Children can save our planet in the name of science while having a great time at the "Kid Science: The Island of the Elements" exhibit at the Franklin Institute.
The exhibit takes kids ages 5 to 8 through a tale that teaches the elements of science - light, water, earth, and air.
On their journey across "The Island of the Elements," children will meet the "Power Keepers." To save the planet, the children must learn and perform the jobs of the Power Keepers in a quest to stop Lord Chaos and keep the island in balance with nature.
While in the exhibit, children can try activities including the Mirror Maze, Shape Shifter, Laser Maze, and Shadow Puzzle. They can also work with PVC piping in the Make a Fountain area to devise a water-delivery system.
One enchanted day
Kids can begin their summer break at the Enchanted Summer Day in the Enchanted Woods of Winterthur Museum and Country Estate from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.
The event, offered rain or shine, is geared to children 3 to 12. They're encouraged to wear their favorite fairy, wizard, troll, or pirate costume to participate in garden crafts, face painting, old-fashioned games, and more. Kids can help decorate the garden's giant Bird's Nest with colorful ribbon, do a maypole dance, and watch a Punch and Judy show with magic performed by Professor Horn.
There will be a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the garden's newest feature, the Upside Down Tree. Families can meet Gary Smith, the landscape architect who worked with the fairies to design the Enchanted Woods.
Tots and sculpture
Parents can bring their toddlers to Tots on Tour on Saturday at Grounds for Sculpture, where they can learn with interactive activities.
In the tour sessions, offered rain or shine at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., children 3 to 5 listen to a story, become park explorers, and make works of art. The program is offered every third Saturday of the month through October.