Exhibits

Exploralot Castle

Thy shall come explore thee castle walls of Exploralot castle.

You and your child can use your imagination through role play, dressing up, exploring the secret tunnels, observing the castle through periscopes, acting in the Puppet Theater, and creating mosaics and shadow walls. Your child can discover how sounds are made through a variety of instruments.

Most importantly, your child can feel like royalty as they experience this fantastic exhibit. Exploralot helps develop gross and fine motor skills, while teaching kids about cooperative play and problem solving.

This attraction was made possible by a grant from Ronald McDonald House Children’s Charities. Art Atrium, Concerto Hall, and Hall of Portraits were made possible by a grant from the Community Foundation of Kankakee.

 

Little Squires Toddler Area

Toddlers can now enjoy their own space to explore and play in the Little Squires Toddler Area. Sorry, no big kids allowed! This area is for 36” and under. Your little toddler can play with wall puzzles, mirrors, blocks and have the most fun sliding down the slide into the grand ol’ ball pit!

This exhibit was possible in part by a grant from the Community Foundation of Kankakee.

 

Up, Up, and Away

The Up, Up, and Away exhibit includes creative flight! Children can create their own aircraft from fairous foam pieces, raise them into the air on the lift and explore which designs fly best.

A-Mazing Airways is a clear, pneumatic tube system with diverter boxes that children can open and close to change the pathway of the balls, scarves, and other objects that move through the tubes using the power of the air.

 

 

Shop-A-Lot Market

Does your little one love going grocery shopping with you?

Well, now it’s their turn! Your little one can shop for realistic foods with mini shopping carts through our deli, bakery, and produce sections.

Rather work the cash register than shop? We’ve got you covered.

 

Wreck Resort Car Care Center

It’s time for your child to suit up for their mechanic job! Your child can use tools to work on a kid sized car, write up work orders & run their own shop.

The Raceway, incorporates basic scientific principles of motion, aerodynamics, velocity, cause and effect of speed and weight as well as basic ideas of building and timing through the assembling, tinkering, and racing of cars on a downhill track.

 

Lickety Split Soda Shop & Diner

It’s time to serve some great food in our updated Diner.

Read through menus, be a host, chef, or customer, and most importantly, don’t forget to take the pizza out of the brick oven!

Check in frequently for our cultural menus!

 

Paleontology

RAWR! This STEM learning exhibit will help advance your child for the Next Generation Science Standards that has been implemented in public schools.

Your little paleontologist can dig a dino site, track for dinosaur fossil footprints, build a dino table, and learn the importance of our Earth’s history.

This exhibit was made possible in part by a grant from the Community Foundation of Kankakee and will incorporate STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) learning into your child’s play.

 

STEAM Learning Lab

Explore your senses in this open-ended exhibit full of science concepts and manipulatives.

Maker Space learning is available as well as daily STEAM concepts available to touch, feel, hear, and see. Create a masterpiece with a variety of media and recycled materials available to make and take your creations with you.

This exhibit was made possible in part by an in-kind donation from the Kankakee County Convention and Visitors Bureau and will incorporate STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) learning into your child’s play.

 

Pet Clinic

Sniffle Sniffle! Have no fear our veterinarians are here! Your child can act as a veterinarian and exam tables, x-ray machines, grooming station, boarding kennels, and read various stuffed animals charts.

Or your child can play the pet owner and have a reception area role where they are in the waiting area viewing related learning reading material.

Your little one can also use their imaginations to identify the basic principles of animal care, while acting on their care and compassion of healthy, sick or injured stuffed animals.

A special recognition to the Community Foundation of Kankakee River Valley and VCA County West Animal Hospital for their generous support in making this exhibit possible.

 

Temporary Exhibit

Stop in from time to time to explore different levels in this changing exhibit!

 

*These are only some of our exhibits, so don’t forget to come out and explore all that we have to offer!