INK Fun

Ryan and I ventured north to the Interactive Neighborhood for Kids {INK} with Lisa, Ellie, and Gavin on Friday. INK is a children's museum filled with educational and hands-on exhibits {rooms set up to replicate real life places} where kids can role play and learn about different things in an interactive setting ... like being a banker, grocery store clerk, doctor, dentist, vet, or a restaurant employee. It was great and lots of fun!

Riding the Gainesville Police Department 4-wheeler.

Playing in the Family Playhouse ... playgrounds are always fun!

Taking a turn as the cashier at the 50's Diner.

Train Area, which Ryan loved!

This was our first time visiting and we happened to pick an awesome day to go. We basically had the place to ourselves thanks to some much smaller than normal field trips on the calendar for the day. Ryan and Ellie had free reign of the exhibits, which you certainly can't beat, especially when you have your favorite playmate with you :)

Beauty Salon -- Ellie gave Ryan a great cut and style!

Cow Milking Area -- this was tough to do, but Ryan got the water to squirt out on his second attempt :)

SunTrust Bank for Kids

GrandPappy Airlines -- Ryan and Ellie got to co-pilot a full-sized 1955 Aero Commander 560 aircraft. Ryan was ready for it to really take off already :)

Shopping at J&J Foods Grocery Store.

The kiddos played for about 4 hours and hit pretty much every exhibit at least once, only stopping briefly to eat lunch. It was interesting to see the different things they wanted to play with being of the opposite sex. Ryan particularly liked the Train Area, Animal Medical Care Clinic, and anything that had buttons to push, whereas Ellie liked the 50's Diner, Medical Center, and Grocery Store.

Animal Medical Care Center

Checking out real x-rays in the Gainesville Radiology Department.

Little firefighters ... aboard a real 1927 American
LaFrance Fire Truck.

My favorite part of the day, hands down, was watching them play together in the dentist office!! It was SO cute! It's too bad Ellie isn't qualified to do Ryan's real dental cleanings and check-ups -- he sat there for her like a pro with his mouth wide open :)