This past weekend, Jackson had a lacrosse tournament in Asheville, NC. Abram stayed with the grandparents, so while Adam and Jackson went to the gym and an arcade, I decided to take the 30 minute trip from Asheville to Hendersonville to take Ellie to the Hands On! Children’s Museum. Because our other two kids are older, Ellie often ends up being pushed around in a stroller for big kid activities during most of our vacations. The Hands On! Children’s Museum was a perfect outlet for her to explore and get out some of her energy!
Overview
My first impression when I walked in to Hands On! Children’s Museum was that everything looked really new and clean. The exhibits were simple and organized well; nothing felt overwhelming. At 13,000 square feet, it certainly was not the biggest children’s museum we’ve ever visited, but that just made it more manageable for a pre or post-nap visit, which is exactly what we needed. Ellie liked to take her time at each exhibit, so there was plenty for her to do. We stayed for two hours and could have stayed for much longer if she didn’t need lunch and a nap. In terms of age, this museum is perfect for preschoolers and young elementary school kids, but children a little younger and a little older will be able to enjoy the exhibits as well.
Exhibits
Fossil Dig/Sand Table
After paying for admission, there is an area to the right with a triceratops and fossil dig area. Kids can use brushes to uncover dinosaur fossils in mulch. This area also houses the Jumbo Lite Brite and a sand table with dinosaur projections.
Maker Space
This is the art room of the museum. In addition to kids creating what they want, museum employees can give special event art instruction here.
Air Conduction/Tornado
The air conduction exhibit was Ellie’s favorite. It consists of a series of see-through pipes that kids can put scarves into. The air conduction shoots the scarves through the pipes and out the top, where they float down for kids to catch.
There is also a tornado station in this area. Kids push a button to see a tornado form.
Fire Truck
There are several profession exhibits at Hands On! Children’s Museum, and this is one of them. Kids can put on a fire hat and pretend to drive a fire truck here. There are horn buttons to push and fake extinguishers to play with as well.
Kilwin’s Ice Cream Shop
This is a cute area where kids can put fake ice cream scoops on cones. There were always kids huddled around this exhibit when we were there, so it was definitely a favorite.
Water Station
The water station is another favorite area. There were magnetic fishing poles, water guns that could make targets spin, a water tornado, and dams. Hands On! supplies smocks so that the kids don’t get soaked.
Kitchen/Grocery/Garden/Apple Orchard/Beehive
Kids love playing with pretend food, and there are plenty of opportunities at Hands On! Children’s Museum. There is a large grocery area, a garden where kids can pick pretend vegetables, a chef’s kitchen, an apple orchard where kids can pick balls out of pretend apple trees, and a jumbo honeycomb.
Nursery
The nursery had stations with both baby dolls and baby animals. There were stats above each baby telling when he/she was born and giving a checklist of how to take care of the baby. Kids could then get a kit underneath the baby that had a bottle, diaper, thermometer, bandage, etc. to be a nurse to the baby.
Dentist
The dentist area had a large chair and oversized teeth that kids could brush. It also included examples of teeth that had and had not been taken care of.
Lego Car Racing
In this area, kids could create a car out of legos and race them down an incline.
Music Room
The music room was really small, but it included pictures of instruments, and kids could push drum-like objects on the wall to hear what the different instruments sound like.
Jumbo Blocks/Costume and Puppet Stage
Both the jumbo blocks and costume/puppet stage are in the same room. In this area, kids could use huge blue blocks to build forts and other structures or put on a pretend show on a real stage.
Hand’s On! Mountain
The mountain is a climbing structure with a slide and the centerpiece of the main activity room. There is also a cute waterfall on the side.
Toddler Area
The toddler area is relatively small, but Ellie spent lots of time here. There are climbing blocks, puzzles, shakers, water tiles, and various other blocks.
People’s Museum
The People’s Museum is the one exhibit that is definitely for older kids or even adults. All of the other exhibits encourage exploration through play, but this one gives information on different cultures through text and video. I really enjoyed the information and would have spent some time here if I were not with Ellie.
Hours/Admission
Admission is $10 for both children and adults. Hands On! Children’s Museum is open Monday through Saturday from 9:00-5:00. Special events can be found here.
Bonus: Mike’s on Main Sandwich and Soda Shop
Right across the street from Hands On! Children’s Museum is Mike’s on Main. This is a really cute diner, and the food was good, too. Mike’s is only open for breakfast and lunch, so it’s perfect for a pre-nap stop.
Double Bonus: Black Bear Coffee and McFarlan Bake Shop
While we didn’t go to Black Bear Coffee or McFarlan Bake Shop, these would also be excellent options for a morning out and are right beside Hands On! Children’s Museum. Just note that McFarlan Bake Shop is closed on Sundays and Mondays.
Overall Verdict
I was unexpectedly charmed by downtown Hendersonville. If you need something specifically for your toddler while staying in Asheville, I highly recommend the short drive to Hendersonville to visit the Hands On! Children’s Museum. While you’re there, check out some of the food on Main Street. It will not disappoint!
