Round Lake Children's Museum: It's a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood!
Picture a pint-sized neighborhood featuring its own fire station, gas station, veterinarian office, grocery store, and more and you've got the Round Lake Children's Museum!
To call it a "Museum" may seem a bit of a misnomer if one tends to think of museums as huge places with plexiglass and dinosaur bones. At the Round Lake Children's Museum, everything is hands-on and meant for exploration! The museum is more of a small play-land where your tykes ages 1-6 can pretend they are adults in a little town made just for them. The replicas and props are so adorable, you won't be able to resist joining in the make-believe adventures. While it may appear to be all just fun and games, the museum actually meets a variety of "Illinois State Learning Standards" that have been developed for Early Childhood Developmental Education.
Cuteness abounds so don't forget your camera! You'll be busy snapping photos of your preschooler as he/she fills their car with gas, goes shopping for groceries, then heads home to prepare lunch. I was treated to a particularly well-prepared plate of steamed dumplings and a taco (yes, they have international play food.) The taco then became a hat. Kids!
Have you got a little performer? He/she will love putting on a show at the Imagination Station. A full dress-up wardrobe is at their disposal. Help them get primped backstage using the vanity and hair dryers. Then sit back and watch the on-stage performance while you play paparazzi with the toy cameras or your own grown-up version.
My little guy especially enjoyed the neighborhood's "backyard" which features a rock climbing wall and miniature gym equipment. My son loved using the bench press and counting his reps just like Daddy. A construction workshop, train table, and music station are also popular.
Your crawlers or early walkers don't have to miss out. A specially designated "Crawler Zone" sets aside a safe place for them to explore as well.
There's so much to entertain your youngsters in what seems like such a small space. You will be sure to come back again and again. At $5 per child, it's an easy and affordable fix for cabin fever.Memberships are also available and can be very cost-effective for families. The museum also makes a great location for birthday parties.
Here's a few things to keep in mind on your first visit...
Fast Facts and Tips
The museum is located in the lower level of the Robert W. Rolek Community Center which is the home of the Round Lake Park District. While driving, be sure to look for signs for the Community Center NOT the museum or you won't find it.
Pay your admission at the Front Desk of the Community Center and then take your ticket downstairs to deposit in a drop box before entering.
Admission is $5 per child ages 1-6. Children under 1 are free. You can print a $1 off coupon here.
Wednesday evenings from 5:00-6:30 pm are FREE
Arrive early for maximum enjoyment as hours are limited and capacity is capped at 30 children. Although signs ask that you keep props in their appropriate stations, if you come later your child may discover a fire truck full of plastic vegetables or stuffed animals in the construction workshop.
The museum features many signs in Spanish. Great for bilingual families or kids who wish to learn.
On our most recent visit, I detected an intermittent smell of exhaust. When I reported this to the Front Desk, I was disappointed to learn that the smell was caused by their heaters and was a normal occurrence. I hadn't noticed this before in previous visits so please keep aware.
Location:Round Lake Area Park District, Robert W. Rolek Community Center, 814 Hart Road, Round Lake Phone: (847) 546-8558 Admission: $5 per child ages 1-6 (under 1 year FREE) Maximum capacity is 30 children.
All children must be accompanied by an adult. Morning Hours: Mon, Tues, Wed & Sat 9:30 - 11:30 am Afternoon Hours: Mon, Tues & Wed 1:30 - 3:00 pm Evening Hours: Mon 5:30 - 7:30 pm, Wed 5:00-6:30 pm FREE Admittance
I was recently invited to participate in the Notable Chef program at the University Center, which is located in Grayslake next to the College of Lake County. Basically, the University Center partnered with the Comfort Suites Grayslake to have a corporate group, Snap-On Tools, hold their meeting in Lake County. The group stayed at the Comfort Suites Grayslake and met at the University Center for 12 days.
One night during their conference, they had a team building experience with the Chef from the University Center, called Notable Chef. I was honored to be included in this program. Everyone in the group participated in making the dinner that evening as the chefs monitored and instructed us on how to make the meal. Each person was given an apron and a chef’s hat, which we could write our chef name on it. Some people came up with very creative names!
The meal for the night was: Tool Man Salad, Steak Diane, Bananas Foster, potatoes and vegetables. My favorite part and everyone else’s was getting the flame going while we were cooking the appetizers and Steak Diane. Each person got to add their own little touch to their meal creation. Surprisingly enough, the food turned out fantastic and everyone was stuffed at the end of the night. It was a great experience for myself and an excellent team building opportunity for the Snap-On Tools guys. I did not know that the University Center had this opportunity and is something that I will recommend to my boss and something that I think you should too.
Here is my video of my Notable Chef cooking experience.
I was recently invited to participate in the Notable Chef program at the University Center, which is located in Grayslake next to the College of Lake County. Basically, the University Center partnered with the Comfort Suites Grayslake to have a corporate group, Snap-On Tools, hold their meeting in Lake County. The group stayed at the Comfort Suites Grayslake and met at the University Center for 12 days.
One night during their conference, they had a team building experience with the Chef from the University Center, called Notable Chef. I was honored to be included in this program. Everyone in the group participated in making the dinner that evening as the chefs monitored and instructed us on how to make the meal. Each person was given an apron and a chef’s hat, which we could write our chef name on it. Some people came up with very creative names!
The meal for the night was: Tool Man Salad, Steak Diane, Bananas Foster, potatoes and vegetables. My favorite part and everyone else’s was getting the flame going while we were cooking the appetizers and Steak Diane. Each person got to add their own little touch to their meal creation. Surprisingly enough, the food turned out fantastic and everyone was stuffed at the end of the night. It was a great experience for myself and an excellent team building opportunity for the Snap-On Tools guys. I did not know that the University Center had this opportunity and is something that I will recommend to my boss and something that I think you should too.
Here is my video of my Notable Chef cooking experience.
Inside Lake County Cool Places: Beat the winter blues!
Enjoy a Manicure & Pedicure with Wine at Paradise Mist Spa
I hope that everyone is all dug out from our 2ft of snow we received last week. The fresh powder has provided us with the opportunity to enjoy the sled hills a little while longer before the warmer temperatures arrive to melt the snow, and that will be here before we know it. February is also a great time to experience other things in the county that we may not think of when the warm weather arrives, such as romantic events, wine walks or learn about history at the Great Lakes Naval Museum.
Today is Valentine’s Day and we have some great things for you and your valentine to experience around the county. If you are looking for a gift for the woman in your life, Paradise Mist Spa offers fantastic spa packages and specials to reenergize yourself. Paradise Mist Spa is located at KeyLime Cove Water Resort in Gurnee. The resort also offers a kids spa, so both mom and child get rejuvenated. Also, if you or your significant other is big wine drinkers, Lynfred Winery in Wheeling has a great selection of wine to choose from and a friendly staff to help you select that perfect wine.
Speaking of wine, Saturday, February 19th is the Let’s Wine About Winter event in Downtown Libertyville. Purchase a wine glass for $10 at one of the 31 participating stores and use it as your ticket at the other stores. This is a store to store wine tasting event with different refreshments in each store. If you have never been to this event, it is a great way to stroll throughout historic downtown Libertyville sipping a glass of wine browsing what each store has to offer. It is definitely a favorite event for many area residents and what better way to spend a Saturday afternoon than with a glass a wine and shopping?
One of the great treasures that we have in Lake County is the Great Lakes Naval Station. With former President Ronald Reagan’s birthday this month, it is a good reminder to learn more about our nation’s Navy and the history of the base here in Lake County. The Great Lakes Naval Museum was remodeled last year and is free and open to the public. I have been to the museum since it has been remodeled and it is just simply amazing to look the artifacts, history and what a recruit goes through to become a sailor. There are Navy personnel on hand to answer any questions that you may have, plus if you are there on a Friday when graduation is held, you may get a chance to talk to a recruit that graduated that day. That was a great experience as well, just to see the sense of accomplishment on their face and their families’ faces. If you have not already done so, I highly recommend a visit to the Great Lakes Naval Museum to learn about the base and its history.
may seem a bit of a misnomer if one tends to think of museums as huge places with plexiglass and dinosaur bones. At the Round Lake Children's Museum, everything is hands-on and meant for exploration! The museum is more of a small play-land where your tykes ages 1-6 can pretend they are adults in a little town made just for them. The replicas and props are so adorable, you won't be able to resist joining in the make-believe adventures. While it may appear to be all just fun and games, the museum actually meets a variety of "Illinois State Learning Standards" that have been developed for Early Childhood Developmental Education.
Cuteness abounds so don't forget your camera! You'll be busy snapping photos of your preschooler as he/she fills their car with gas, goes shopping for groceries, then heads home to prepare lunch. I was treated to a particularly well-prepared plate of steamed dumplings and a taco (yes, they have international play food.) The taco then became a hat. Kids!
ttle performer? He/she will love putting on a show at the Imagination Station. A full dress-up wardrobe is at their disposal. Help them get primped backstage using the vanity and hair dryers. Then sit back and watch the on-stage performance while you play paparazzi with the toy cameras or your own grown-up version.
