In the Children's Discovery Room, I loved this area for young children! I like the mirror down low, dress up items nearby, flowers to plant, etc. Everything is kid friendly and meant to explore.
Across from this area is a "dark" room where we crossed over into the night. Various nocturnal animals were highlighted, as well as a guide to the planets.
Displays on the wall help the visitor explore and interact with nature more.
This section is neat as it looks at life under the soil. I liked the interactive aspect of finding the right animal that fits with the tunnel. There is actually a tunnel right here that children can crawl through to go to the Night World room, further extending the experience underground.
This display on soil really let us know what all is happening under the ground! I know as spring approaches, I'm glad to see more and more of my yard as the snow melts.
There were a couple of displays on birds, looking at "tools of the trade" and different parts of a bird. The Birds & Blooms display helps the viewer know what to name when describing a bird during observation.
There is a small viewing window with information about typical birds and blooms that might be seen out the window. I like how these are easily accessible in a handy bin on the wall. The discovery drawers were also neat, with interesting artifacts to explore and learn more about.
Another exploration area included animals on the wall, build a forest scene and other items on the floor. Since we were there for Sugar Camp Days there were also Pioneer toys out for play, along with the normal books, blocks, and other items.
Another area had a small winter display and pictures of animals to categorize on the magnetic side of the display case.
The building also houses offices for staff at the park and a multi purpose room. It had a display on maple sugaring at Bendix Woods when we visited, though they may change it out from time to time.
It's great to have another option to explore nature in the Michiana area. I would combine this with a hike and a stop at the playground if I took my children. What a fun way to get outside while exploring through play and learning about nature!
