Phoenix Children's Museum

We were in Phoenix a couple of weeks ago because I was coaching my club team in the Volleyball Festival.  We were there for one very long HOT week and were looking for something that we could do with the kids indoors on my day off.  We discovered the Phoenix Children's Museum downtown and the kids loved it!  When you first walk in there is this huge jungle gym.  Russell took the girls up and they spent a good 20 minutes climbing around in that thing

You can't tell from the picture, but they were like 50 feet up when they finally reached the top

The hard part for Russell was coming down.  The workers didn't thing he'd make it.  There were a lot of tight spaces the way he chose to come down, but he did emerge (only a little battered and bruised!)

This table was really neat.  It was lit from below and had fine sand on top that the kids could draw in and just feel and squish to their heart's content.

The girls really liked this "noodle jungle."  They took off in it a couple of times and we had to chase them down in that crazy maze.  They had a ball.

Just outside the jungle was a table with different kinds of rocks that the kids could paint with water and brushes.  We kept running into this other set of twin girls that are 1 year younger than mine and I had a nice time talking to their mom.

There was a little grocery store with shopping carts and bags and checkout stands and Madylin went to town (Pay no attention to the tea that my daughter is stuffing into her bag- we're trying to kick the habit ; )

Hands down the favorite part of the whole museum was the kitchen area.  The girls spent at least a half an hour in here making pizzas and salads and whatever else they wanted to make!

Morgan is such a little homemaker.

Madylin spent most her time making pizza in the brick oven with Granna.

and then watching her enjoy the fruits of their labor.

Nathan loved the "Ballroom"  where he just threw balls and chased them or played catch with his daddy.

If you're ever in Phoenix with your kids, I'd recommend the place.  There were always areas for little babies to play and lots of comfy places for parents to sit and watch!