Children's Museum of Phoenix

It can be challenging to keep kids occupied during the hot summer months in Arizona when the temps reach triple digits.
My daughter has been wise in purchasing an annual pass to the Children's Museum of Phoenix.

This is an amazingly creative, hands on interactive museum.
Voted in 2011 Parents Magazine among the Best 10 Children's Museums in the U.S.
I couldn't agree more.
As an adult, I could hardly wait to see what exhibit was around each corner.

Probably one of the biggest draws is The Climber, which stands at 37 feet reaching up through 3 floors.
Think of a very large maze, with gerbil like compartments leading to unique destinations.

Like flying bathtubs.

Even though I am afraid of heights, the grandma in me succumbed to the requests of my grandchildren, and up I went.

Holding Noah's hand, I'm proud to announce I climbed through child size claustrophobic tubes and made it clear to the tip top rocket ship.

The next big attraction was the Noodle Forest.

This had somewhat of a Field of Dreams experience as you enter through a large room filled with foamy noodles suspended from the ceiling.

You can't see where you are going or who is standing next to you.

Fortunately Issak has a good sense of direction and kept me safe.

One room was a completely stocked general store, with freezer case and check out registers.

Good place for Kayla to get a head start on her shopping skills.

As a family of foodies, we loved the pizza kitchen.

I thought the fabric pizzas were a great idea that could be implemented at home with left over quilting scraps.

With all the things to do at the museum, it was interesting for me to see where Noah wanted to spend quite a bit of his time.

He loved water "painting" on this large slab of rock.

Another idea that could be made at home.

There is so much to see and do. One entire section of the museum was dedicated to "cars".

Amy helped the kids as they made their way through the car wash.

Real antique gas pumps and fun road racers.

But, I'm not sure it was wise to let Kayla start driving a big green pickle.

I'm already visualizing her 16th birthday.