Explore & Discover 

Two-hour, self-guided, educational play at the museum. Students will have the opportunity to learn and discover at their own pace in 15,000 square feet of indoor exhibits exploring science, careers, art, building and more, plus a 4.5-acre certified Nature Explore Outdoor Classroom.

“Play is learning….In the short and long term, play benefits cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development. Children learn cognitive skills such as creativity, problem solving, divergent thinking, mathematics, and language. They learn to negotiate social relationships, regulate their emotions, and control their own behaviors. When play is fun and child-directed, children are motivated to engage in opportunities to learn.” - The Power of Play: A Research Summary on Play and Learning, written by Dr. Rachel E. White from the Institute of Child Development at University of Minnesota

Designed for PreK-5th grade
Cost ranges from $5-$7 per person
Not a school group but interested in a group rate? Call us at 785-783-8300

Build Roll Engineer photo courtesy of Geary County Schools USD 475

Build, Roll, Engineer!

Most popular! Students will use different materials to create structures that will send a ball in motion. While learning how to use the materials in different ways, students will be challenged to observe, build, rebuild and work together to complete their engineering task. Students become problem solving engineers while playing. This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, MA-11-15-0041-15. http://www.imls.gov/

Science Standard: K-PS2-2
Cost ranges from $8-$10 per person

Push, Pull, Launch!

What does it take to knock down a tower? Small push, large pull, or more? Students explore push and pull forces as they experiment with ramps, movement and tools that launch. This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, MA-11-15-0041-15. http://www.imls.gov/

Science Standard: K-PS2-2
Cost ranges from $8-$10 per person

Seismic Design

Students design and reinforce a structure like real engineers to withstand a simulated earthquake.

Science Standard: Standard 3-5-ETS1-1
Cost ranges from $8-$10 per person

Robots Introduction

Get your computer engineering mind rolling! Participants will have a unique opportunity to work with Dash and Colby, the mouse robots. Working with these robots will enhance analytical thinking and help develop coding skills.

Standards: 3-5-ETS1-2
Cost ranges from $8-$10 per person