now, don't get me wrong...this was something that I was looking forward to and a trip that I had to do before I ever considered leaving PA, I just wasn't ready for the crap (excuse my language) that lay ahead.

First off, the quaint little town of Hershey is long gone, replaced by a Disneyland-esque theme park, huge parking lots, and attendants that clearly come from the high school glee club. The line to merely get into the parking lot took us about 20 minutes...that is one of my largest complaints about the place--the traffic design and layout is ridiculous when anticipating as many people as they do. Anyways, putting that aside, here comes the real kicker: you cannot even take a factory tour! They have some sort of ride/interactive/3-d b.s., but they do not even allow visitors to get near the factory!

We didn't quite know this at first, so we signed up for a trolley ride through town at a stiff $12.95 per person. We assumed this trolley (since it was owned by Hershey) would take us up-close-and-personal with the factory and take us down roads that were forbidden to the public. Nope! The ticket even promised great things when it warned us: This tour contains use of smoke, theatrical noises, and strobe lights. Again, NOPE! Rather than being anything average or beyond, our tour was lead by two high schoolers who spent the entire time singing (none of the songs were relevant) and changing into cross-dressing costumes. It was the BIGGEST WASTE OF MONEY EVER! Also promised were fresh samples...we got one hershey kiss and one mini reese cup. I could have gotten more at the dentist office.

The only reason why this trip wasn't a complete waste is because my family and I will talk about this for the rest of our lives as the biggest waste of time/money that we have even partaken in. So I guess in a way, it is worth it.

Final Say: Only if this is on your bucket list do you really need to go.

Rating: 1/10

Freddy Hill Farms

Being that it is the last week of summer, the boys and I have decided to live it up (read: minigolf a ton.) At first, they wanted to go to Tees again, but I suggested that we try somewhere else, so we took to the internet to look up reviews of a bunch of "family fun centers." Though Freddy Hill Farms is located in Lansdale, so it is a small journey and a toll road away, we decided that based on the website and the cheesy commercial we saw, that it would be worth it.

First off...this place was much more like the minigolf of my youth. It had all the kitsch and shoddy workmanship that I have been looking for (and it even throws in some history!). They have two courses there: the waterfall course and the Touring the USA course (we liked the USA one a little better because it featured a cave and cute names for all the holes...and it was way easier).

I was shocked when the price was lower than Tees (I would pay a couple extra dollars simply due to the fact that they have waterwheels and miniature shacks on the green!). AND when we played the second course, it only cost us ten dollars as a group. That's $2.50 per person! Can you tell I am still excited? Anyways, the boys liked it just as much, if not more than Tees and I definitely had more fun.

Final Say: While not perfect, this minigolf place is definitely nostalgic for grown-ups and fun for kids.

Rating: 7/10

Linvilla Orchards!

Today was incredibly busy!  And fun!  First, we got the dreaded school shopping out of the way (they dreaded it, but I was sooo excited...that was one of my favorite things to do as a kid, who doesn't love new markers?!?).  Anyways, we knocked that out super early and as a reward for being awesome and patient, we went to Tee's again (which the enjoyed).

In the afternoon, we headed over to Linvilla Orchards to pick some fresh fruits to make smoothies tomorrow.  I knew that this outing would be a hit or miss.  I am dealing with three boys who are all very sportly and "boyish."  When I first brought the idea up, the four year old told me it was for babies.  I asked him, "Do you think babies pick the fruit and veggies in the grocery store?"  His argument soon changed to, "I think I am too young to go."  Anyways, this was something that I really wanted to do and I needed to see it through.

We get there and instantly their defiance turns to excitement.  First of all, the farm is huge (so large that the only way to get around is on a flat bed truck covered in hay--itchy but fun).  Also, and much to my surprise, a majority of the kids there are adolescent boys.  PHEW!  We started picking apples, then moved onto raspberries, then peaches, and ended with strawberries.  The pricing is pretty fair (you might end up paying a little more than you would at the store, but it did supply almost two hours worth of entertainment).  The fruit is super delicious too...the apples and peaches are really at their prime.  It even got the kids discussing how farmers and migrant workers should be paid a lot and how they aren't.  It was really interesting.

Final Say:  While this isn't the most stimulating or entertaining environment, it is certainly a sensory experience and a great opportunity to show kids the hard work that goes into getting their favorite fruits (and have fun while doing it!)

Rating: 7/10