"The Magic House"

Daughter refers to it as Camp Grandma which pleases the children more than "babysitting", because, of course, they are not "babies"! Entertaining active children on their own turf can be a challenge for anyone, but grandparents have the added responsibility of making it fun and making good memories. My goal is to have my grandchildren remember me as an active, productive member of society, not just an old lady who sat in a chair watching TV.

Yesterday, we visited the "Magic House" in Saint Louis. This is the stuff childhood dreams are made of....and the adults were enjoying it as well. It seems totally safe for children and has some areas that are strictly age appropriate and inaccessible to those not qualifying. A whole area with water fun and toys for ages 1-6, an area for very young toddlers, and slides , etc., for 7 and up. One area was devoted to sleuthing, which was very appropriate for "older" children and easily bypassed by my 7 and 4 year old (although they did enjoy entering a room via the fireplace. Some activities are easily accommodated to a particular age group by the amount of thought and energy put into it. A very young child can blow giant bubbles while an older child learns about cohesion and surfactants.

The "Magic House"definitely has a magic all its own......


An Alice in Wonderland perspective

Learning about shape, color, and size from bubbles.

We learned about sprouting seeds in an outdoor classroom.


Climbing Jack's Beanstalk was a favorite activity. It was three stories high with an entry/exit on each level - challenging and fun.

We spent 6 hours at the House with a break for a picnic lunch. There were still areas we did not have time to explore. It is well worth the full price, but watch for a Saint Louis Groupon coupon to make the whole venture more affordable.