Young At Art Children's Museum, Davie

There are four different areas. The first, Wonderscapes, is for children aged 5 and under and it is packed. Here kids delight in amazing waterplay areas (where water moves and you can race animals in it and even alter its flow), kitchen play area, loft house, giant tea cup and tea pot, rabbit hole tunnels, craft tables, and wooden circles with patterns to swirl on the wall. There are soft shiny cushions everywhere to recline on.
The second area, Artscapes, takes kids through the world of art. A fantastic cave-like area has flashing lights and the history of art (with era-specific music) projected on the walls. Kids never sit still unless their hands are busy, so the designers cleverly placed etch-a-sketch toys on racks on the wall so kids can draw while parents take in the drama before them. There is a maze-like area with trippy moving things, hands coming out of the wall, an upside-down urinal, toy alligators through the glass, all beautiful, colorful, and unique. Kids can sit at computers and easily design their own art choosing from set backgrounds, shapes, objects, and brush colors. Then they are recorded and filmed by the computer as they describe their art. They can listen to and watch the final product, as can other visitors to the museum. Everywhere is art, like metal chain curtains with a picture of a man. The smaller details and the larger design of the rooms is all delightfully appealing. In this area is a metro station where kids can board a NYC metro tram. Then they can pull the lever and listen to the sound of the metro and even feel it vibrate!
Culturescapes is the third area and it is the most beautiful. Here a tropical theme pervades: a hut filled with drums and a woven picture that catches the light, stations with cultural themes like the money used in different cultures, and a giant wave sculpture with metal chains of varied blue hues, where kids can crawl inside and make their way through the waves. The most magical is an area designed by a local Haitian artist where kids can make stencil art and play at very strong magnetic tables topped with metal brackets and screws. Above are metal sculptures and stenciled panels where colored lights shine through. The stencils are designs from Vodou religion by Edouard Duval Carrie. There are also glistening woven hangings of gold and many colors.
The last area, Greenscapes, uses recycled materials, trash collected from the street. There is a beautiful sandplay area with exhibits depicting art that manipulates the landscape, for example the spiral jetty. A gorgeous puppet area has recycled materials that you can use to make your own puppet and then put on a puppet show. A friendly volunteer gives you ideas. You exit through a groovy area with sumptuous metal puppets.
There is also a library in the building, with large windows and plenty of children's books (this is a free county library), and there's a cafe. The cafe has modern decor by Ikea plus an outdoor area with colorful chairs and tables under palms (anyone can use this picnic area, not just patrons). The food is not yummy so use the cafe for snacks and drinks but bring your own meals.
The air conditioning is cold so if you have summer clothes on bring a light sweater.
You can easily spend three hours or more here.
Sometimes you feel frustrated when you're a parent of a young child that you don't get to do the things you used to do (e.g. backpack through Europe, eat slowly at a romantic restaurant, dance under the stars or go out at all at night) and all you get to do is stand bored out of your mind at various playgrounds, but this museum makes you feel grateful to be a parent, to have the opportunity to be in such a gorgeous space and relive the magic of childhood.
Nearby, check out Sawgrass Mills Mall, where there are large upscale chain restaurants outside with fountains and open areas where kids can run around, plus inside there's every outlet store you could ever want!

Young At Art Children's Museum, Davie

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