Family Fun
by Rachel Marks
Kids Editor
This kids museum is without a doubt one of our family's favorite places to go. Our most recent visit felt extra special because of Kidspace's current limited time immersive exhibit: Wired for Wonder -- A Multisensory Maze, in collaboration with Getty Museum's PST ART: Art and Science Collide. Our kids just love spending time here. Come to think of it, Kidspace special exhibits, like last summer's Kidspace Campout which I reviewed, are always well-curated and lots of fun for everyone. Thanks to Kidspace Children’s Museum in Pasadena for providing us with media access for Wired for Wonder for this review. Read on to learn all about this popular kid friendly Southern California family attraction.
For Babies, Toddlers, Kids 6 Months - 10 Years Old
The Wired for Wonder Maze was hands down the highlight of our trip this time around. It’s not just about finding your way through a maze -- it’s a full sensory experience where kids (and adults) can see, hear, smell, and feel their way through different challenges. My kids love to touch, climb, and explore so this was right up their alley.
As soon as we stepped into the area dedicated to Wired for Wonder, Izzy (6), Ori (4), and Arya (2) were completely captivated. The maze is designed to be more than just a path from point A to point B to point C. It’s filled with interactive elements along the way that encourage curiosity, exploration, problem-solving, and a bit of teamwork.
Favorite Wonder Maze Activities
- The Color-Changing Pathways -- Our eldest son Izzy was obsessed with, figuring out how the lights worked while stepping back and forth to test different patterns. Younger brother Ori, on the other hand, was more interested in running through as fast as possible, laughing the whole time.
- The Smell-o-Phone Booth -- Watching the boys take turns sniffing different scents and making wild guesses was hilarious. One smelled like oranges, which they got right, but another was apparently "definitely pizza" (spoiler: it was not). Arya kept trying to climb inside the booth, thinking there was something exciting hidden in there.
- The Textures Station -- Ori loved the part where they had to feel different materials and guess what they were. He closed his eyes and ran his hands over everything like a little scientist. Arya, meanwhile, just giggled and patted every surface as fast as she could.
- The Tasting Station -- At the end the tasting station was a such a cool surprise! The kids got to try different flavors and guess what they were. Ori, who is usually my pickiest eater, was surprisingly into it, while Izzy insisted that everything tasted like “spicy bananas” (no idea where he got that from).
Child-Tested, Mom- and Dad-Approved
What I loved the most as a parent was that the special Wired for Wonder exhibition space had something different that was fun, educational and engaged each of our three children, despite their different ages and personalities. Usually, someone ends up bored or frustrated, but this exhibit really engaged all of them. My husband and I took turns guiding them through different sections, and sometimes we split up so they could explore at their own pace.
More of My Kids Fave Kidspace Adventures
After the maze, the kids still had plenty of energy to burn off, so we hit some of Kidspace's permanent areas.
Bottle Launcher and Pulleys -- If it involves pushing buttons and making things fly, my kids (and I bet your kids) are always in
Rock Climbing and Instruments -- This activity is good mix of mental challenges, physical movement and creativity.
Farm Area Sandbox -- My daughter could have stayed here forever, happily digging and building. I think yours will likely enjoy this just as much. Afterall, what kid doesn't like getting a little dirty, right?
After those fun activities, we took a snack break by the water. This gave everyone a chance to catch their breath before heading back for more fun and exploration in the permanent areas of the museum. Both indoors and outside there is literally so much here to keep kids busy and engaged based on their interests and energy levels.
Final Thoughts: Why We Love Kidspace
Kidspace just gets it when it comes to kids. There’s so much space to explore, plenty of spots to sit and take a break, and the staff is always so friendly and helpful. It never feels overwhelming, even when it gets busy, which makes a huge difference when you have little ones running in different directions.
Before we arrived, Izzy was skeptical -- he thought Kidspace might be “too babyish” for him. But after trying Wired for Wonder he completely changed his mind. In fact, he said it was one of his favorite things we’ve done there which, coming from a six-year-old, is pretty high praise. If you have kids and either live in or visit Southern California and you're looking for something fun and hands-on, Kidspace and the Wired for Wonder maze are definitely worth checking out. Also, don't miss all the butterfly-related activities now that the 29th Annual Butterfly Season has begun at Kidspace.
We’ll definitely be back soon. Next time, we’ll probably stay even longer! Have you been to Kidspace? Please feel free to leave a comment, I’d love to hear what your kids think of this experience.
About Kidspace
Visit
kidspacemuseum.org for hours, activity schedule and to reserve general admission tickets for Kidspace Children's Museum, sign up for a Family Membership, and to discover more about Kidspace offerings year-round. Kidspace is geared toward kids ages 6 months through 10 years-old. For the youngest ones, for crawlers and non-crawlers there are age-appropriate toys and areas to explore. For the older kids, there are fun, educational, and hands-on opportunities to discover. The children's 3.5 acre indoor and outdoor space features 40 interactive exhibits with daily events and special monthly programs. Stay in the loop on everything Kidspace is up to by following their social media channels on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram.
Kidspace is located at 480 North Arroyo Boulevard, Pasadena, California 91103; phone 626-449-9144.
