Kalahari Indoor Theme Park

The girl child wanted to go to Kalahari Indoor Theme Park in Wisconsin Dells to celebrate her birthday.  We were mostly in it for the rides, also the little one is not such a fan, so we ended up doing a few games as well.

There is a fair amount for the little ones to do, including a mini ropes course.

But she was in the sweet spot, being small enough to go on the kiddie activities and just big enough to do most of the grow-up ones as well.  The full-scale ropes course ended up being a little bit more unnerving than she anticipated, and one of the attendants who was working was FANTASTIC at helping to guide her through it.

She also enjoyed the variety of climbing walls.

We appreciated that there were options for unlimited-play wristbands as well as the ability to buy credits to use on anything in the park.  This worked out well for our family since we knew the kids would get their money's worth, but the we parents probably would not.  It was easy to reload our card if we ran low.

We were also VERY impressed with the staff.  We got really lucky and were there on a day that was not crowded at all.  Truthfully, we were able to walk right onto most of the rides.  There were a few that the adults had to go on with the kids.  We were all supposed to pay, but the attendants were all so nice about letting us go on with them without charging us!  It made our visit so much more enjoyable and the kids got to do a lot more than they would have if we had needed to pay for every carousel and Ferris wheel ride!  Little things like that made our experience a great one.  It was a bit more expensive than we usually spend for birthday fun, but I think we would all agree it was worth it.

We also didn't need to stay at the hotel, which was great for us.  I was a little bit surprised while researching that overnight guests do not get more of a discount on wristbands.

Kalahari Indoor Theme Park
1305 Kalahari Drive ~ Wisconsin Dells, WI ~ (877) 525-2427

Preview Post: Ashland Historical Society Museum

The Ashland Historical Museum does not look like a very hands-on experience, but it does seem to have quite a rotating assortment of content.  They change their exhibits up to keep things fresh, but I am guessing this still probably a pretty short visit with kids!

Ashland Historical Society Museum
216 Main Street West ~ Ashland, WI ~ (715) 682-4911

Preview Post: AmericInn Waterpark

The AmericInn in Ashland has an indoor waterpark.  It doesn't look like it's huge, but it might be a fun way to spend an afternoon.  From pictures I can find, it looks like there are two decent water slides and a splash area.  They do have day passes available.

AmericInn SplAshland
3009 Lake Shore Drive E ~ Ashland, WI
Admission: $10

Preview Post: Barlow Planetarium

The Barlow Planetarium in Menasha looks like a really neat place to visit.  I've actually never been to a planetarium, but I really want to take the kids here when they get a little bit older.

It is important to note that you have to look at their show schedule in order to plan your visit, but they seem to run shows pretty regularly.  They also hold special events throughout the year.

The Barlow Planetarium claims to have a state-of-the-art projection system.  It is run by UW-Fox Valley.

Barlow Planetarium
1478 Midway Road ~ Menasha, WI ~ 920-832-2868
Admission: $8/Adult, $7/Teen, $6/Child or Senior, Free/Under 3

Preview Post: Appleton Family Ice Center

Appleton Family Ice Center is an indoor ice rink.  They offer hockey and ice skating, but they also have open skate times when anyone from the public can come.

Appleton Family Ice Center
1717 E. Witzke Boulevard ~ Appleton, WI ~ (920) 830-7679
Admission: $5, $3 skate rental

Monkey Joe's

We visited Monkey Joe's inflatable play place for a fun way to burn off some energy on a below-zero winter's day.  I had looked into the Appleton location, so I was pretty excited to see how it was in person.

I remembered seeing they had a parent's lounge, which I did not really find at the Waukesha location. There were plenty of tables to claim for our stuff, and there are massage chairs stationed throughout, but you do have to pay to operate them.

The kids had a blast, of course!  The littlest one (3yo) got the best deal because he was little enough to go into the toddler inflatable (which they ALL wanted to do) and was big enough to make it through the big kid ones.  The favorites were definitely the slides.

There was also an arcade area.  The kids wandered over every so often and enjoyed looking at the games, but we didn't spend any money playing them.  We also avoided the snack bar.

The place seemed very clean, including the bathrooms.  I did notice there didn't seem to be any good spot for nursing mothers.

Monkey Joe's
2040 West Bluemound Road ~ Waukesha, WI ~ (262) 549-3866
Admission: $10-11/child over 2, $6/under 2, Adults Free

Circus World Museum

Circus World Museum is Baraboo's most famous tourist attraction.  We got lucky enough to get a coupon through the library's summer reading program, and the younger kiddo was free, so that worked out well for us too.

We started out by walking through the museum, which was lots of fun because many of the exhibits are interactive.  I will say a few of them seem to be getting a little bit run down, but still fun and still worked.

Our next stop was the tiger show.  It was quite amazing.  I think the adults were even more impressed than the kids.

The circus definitely abounds throughout the grounds.

 There are remnants of the big top glory days...

 and current action to take in.

Our whole family's favorite part was the live circus - with elephants!  There were plenty of animal acts as well as human.

It was a great day of fun for the whole family.  It could definitely get expensive because there were lots of (pricey) extras to add on once you are in the place, but the shows were all included.

I do believe the shows are contracted, so they change from year to year.

Circus World
550 Water Street ~ Baraboo, WI ~ (866) 693-1500
Admission: varies by season (closed Nov-Feb): $9.95-$19.95/adult, $8.95-$17.95/senior, $4.95-$9.95/child (5-11), free/under 5

Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary

The Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary is not usually the first place you think of when you hear "Bay Beach," but it is a gem! 

Our first stop was the Nature Center.

 It is a really fun, hands-on place!  There are things to climb in, including a mock tree with hidey-holes that show different critters that live there.  There are live animals and animal bones.

This miniature house gives examples of different ways wild animals could invade your home.

 There's also a "beaver slide" into the "otter pond," which does a pretty good job of making you feel like you are under water.

Then we got to explore the animals.  It is like a very natural zoo.  We saw all kinds of animals, but our favorite were the deer.  This guy hung out pretty close to the fence, so the brave one got to pet it!

 We really enjoyed the Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary.

 Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary
1660 East Shore Drive ~ Green Bay, WI ~ (920) 391-3671

Dodge County Historical Society

The Dodge County Historical Society has a museum in Beaver Dam.

Admittedly, we did not see the entire museum.  For some reason my kiddo got totally freaked out and would not go to most of it.

Both littles enjoyed the loft area, which has a model wigwam and teepee.  There is also a large collection of arrowheads found in the area.

 

Most of the museum was jam-packed full of antique items.  There was plenty of daylight, but most of the lights were turned off, so it was still a bit dark.

There is a mock one-room schoolhouse set up on the second floor.

It was a bummer that the kids couldn't touch anything.  I was hopeful when a sign mentioned something about playing in the schoolhouse, but there were signs all over once we got up there saying not to touch anything.

There were some easy opportunities I saw for them to make this museum a bit more interactive, but it is really just a very large collection of stuff.  Don't get me wrong, I found it pretty interesting!  It is a place worth stopping by once for an hour.

The curator was very friendly.

Dodge County Historical Society
105 Park Avenue ~ Beaver Dam, WI ~ (920) 887-1266

Preview Post: Butterfly Gardens of Wisconsin

The Butterfly Gardens of Wisconsin is "Wisconsin's largest butterfly house and maze."  They also have bee, frog, toad, and turtle exhibits.  The butterflies look to be housed in a greenhouse-like structure, while the maze is shaped like a butterfly through the garden.

It looks like an enjoyable, relaxing stop.  I believe they are open seasonally.

Butterfly Gardens of Wisconsin
N2550 State Hwy 47 ~ Appleton, WI ~ 920-475-0777
Admission: $6/adult, $3/child, 2 & under free

Rockin' Jump

 We have been to the Madison Rockin' Jump a few times now.  Originally, we were looking for a place to take our two-year-old for his birthday that he would LOVE.  There are so many places he enjoys, so we wanted to come up with something a little bit different so it would feel more special.

We decided on a trampoline park.  There are a few in Southern Wisconsin, but the toddler jump hours at Rockin' Jump fit our schedule the best.

 Needless to say, he had a blast!

Once she heard all about it, the big kiddo felt a little left out, so for Christmas we gave them a gift certificate and took them both back.

We've had so much fun here, we've even taken friends back with us!  One of my favorite parts about Rockin' Jump is their Rockin' Tots, when the entire trampoline park is only open to children 6 & under and their supervising adults.  It's great to let them run and play without worrying about them getting trampled.  For the older crowd, they also host Tween/Teen jump time.  And, of course, there are times that are open for all ages.

The facilities have always been very clean and well-kept when we have been there.  There are nice bathrooms.  We did not take diapers in (chose to change in the car before and after), but I believe there were changing stations.

The other part I LOVE is the pricing.  Parents do not pay to supervise their kids.  That is one of my pet peeves at a lot of child-centered places - parents pay admission even though they are really only there for their children.  Not here.  Only the jumpers pay!

Some advice before you go: sign a waiver online so you don't have to wait to do it there, and save your jump socks so you don't have to buy more next time.  Also, there is a maximum number of jumpers at any given time, so if you're going at a time that might be busy, either book a spot online or get there early.

I have never been to the one in Brown Deer, but I would assume it is very similar.

Rockin' Jump
2700 Novation Parkway ~ Madison, WI ~ (608) 819-5368
9009 North Deerbrook Trail ~ Brown Deer, WI ~ (414) 522-1945
Admission: anywhere between $5-$20, depending on when you go and how long you want to be there

Preview Post: Wisconsin Museum of International Wildlife

The Wisconsin Wildlife Museum is a more unique museum.  It consists of many mounted animals from around the world.  Some of the mounts look like they are pretty need "action" shots.  They also have some hands-on exhibits, which would make this a whole lot more fun!

They do have quite limited hours, so be sure to check ahead.

Wisconsin Museum of International Wildlife
10 East College Avenue, Suite 222 ~ Appleton, WI ~ (920) 419-2721
Admission: free

Preview Post: Trout Museum of Art

The Trout Museum of Art looks like a typical small art museum.  While it is not geared toward children, it could be interesting for them, especially if you have one who is interested in art.  I think I would be most inclined to try one of their events that are more specifically for kids.  There are regular family art project days as well as performers that they bring in, called the Young Audiences series.

Trout Museum of Art
Fox Cities Building for the Arts ~ 111 West College Avenue ~ Appleton, WI ~ (920) 733-4089
Admission: "Varies by Exhibition" (?) but at the moment it's:
                    $6/Ages 11&up, $2/Ages 5-11, Under 5 free

Preview Post: History Museum at the Castle

The History Museum at the Castle is in Appleton.  It is not a children's museum, but they do welcome children, and it looks like they try to have some family friendly, hands-on exhibits.  I am not sure how frequently their exhibits change, but at the moment, the ones I think my kiddos would most enjoy are the Houdini and toy areas.

History Museum at the Castle
330 East College Avenue ~ Appleton, WI ~ (920) 735-9370
Admission: $7.50/adult, $3.50/child, under 5 free OR $20/family

Wilderness Resort

We attended a family gathering at the Wilderness this spring.  The kids had blast!

The highlight, of course, was the water park.  While the Wilderness does have an outdoor water park as well, we were only able to experience the indoor in March!  It spans three large rooms.

One room is primarily a splash area.  There is a large climber as well as a small splash pad for babies and toddlers.

Another room contains the "activity" pool, VERY small lazy river, and some little water slides geared toward preschoolers.

The third room has a wave pool, a small climber area for small kiddos, and more full-sized water slides.

The Wilderness has a great variety of activities that are appropriate to span all ages.  I also really like that they measure and provide wristbands to kids based on their height so the lifeguards know at a glance which rides each child is tall enough for.  It's also an easy way to reference the rides as a parent and know which are okay for your child.

The water park has plenty of life preservers on hand, but they also allow you to use your own, which is awesome since some don't!

The disadvantage of the Wilderness is that you are supposed to be a hotel guest in order to use their water park.  However, we had some members of our party join us just for a day, and they were able to get a day pass.  I am not entirely sure how that works, but I believe a staying member had to go vouch that they were with us.

I will also say their lost and found program is not very user friendly.  The ONLY way to retrieve an item is to fill out an online form and wait until they contact you.  We did eventually get our stuff back, though.  And, yes, I realize it was our fault it was left in the first place.

All in all, if you are looking for a weekend water getaway, the Wilderness was a pretty decent one.

Wilderness Resort
511 E Adams St ~ Wisconsin Dells, WI ~ (800) 867-9453
Admission: included in room rate

Preview Post: Bergstrom Mahler Museum of Glass

I was a little bit skeptical when I started looking into the Bergstrom Mahler Museum of Glass.  I am pretty hesitant to take my crew anywhere that has "Glass" in its name (!), but as I look into it, I think the kids would be pretty intrigued.  There are lighted exhibits, and they offer classes.

Gerstrom Mahler Museum of Glass
165 North Park Ave ~ Neenah, WI ~ (920) 751-4658
Admission: Free

Preview Post: The 10th Frame

The 10th Frame is a bowling alley in Appleton.  Well, actually it is a bar with a bowling alley, but they are definitely open to all ages.  I cannot find anywhere how many lanes they have, but they boast open bowling every single day!

The 10th Frame
618 West Wisconsin Ave ~ Appleton, WI ~ (920) 733-1929
Admission: $6/person unlimited bowling!

Preview Post: Revolution Raceway

Revolution Raceway is an RC vehicle track in Appleton.  They host competitions, but they also have open practice hours when anyone can go and give it a try.  They also have vehicles for rent.  The practice hours seem to be most afternoons and evenings, but I would call ahead or check online to verify.

Revolution Raceway
122 S Memorial Drive ~ Appleton, WI ~ (920) 955-2121
Admission: $7.50/vehicle, $2/rental

Preview Post: Paper Discovery Center

The Paper Discovery Center in Appleton looks like a great place to visit, even just because it is different from every other museum in the area.  There are hands-on exhibits, all related to paper.  I actually was there once when I was much, much younger.  All I remember is making my own paper.  I must have enjoyed it to remember it, though!

Paper Discovery Center
425 West Water Street ~ Appleton, WI ~ (920) 380-7491
Admission: $6/adult, $4/student

Preview Post: Hearthstone Historic House Museum

I don't know about you all, but I am a sucker for beautiful historic homes where I can pretend I used to live in my elegant gowns... Sooo Hearthstone Historic House Museum looks like a fantastic place to take the family for a little escape from reality.  It is the first home in the WORLD lit by hydroelectricity.  And I have to say, the few pictures I've seen of the inside are gorgeous!  Has anyone been here?  Worth the visit?

Hearthstone Historic House Museum
625 West Prospect ~ Appleton, WI ~ (920) 730-8204
Admission: There is a price, but it is unlisted at the moment since they are closed for the season.