This past week (July 19, 2022) we had the opportunity to revisit the Liberty Science Center as part of a partnership with them. It’s one of my favorite NJ family attractions! Even though my boys are now teenagers, I couldn’t help but explore what new ways there are to have fun with toddlers and preschoolers at Liberty Science Center.
In addition to new little kid activities, some of the most popular toddler activities are still there to enjoy at the Liberty Science Center.
Liberty Science Center Exhibits and Play Areas for Toddlers and Preschoolers
The Liberty Science Center is committed to making learning science a hands-on experience. That makes it a great place for toddlers and preschoolers. They are naturally curious and here toddlers are able to touch and explore. Here are the exhibits that your toddler and preschooler will definitely want to check out.
The Pigeon Comes to Jersey City, a Mo Willems Exhibit
- The Pigeon Comes to Jersey City, a Mo Willems Exhibit is a temporary exhibit available at the Liberty Science Center, that toddlers love, until September 5, 2022.
- This exhibit is indoors.
- The exhibit is located on the 3rd Floor.
- Admission to the exhibit is included with admission.
About The Pigeon Comes to Jersey City, a Mo Willems Exhibit
The Pigeon Comes to Jersey City! celebrates the art and characters of beloved children’s book author and illustrator, Mo Willems, featuring Elephant, Piggie, Knuffle Bunny, and The Pigeon. It sets up Jersey City as a mini-town where little ones can travel by ‘bus’ or foot from bus stop to bus stop.
What can toddlers and preschoolers do in The Pigeon Comes to Jersey City, a Mo Willems Exhibit?
- Have a fun conversation with Elephant Gerald and Piggie at an old-fashioned phone booth.
- Make Elephant and Piggie dance with old-time animation by spinning a wheel. You can see it in our Instagram Reel.
- Slip on a wearable bus and take a drive around the exhibit.
- Spin the laundromat washing machine and uncover Knuffle Bunny and other surprises!
- Dress up Naked Mole Rat and use a crank to send him down the runway for a one-of-a-kind fashion show.
- Stack lightweight monster blocks to create your own terrible monster or funny friend.
- Launch foam hot dogs at The Pigeon.
- Play the plinko game to give the Duckling a cookie.
- Try out art techniques, like using a light up desk, that Mo Willems uses for his own books.
- Turn to watch movies in the ‘cinema’.
- Spin the Thank-O-Rama and write a thank you letter to someone special.
- Read a book on the bus or in a reading nook.
Learn more on this page of the Liberty Science Center website.
Dino Dig
- Dino Dig is a new permanent exhibit at the Liberty Science Center.
- The exhibit is outdoors and accessible in almost all types of weather.
- The exhibit is located outside near the group dining area on the 2nd floor.
- Admission to the exhibit is included with admission.
About Dino Dig
This exhibit makes you feel like you are on the site of a real dinosaur fossil dig. There are several areas for children to explore. Everyone can pick up a brush as your enter the exhibit and choose an area to start digging. Each area is labeled with the type of dinosaur you will find and some information about them.
What can Toddlers and Preschoolers do at the Dino Dig?
Toddlers and preschoolers are able to dig for fossils easily. They can try to identify the dinosaur or ask a member of the Liberty Science Center team for some help. The employees are eager to help dig and explain what the children are discovering.
Wild About Animals
- Wild About Animals is a permanent exhibit at the Liberty Science Center
- This exhibit is indoors.
- The exhibit is located on the 3rd Floor.
- Admission to the exhibit is included with admission.
About Wild About Animals
This exhibit is like visiting a zoo within the science center. There are many different kinds of live animals to observe and learn about. They have birds, turtles, monkeys, and more!
What can toddlers and preschoolers do in Wild About Animals?
- They can check out the live animals and watch them in action
- They can learn about the animals through signs and Liberty Science Center employees who are always happy to answer questions.
Wobbly World
- We believe this is a new permanent exhibit. There is no end date listed.
- This exhibit is indoors.
- The exhibit is located on the first floor.
- Admission to the exhibit is included with admission.
- This exhibition is exclusively for kids ages 0-5 years old and their adults.
About Wobbly World
For toddlers to preschoolers, Wobbly World is an area they can explore balance, motion, and more in a colorful new wonderland. My boys have grown into teens, but as soon as I saw this space on the second floor I knew I had to explore it. I would have loved to have played here with them when they were younger.
The giant Body Mobile: part carousel, part Calder-style mobile, and powered by play is at the center of Wobbly World. As little kids hop on colorful seats and surfaces that dangle from the 14-foot-tall center column, they balance, spin, and bring the whole structure to life.
What can toddlers and preschoolers do in Wobbly World?
- Balance and spring on the giant Body Mobile.
- Grab, sort, stack, and balance at the Scales and Stacking Station.
- Work on balance and agility in the Balancescape.
- Build with a whimsical collection of oversized Balance Blocks.
- Fit puzzle-like shapes into a puzzle-like wall.
- Crawl in a special space designed for infants.
- Watch the colorful spinning mobile overhead.
- Spin in a ribbon cone-shaped tent.
Extra special touches that grownups will appreciate
- A restroom with child-sized fixtures
- A nursing nook with semi-private spaces for a few moms
Watch to learn more
Some details have changed since the video was recorded. For example on our July 19, 2022 visit, I did not see the see-saw during our visit or the saucer swing.
The Liberty Science Center collaborated with renowned toy designer Cas Holman to create this engaging exhibit for their youngest visitors. Learn more on this page of the Liberty Science Center website.
Our Hudson Home
- Our Hudson Home is a permanent exhibit at the Liberty Science Center
- This exhibit is indoors.
- The exhibit is located on the 4th floor.
- Admission to the exhibit is included with admission.
About Our Hudson Home
This exhibit introduces visitors to the land around them. You can see the fish and other creatures living in the nearby river. You can learn about the Hudson River and why it’s so important to us.
What can toddlers and preschoolers do in Our Hudson Home?
- Check out the giant fish that can be found in the river
- Visit the observation touch tank and see what’s on display
- Learn about the Hudson River by using the cranes and sand and seeing how water flows
Block Party
- The Block Party is a permanent exhibit at the Liberty Science Center
- This exhibit is indoors.
- The exhibit is located on the 2nd floor. It’s where the top of the stairs from the bottom level meets the stairs going to the 3rd and 4th floors.
- Admission to the exhibit is included with admission.
About the Block Party
Adults and kids love taking time during their visit to build in the giant block party. There are now several different types of huge blocks to build giant towers. Last year, when Jillian visited with her kids they had added foam dinosaur parts so kids could build their own dinosaur skeletons. Since I just stopped in here briefly during our July 2022 visit, I’m not sure if those special blocks are still there.
What can toddlers and preschoolers do at the Block Party?
- Create a tower out of foam blocks of different shapes and sizes.
- Knock down their tower and rebuild
Dream Machine
- Dream Machine is a permanent exhibit at the Liberty Science Center.
- This exhibit is indoors.
- The exhibit is located on the 3rd floor in the foyer space in front of the stairs.
- Admission to the exhibit is included with admission.
About Dream Machine
From the Liberty Science Center website, the Dream Machine debuted at New York’s Panorama Festival in 2017. It has a permanent home at LSC! In this interactive, sensory adventure, guests young and older can use bicycle pumps to produce combinations of colors, sounds, and scents – some pleasant, some unpleasant.
What can toddlers and preschoolers do at the Dream Machine?
- Pump bicycle pumps to create colors in the Dream Machine’s tubes, generate sounds from their speakers, and emit smells.
- Listen to different sounds.
- Smell a variety of scents.
- Watch tubes swirl and bubble with streams of color.
Watch the Dream Machine in action
The Dream Machine was created by experience designer and multimedia artist Emilie Baltz; sound design by Antfood Studios; technology by Smooth Technology; fabrication by No.4 Studios; and scent by Giavudan.
PixelArt
- The Pixel Art is a permanent exhibit at the Liberty Science Center.
- This exhibit is indoors.
- The exhibit is located on the 4th floor.
- Admission to the exhibit is included with admission.
About Pixel Art
Pixel Art is a giant wall with over 900 individual pixels. Those pixels can be turned on or off in different colors. Visitors can create a work of art by playing with the pixels.
What can toddlers and preschoolers do in Pixel Art?
The lowest rows of pixels are perfect for toddlers and preschoolers to reach. So they won’t miss out on the fun. There is also an area on the second floor with mini light-up boards like below.
Liberty Science Center Shows for Toddlers and Preschoolers
In addition to the great Liberty Science Center exhibits for toddlers and preschoolers, there are also a few shows going on throughout the day that younger children will enjoy. Be sure to check the schedule when you get there to see what’s going on during your visit.
Boom Time
- Approximately 15 minutes (the show takes place several times during the day)
- Boom Time is located on the 2nd floor.
About Boom Time
Have you ever wanted to see what an explosion looks like? This is your chance. Liberty Science Center staff set off controlled explosions throughout the day in a clear room. You can watch things like watermelons explode several times a day. This show is a little loud so if your little one is bothered by loud noises you might want to skip this one.
One World One Sky: Big Bird’s Adventure
- 30 minutes long
- One World One Sky: Big Bird’s Adventure is located at the planetarium
About the One World One Sky: Big Bird’s Adventure
This engaging planetarium show teaches young visitors about the sun, moon, and stars in the sky. The familiar characters explore the night sky together and learn that no matter where you are in the world we are all looking at the same sky.
More things Toddlers and Preschoolers can do at Liberty Science Center
The exhibits we described above are not all the things toddlers and preschoolers can do at the Liberty Science Center. Look out for what else there is.
Animal Feedings/Demonstrations
Make sure to check the schedule when you get to the science center. There are often demonstrations and animal feedings at different exhibits during the day. You want to make sure you don’t miss anything.
Pose for adorable pictures
In addition to all the fun your toddler or preschooler will have, there are some great photo opportunities throughout the center. Here are some of my favorites:
- The stairs going up to the 2nd floor have a Minecraft image.
- You can take your picture with the Hoberman Sphere behind you.
- You can pose with thousands of bees right outside the elevator on the 3rd floor.
Quiet spaces 4 Toddlers and Preschoolers at Liberty Science Center
The Liberty Science Center can be fun and exciting but it can also get overwhelming for young visitors. There are a few spots to find some peace and quiet.
- The outside deck in the Our Hudson Home exhibit is quiet and has great views of the New York Skyline and the Statue of Liberty.
- The area outside the planetarium is quiet and empty.
- The spaces outside the stairwells and elevators on some floors are quiet places to hang out and take a break.
Dining with Toddlers and Preschoolers at Liberty Science Center
The dining area of the Liberty Science Center has reopened. The new cafeteria, Cosmic Café has different stations to purchase food. There is also a Galaxy Grab and Go where customers self-pay at stations. Indoor and outdoor seating is available.
Information for grownups taking Toddlers and Preschoolers to Liberty Science Center
How much time can I spend with my toddlers and preschoolers here?
I would plan on spending several hours at the Liberty Science Center. A typical visit, for families exploring all the areas, can last about 4 hours. It can last longer depending on whether or not you opt to watch shows and live demonstrations.
Do toddlers and preschoolers have to wear masks?
Properly wearing a face mask is highly recommended for LSC guests, but is no longer required. Their staff members, volunteers, and vendors will continue to wear masks while working at LSC. Read our updated COVID-19 policy for visitors here.
Strollers at Liberty Science Center
Liberty Science Center is very stroller friendly. There are 2 elevators to take you to all the floors and most exhibits are spacious enough to maneuver around. If it is crowded it can get a little difficult to push a stroller in certain areas.
Can I bring my own stroller to Liberty Science Center?
Yes, you can bring your own stroller.
Are there strollers I can rent?
There are no strollers to rent. You will need to bring your own.
Liberty Science Center special days for toddlers and preschoolers, Junior Days
SPECIAL NOTE: As of July 21, 2022, LSC Junior Days are currently on hold. We are not sure when that hold began or when it will end.
The Liberty Science Center loves its littlest visitors so much that they have set aside special days just for them. Every Thursday and Friday are Liberty Science Center Junior Days. On those days there are special shows and activities designed for visitors under 6. Those are great days for toddlers and preschoolers to schedule their visits.
Preschoolers and toddlers can have such a great time at Liberty Science Center. There are so many exhibits that are built with young visitors in mind. Kids can run around and touch things as they explore. It’s the best kind of field trip! Kids burn off so much energy during the day that they’ll have the best sleep that night.
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