Baltimore's Best Stuff For Preschoolers

There are few things moms and dads hate hearing more than the complaint, "I'm bored!" Luckily, Baltimore has some of the best stuff to keep your kids entertained while also educating them. From building and hiking to cooking and farming, these kid-friendly venues offer creative activities that will help ensure you never hear those dreaded words again! -- Melissa Dahne

Port Discovery Children's Museum

35 Market Place
Baltimore, MD 21202
(410) 727-8120
www.portdiscovery.org

Ranked among the top five children's museums in the United States, Port Discovery offers hours of entertainment for children ages two through 10. The museum features 14 permanent exhibits and a host of visiting exhibits and special events that allows your child to learn through play adventure. Museum highlights include journeying through ancient Egypt, exploring life on a farm, cooking in a 1950s diner and climbing a three-story tree house. Hours: October through Memorial Day: Tuesday through Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 5 p.m.; Monday, closed. Memorial Day through Labor Day: Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. Month of September: Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 5 p.m.; Monday through Thursday, closed. Admission for ages two and up is $12.95. Museum members and children younger than two years are free.

The Chesapeake Children's Museum

25 Silopanna Road
Annapolis, MD 21403
(410) 990-1993
www.theccm.org

The Chesapeake Children's Museum offers affordable activities tailored specifically to preschoolers. Parents and children together can partake in programs that teach about the Chesapeake Bay environment, such as hiking on a creek walk or playing music that echoes the sounds of nature. Many of the activities are held on weekday mornings, and registration is recommended because programs tend to fill up quickly. Hours: Sunday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Wednesdays are reserved for groups of 10 or more). Admission for ages one and up is $4.

Maryland Science Center - Kids Room

601 Light Street
Baltimore, MD 21230
(410) 685-5225
www.marylandsciencecenter.org

Within the expansive Maryland Science Center, on the third floor, is a special place just for kids ages zero to eight. The Kids Room is filled with some of Baltimore's best stuff for preschoolers. This little haven allows preschoolers and young school-aged children to learn through play. Your little one can construct waterways and dams in the popular water exhibit or explore an undersea world complete with caverns, a fishing pier and a tugboat helm. Plan on spending several hours in this kid's Mecca! Hours: Tuesday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Closed on Monday. Admission: Ages three to 12, $11.95; Adults, $14.95; Seniors 60 and older, $13.95. Museum members and children younger than three are free.