Hi! I'm Mariaan, a Marylebone Mum with am inquisitive and hectic 3.5 year old daughter. We try to get out and about as much as we can to see all that Marylebone and surrounds have to offer.
A couple of months ago my daughter (C, then just 3) and I tried out Experitots, a recent offering for children 18 months to 4 years run by the Museum's Explainers. Billed as an interactive play session where you can "find out what makes you who you are", the sessions are an hour long, with about 40 minutes being self-directed play and 20 minutes being facilitated song and exploration of the gallery with the assistance of the Explainers (who are all delightful).
Overall we liked the session but I think enjoyment levels will depend on the specific age range of the kids - there were a surprising number of babies closer to 12 months rather than the older age group the sessions are designed for. There are solid opportunities for dressing up and pretend play (which is fun, but there are a LOT of places in London where you can do this), but I felt personally like there was a missed opportunity for some 'organised science'. The Explainers seemed to think that this will develop over time, so fingers crossed.
C is definitely in a 'why why why why' phase, and it would have been nice if there were some opportunities for the Explainers to explain in an age-appropriate way the 'why' behind some of the exhibits. Having said that, the program is pretty new so will no doubt change and develop over time - it was a fun and affordable activity for a Tuesday morning!
Irrespective of how you feel about Experitots though, there is soooo much else to see in the Museum.
Irrespective of how you feel about Experitots though, there is soooo much else to see in the Museum.
The Pattern Pod is an area which is sort of hidden near the back of the Museum - but still, visit as close to 10am as you can for a more relaxed experience. In this small area children can explore patterns with magnetic shapes, create symmetrical drawings on the touch screens, follow trails and look at patterns in the natural world. It is entirely interactive and learning in a low key and fun way.
The Garden is a special exploration area designed for 3-6 year olds which gives children a chance to explore construction, water, light and sound. It is absolute mayhem over the weekends, but manageable on weekday mornings. C loves it and regularly asks to go back there to play with the flying saucer and water race in particular!
We love the Science Museum (it's now been 2 visits in 3 weeks.....) and the older C gets, no doubt the more we'll get out of the exhibits!!
If you're looking for some other ideas feel free to check out my blog Travels of a Lawyer Mum or on Insta @travelsofalawyer.
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