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Discovery Space is a hands-on science museum and discovery center.  There are some many different things to learn and experience.  Hands-on STEM projects and activities, with daily classes, camps, and group activities, Discovery Space will be our science class this year.  There are over 45 exhibits and more added all the time so there should be plenty to do for the school year.  

Discovery Space STEM Activities

We started going to discovery space last year.  Discovery Space is an amazing place full of new things to try and new things to learn.  Our first time they were in a small space and Aiden wasn’t really old enough for most of the stuff.  However, they have a whole section for small kids. He just wanted to do what all the older kids were doing.  

Our second trip was completely different.  A lot of the stuff that had been too hard wasn’t.  He had a ton of fun and asked a million questions. There was so much to build, play, and he even participated in one of the classes.  We were there for hours.  It was a great way to introduce him to science.

Here are some of our favorite displays.  There are tons of them so here are six of our favorites.    

Workshops

He’s had a lot of fun with the workshop areas.  There’s 3 or 4 different types of things to do in a desk space.  He sits on a stool and builds what every he can do.  This one had suction cups, sticks, connectors, string, and animal pictures.  This is a great spot to park the kid who doesn’t want any “help” from other kids.  It’s got barriers to separate the kids so they can work on their own thing.  

 

Electricity

This exhibit gives the change to generate electricity.  You crank the handle around and around.  It will turn on the light bulb when you reach enough amps for that bulb.  There’s a switch to pick which one you’re trying to turn on.  Do you know which one was the hardest?  It’s not the one you might think.

Atmosphere

This section is all about the weather.  Here on earth and on the planets in our solar system.  Here he built a car with a sail.  After a little testing, he raced his car with someone else’s car.  It showed them how the different shape sails or more than one sail effects speed.

Gravity

He loved this one.  There are two balls that can be dropped down on either side of the well.  Aiden didn’t do that.  I’m not sure that he cared too much about the science behind it but he would not give up the balls to anyone else.  He just dropping the balls in on that one side and grabbing them to do it again.

Balance and Scales

This scale is one of my favorites.  It shows some of the different equations you can create by adding the magnet balls.  He was very intense on this one.  Any time it wasn’t balanced he would get mad and crash all the balls back down to try again.

Magnets

This magnet display had turning magnets.  One side north and one side south could be fun or frustrating depending on which way he turned it.  The idea is to build a bridge with the screws.

Other Displays

There are so many displays.  Different things you can learn about include music, bugs, bones, dinosaurs, vibrations, robotics, magnets, space, gravity, gears, colors, shapes, and so much more.  It’s easy to spend a few hours or even the whole day discovering.

Memberships

Discovery Space does charge to get in.  They have a per person rate and they also offer annual memberships.  I highly recommend a year membership if your child is even a little interested in STEM.  There’s so much to do you will easily go enough to make the membership worth the price.  We will be going once a week so we will get our money’s worth out of our membership.

Our library also has guest passes available.  That’s how we’ve gone in the past.  They offer it for a week which is plenty for little ones.  However, there’s always a pretty long wait list.  So we decided to get a pass now that he’s more interested this year.

The pass includes the ability to go to other science centers around the U.S. with our membership.  We’re going to try out the Children’s Museum of Virginia later this year.

Although a lot of it seems geared towards elementary age STEM, this year they moved to a new location with a lot more space.  Now there are sections for little ones, preschoolers and kindergarten, tons of stuff for elementary age, and even a robotics section for older kids (12+).  There’s something for all ages. 

Discovery Space

We have a lot of fun each time we go.  There are so many things to learn.  If you’re ever in Central PA you should come to check Discovery Space out.  Do you have a hands-on science museum where you live?  I’d love to hear about them.  We might visit.  Comment your favorites below.  And don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe. 

P.S.

Check out our Preschool and Pre-K school year for more homeschooling ideas.