Okinawa Zoo's Wonder Museum

Rainy season sucks. 

Trying to keep a highly active toddler busy during rainy season is even worse.

There are some pretty awesome indoor parks around here, but the last time we visited one we came away with the norovirus, so I've been hesitant to return. Instead I've been trying out new places to entertain Avery, preferably ones that are entertaining for me, too. Cue the Wonder Museum!

See the look of wonder on her face?

Before today, all I knew was that the Wonder Museum was located inside the zoo grounds. I wasn't sure what to expect, but since our annual pass to the zoo came with five free tickets, Avery and I went on a small adventure there today to check it out.

The verdict? Awesome!

It is a three-story building with views of the jungle, ocean, fish pond, zoo, and city. It reminds me a lot of the kids science centers I've been to back in the USA, but with more arts and crafts areas, story times, and puppet theaters!

It didn't take Avery long to join a pack of Japanese kids and wander around checking out exhibits. I think this particular one was supposed to teach them something about weather, but it ended up as more of a glorified indoor sprinkler. She was pretty happy with it, until she spotted this groovy dance floor.

 She threw herself a one-baby dance party for several minutes. The rave was going well until some rowdy older kids showed up, at which point we moved on (but returned about 3,000 more times before we left). How cute are these exhibits? The one on the left below is a series of interactive, electronic globes ("balls!"), and on the right is a dress-up center and tree house. Both are a little beyond Avery at this point, but they are totally cute and she enjoyed them anyway.

 

Okay, so she doesn't really get how to make tangrams yet, either, but that didn't stop her from having fun with the shapes and light table.

These stairs are musical! How fun is that? Each stair plays a note when stepped on, which somehow isn't as obnoxious as you'd think. We spent about half an hour going up and down (and up and down!) the stairs. 

We spent nearly all our time on the bottom floor, so we didn't see even half of the exhibits. On our way out we passed this star map of Okinawa and shadow puppet table.

This flashlight drawing area was super fun. I don't know what the materials were, but the wall was coated in something that held the images for a few seconds before it faded away.

Avery made a toddler friend who was equally uninterested in the physics lesson taking place. They just took turns handing each other the same three balls over and over.

There was even more wonder to be found in the parking lot in the shape of the (free) rain gutters!

Overall, a really fun place! It is geared towards slightly older kids, but Avery still had a blast. I think as she gets older and can participate in some of the craft classes and other exhibits she'll love it even more. There were also microphones that modify your voice, an interactive mirror exhibit, a tool room, and all sorts of other fun places that will be exciting for her in the months and years to come.