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Coastal Children's Museum - A must-visit spot for families with children to access hands-on, interactive learning and play

If you are travelling to Rockland with your children, the Coastal Children's Museum should be on your itinerary. It is one of the most hands-on, interactive museums in the state of Maine. The Coastal Children’s Museum (originally named The Midcoast Children’s Museum) began as a museum without walls in 1985. For over twenty years, this museum has delivered exciting programs to schools and community venues, and ntertainment to local children and families. The mission of this museum is to provide children and families the opportunity to explore, discover and learn, through play about the natural world, the arts and sciences and the diversity of Maine’s coastal region.

The Coastal Children’s Museum offers an inclusive, relaxed and supportive environment for the positive interaction of children and adults. The museum offers light and airy spaces with comfortable, quiet places as well as room for movement and noise. Families and children find great enjoyment in exploring the hands-on and interactive exhibits, ranging in topic. The museum is focused on providing resources and inspirational educational material to teachers, home school students and educators, as well as the larger community.

The museum is focused on maintaining a set of core values through education, entertainment and creative play. These are: (1) Each child and parent (caregiver) deserves respect; (2) Families are the first educators; (3) Learning occurs through play; (4) The community is our biggest resource; and (5) The museum is a good citizen and thus responsible to the world and the environment.

The museum is filled to the brim with puzzles, games, and labyrinths, and many exciting exhibits such as:

Under the Sea - Discover what you can see when you crawl through the lobster trap. Or, locate the seals, school of fish, lobster, and other animals on the mural.

Book Nook - Read a book while in The Chicken of the Sea Boat, or while sitting on a cat, dog, or other rug.

Arty Party Space - Experience the full range of art and its activities on the art table, or create your own project. This space can also be rented for birthday parties.

Wood Workshop - Learn to use tools here. Drill holes, hammer nails, or use sandpaper. This is also where you can design your own boat or plane.

Puppet Stage - Entertain your family with your own play.

Tubes & Tracks - Design your own pathways for the variety of balls to travel through. Of course, be careful since they may get away from you.

Loom - Weave your part with interesting colors and materials.

Touch Tank - See all the sea critters in the Touch Tank. Can you find the sea stars, green crabs, hermit crabs, sponges, anemones, lobsters, whelks, mussels, scallops and tube worms, or even the pollack? We have some fish, too. You can even touch some of them so just ask the office staff to help you.

Learn About Maine Islands - Match the shapes with the islands. Read about them. Can you answer the questions without looking? Ask the office about the Learn About Maine Islands Learning Kits. This includes developed lessons (two weeks worth for K-3) with the materials based on Kelly Brigg`s book, Island Alphabet.

Sharpies General Store - Have fun shopping or serving pizza, sandwiches, fruit and vegetables.

Visitors can also experience the Life Cycles exhibit. Here you face the challenge of ordering the cards correctly, or completing the six-sided puzzle before jumping aboard and sailing away on the Lady Bug. For more information on this adventure and more, contact the Coastal Children’s Museum at 207-975-2530 or visit www.coastalchildrensmuseum.org.