Akron Life April 2023

EDUCATION

photos provided by Imagination Station

IMAGINATION STATION, TOLEDO

What to Expect: Standout activities include balancing in the gravity room that’s tilted 25 degrees, building a dam to stop flow ing water, creating a bridge out of magnets and watching 3D educational films about nature in your backyard and oceans. At Imagination Station, kids can learn while experiencing these interactive activities. “Exhibits are really designed to get kids excited and inspire them to explore dif ferent aspects of STEAM education,” says senior information officer Amy Mohr. “Kids learn through play. It’s getting hands on and seeing how things work.”

Why Go: Curiosity can bloom at Imagination Station. “We’re really trying to prepare the kids in our community to go out, to be the next engineer, to be the next innovator, to be the next artist,” Mohr says. “We’re hoping that these early experiences here propel them in that direction.” And it’s not just science that kids learn about; they can also learn some important life lessons. In the Tinkering Space, families can experi ment with a topic, like circuits in April. They won’t get set instructions and instead work on figuring out how to complete a circuit with batteries and other objects. “The idea is you want to make a mistake but not look at it as being a failure,” she says. “It’s like, OK, I’ve made a mistake. How can I make this better? ”

Don’t Miss: Embrace your adventurous side with a bike ride along a tightrope — sus pended 20 feet above the ground. The high wire cycle is one of the most sought-after activities at Imagination Station. It teaches kids and adults alike about counterbalance and weight, but it can also be daunting. “Little kids are probably a little braver than some of the adults that we’ve seen on it,” Mohr says. “It’s definitely something that gets your adrenaline going.” 1 Discovery Way, Toledo, imaginationstationtoldeo.org

[ Assistant Editor Alexandra Sobczak is passionate about inclusivity, correct grammar and pop music. ] Comments? Email them to kpetryszyn@bakermediagroup.com.

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akronlife.com | APRIL 2023