Exhibits - Peoria PlayHouse

The Peoria PlayHouse Children’s Museum is a hands-on, interactive children’s museum that features three floors of fun for children to play. Splash in the water table, mold with kinetic sand, send balls through wind tubes, invent and build in Real Tools, and more! Through open, imaginative play, children are inspired to become explorers and creators of the world!

Lower Level Main Level Upper Level

Lower Level

Light Wall

Explore prisms, shadows, mirrors, and color filters on the light wall! Discover how light interacts with the physical world by making patterns, new colors, or something else all on your own!

Fairly share a set of up to ten items between two children.
Express wonder and curiosity about their world by asking questions, solving problems, and designing things.
Engage in active play using gross- and fine-motor skills.
Use strength and control to accomplish tasks.
Use eye-hand coordination to perform tasks.
Coordinate movements to perform complex tasks.
Demonstrate body awareness when moving in different spaces.
Follow simple safety rules while participating in activities.
Identify and follow basic safety rules.
Use materials with purpose, safety, and respect.
Begin to understand the consequences of his or her behavior.
Exhibit eagerness and curiosity as a learner.
Demonstrate persistence and creativity in seeking solutions to problems.
Show some initiative, self-direction, and independence in actions.
Demonstrate engagement and sustained attention in activities.
Develop positive relationships with peers.
Interact verbally and non-verbally with other children.
Engage in cooperative group play.
Use socially appropriate behavior with peers and adults, such as helping, sharing, and taking turns.
Begin to share materials and experiences and take turns.
Solve simple conflicts with peers with independence, using gestures or words.
Seek adult help when needed to resolve conflict.
Follow rules and make good choices about behavior.
Compare, order, and describe objects according to a single attribute.
Sort, order, compare, and describe objects according to characteristics or attribute(s).
Recognize, duplicate, extend, and create simple patterns in various formats.
Identify, describe, and compare the physical properties of objects.

Motion Commotion

Explore air pressure, gravity, and trajectory, in Motion Commotion! With tubes and rails, you can discover the best way to fill up the ball drop or use our magnetic PVC pieces to create your own path for balls to follow!

Express wonder and curiosity about their world.
Describe the effects of forces in nature.
Explore the effect of force on objects.
Begin to understand basic safety practices one must follow when exploring and engaging in science and engineering investigations.
Engage in active play using gross- and fine-motor skills.
Use eye-hand coordination to perform tasks.
Demonstrate body awareness when moving in different spaces.
Follow simple safety rules while participating in activities.
Participate in activities to enhance physical fitness.
Use materials with purpose, safety, and respect.
Exhibit eagerness and curiosity as a learner.
Demonstrate persistence and creativity in seeking solutions to problems.
Show some initiative, self-direction, and independence in actions.
Demonstrate engagement and sustained attention in activities.
Begin to share materials and experiences and take turns.
Follow rules and make good choices about behavior.

PlayHouse Theatre

Lights! Camera! Imagination! The stage and the screen are waiting for you in the PlayHouse Theatre. Whether kids have a story to tell, a creative vision, or simply want to sell tickets the Theatre has a place for everyone to play.

Express wonder and curiosity about their world by asking questions, solving problems, and designing things.
Show and awareness of changes that occur in oneself and the environment.
Demonstrate body awareness when moving in different spaces.
Identify and follow basic safety rules.
Begin to appreciate and participate in dramatic activities.
Use creative arts as an avenue for self-expression.
Begin to understand the consequences of his or her behavior.
Exhibit eagerness and curiosity as a learner.
Demonstrate persistence and creativity in seeking solutions to problems.
Show some initiative, self-direction, and independence in actions.
Demonstrate engagement and sustained attention in activities.
Recognize the feelings and perspectives of others.
Develop positive relationships with peers.
Interact verbally and non-verbally with other children.
Engage in cooperative group play.
Use socially appropriate behavior with peers and adults, such as helping, sharing, and taking turns.
Begin to share materials and experiences and take turns.
Solve simple conflicts with peers with independence, using gestures or words.
Seek adult help when needed to resolve conflict.
Follow rules and make good choices about behavior.

Sci-Lab

Microscopes, building materials, and magnets all come together in the Sci-Lab to create an interactive scientific experience! Sci-Lab is the perfect space for inquiring young minds to explore the world around them.

Count to understand and recognize “how many” in small sets up to five.
Connect numbers to quantities they represent using physical models and informal representations.
Show understanding of how to count out and construct sets of objects of a given number up to five.
Identify the new number created when small sets (up to five) are combined or separated.
Fairly share a set of up to ten items between two children.
Sort, order, compare, and describe objects according to characteristics or attribute(s).
Recognize, duplicate, extend, and create simple patterns in various formats.
Express wonder and curiosity about their world by asking questions, solving problems, and designing things.
Plan and carry out simple investigations.
Collect, describe, compare, and record information from observations and investigations.
Use mathematical and computational thinking.
Generate explanations and communicate ideas and/or conclusions about their investigations.
Observe, investigate, describe, and categorize living things.
Show an awareness of changes that occur in oneself and the environment.
Identify, describe, and compare the physical properties of objects.
Begin to understand basic safety practices one must follow when exploring and engaging in science and engineering investigations.
Use nonstandard and standard scientific tools for investigation.
Become familiar with technological tools that can aid in scientific inquiry.
Engage in active play using gross- and fine-motor skills.
Use eye-hand coordination to perform tasks.
Demonstrate body awareness when moving in different spaces.
Follow simple safety rules while participating in activities.
Identify and follow basic safety rules.
Use materials with purpose, safety, and respect.
Begin to understand the consequences of his or her behavior.
Exhibit eagerness and curiosity as a learner.
Demonstrate persistence and creativity in seeking solutions to problems.
Show some initiative, self-direction, and independence in actions.
Demonstrate engagement and sustained attention in activities.
Develop positive relationships with peers.
Interact verbally and non-verbally with other children.
Engage in cooperative group play.
Use socially appropriate behavior with peers and adults, such as helping, sharing, and taking turns.
Begin to share materials and experiences and take turns.
Solve simple conflicts with peers with independence, using gestures or words.
Seek adult help when needed to resolve conflict.
Follow rules and make good choices about behavior.

Tot Town

Imaginative play abounds in this tiny town! There’s mail that needs delivering, food that needs serving, babies that need to be taken care of, teeth that need to be checked, and endless other day-to-day tasks that can be explored in Tot Town!

Fairly share a set of up to 10 items between two children.
Express wonder and curiosity about their world by asking questions, solving problems, and designing things.
Recognize the reasons for rules in the home and early childhood environment and for laws in the community.
Contribute to the well-being of one’s early childhood environment, school, and community.
Participate in a variety of roles in the early childhood environment.
Engage in active play using gross- and fine-motor skills.
Move with balance and control in a range of physical activities.
Use strength and control to accomplish tasks.
Use eye-hand coordination to perform tasks.
Coordinate movements to perform complex tasks.
Demonstrate body awareness when moving in different spaces.
Follow simple safety rules while participating in activities.
Identify and follow basic safety rules.
Use materials with purpose, safety, and respect.
Begin to understand the consequences of his or her behavior.
Exhibit eagerness and curiosity as a learner.
Demonstrate persistence and creativity in seeking solutions to problems.
Show some initiative, self-direction, and independence in actions.
Demonstrate engagement and sustained attention in activities.
Develop positive relationships with peers.
Interact verbally and non-verbally with other children.
Engage in cooperative group play.
Use socially appropriate behavior with peers and adults, such as helping, sharing, and taking turns.
Begin to share materials and experiences and take turns.
Solve simple conflicts with peers with independence, using gestures or words.
Seek adult help when needed to resolve conflict.
Follow rules and make good choices about behavior.

Train Station

All aboard the Imagination Express! Visit the Train Station for all of your train-based desires. Whether you want to drive the big train yourself or play with the little ones going down the tracks, the Train Station has it all.

Count to understand and recognize “how many” in small sets up to five.
Connect numbers to quantities they represent using physical models and informal representations.
Fairly share a set of up to ten items between two children.
Sort, order, compare, and describe objects according to characteristics or attribute(s).
Express wonder and curiosity about their world by asking questions, solving problems, and designing things.
Show an awareness of changes that occur in oneself and the environment.
Demonstrate body awareness when moving in different spaces.
Identify and follow basic safety rules.
Begin to understand the consequences of his or her behavior.
Exhibit eagerness and curiosity as a learner.
Demonstrate persistence and creativity in seeking solutions to problems.
Show some initiative, self-direction, and independence in actions.
Demonstrate engagement and sustained attention in activities.
Develop positive relationships with peers.
Interact verbally and non-verbally with other children.
Engage in cooperative group play.
Use socially appropriate behavior with peers and adults, such as helping, sharing, and taking turns.
Begin to share materials and experiences and take turns.
Solve simple conflicts with peers with independence, using gestures or words.
Seek adult help when needed to resolve conflict.
Follow rules and make good choices about behavior.

Water Table

Enter the splash zone and get ready to explore our child-sized flowing river. Featuring a rain cloud, mushroom fountain, scales, and a lock endless fun awaits you by the river!

Express wonder and curiosity about their world.
Observe and describe the characteristics of earth, water, and air.
Engage in active play using gross- and fine-motor skills.
Use strength and control to accomplish tasks.
Coordinate movements to perform complex tasks.
Demonstrate body awareness when moving in different spaces.
Begin to understand and follow rules.
Exhibit eagerness and curiosity as a learner.
Show some initiative, self-direction, and independence in actions.
Demonstrate engagement and sustained attention in activities.
Begin to share materials and experiences and take turns.

Main Level

Family Farm

Come on down and imagine what life is like for Illinois farmers at our Family Farm! Mootilda that cow is ready for milking and the chickens have been laying their eggs all over the place. There’s a farmer’s market to run and food in the kitchen waiting to be cooked.

Connect numbers to quantities they represent.
Count out and construct sets of objects of a given number.
Explore the use of measuring tools that use standard units to measure objects and quantities.
Express wonder and curiosity about their world.
Use mathematical and computational thinking.
Describe and compare the basic needs of living things.
Identify, describe, and compare the physical properties of objects.
Begin to understand the use of trade or money to obtain goods and services.
Demonstrate body awareness when moving in different spaces.
Identify simple practices that promote healthy living and prevent illness.
Identify examples of healthy habits.
Identify healthy and nonhealthy foods and explain the effect of these foods on the body.
Exhibit eagerness and curiosity as a learner.
Show some initiative, self-direction, and independence in actions.
Move with balance and control in a range of physical activities.
Participate in activities to enhance physical fitness.
Demonstrate engagement and sustained attention in activities.

Fossils Rock

Calling all archeologists the sand in Fossils Rock is full of new discoveries waiting to be made! Take a stop at the fossil table and learn about the creatures that once walked the earth and how we know they were there!

Express wonder and curiosity about their world by asking questions, solving problems, and designing things.
Plan and carry out simple investigations.
Collect, describe, compare, and record information from observations and investigations.
Generate explanations and communicate ideas and/or conclusions about their investigations.
Use writing and drawing tools with some control.
Demonstrate body awareness when moving in different spaces.
Follow simple safety rules while participating in activities.
Use materials with purpose, safety, and respect.
Exhibit eagerness and curiosity as a learner.
Show some initiative, self-direction, and independence in actions.
Demonstrate engagement and sustained attention in activities.
Begin to share materials and experiences and take turns.
Seek adult help when needed to resolve conflict.
Follow rules and make good choices about behavior.

Musical Bridge

Do, Re, Play! Each step plays a new note on our musical bridge. Whether you want to play a simple tune or run scales over and over again, there’s endless fun just over the bridge.

Express wonder and curiosity about their world by asking questions, solving problems, and designing things.
Show an awareness of changes that occur in oneself and the environment.
Demonstrate body awareness when moving in different spaces.
Identify and follow basic safety rules.
Begin to appreciate and participate in music activities.
Use creative arts as an avenue for self-expression.
Begin to understand the consequences of his or her behavior.
Exhibit eagerness and curiosity as a learner.
Demonstrate persistence and creativity in seeking solutions to problems.
Show some initiative, self-direction, and independence in actions.
Demonstrate engagement and sustained attention in activities.
Develop positive relationships with peers.
Interact verbally and non-verbally with other children.
Engage in cooperative group play.
Use socially appropriate behavior with peers and adults, such as helping, sharing, and taking turns.
Begin to share materials and experiences and take turns.
Solve simple conflicts with peers with independence, using gestures or words.
Seek adult help when needed to resolve conflict.
Follow rules and make good choices about behavior.

Real Tools

Real Tools is filled with recycled materials kids can use to create anything; from telescopes to trombones! Real Tools also provides a safe and monitored environment for kids to try out new tools and new skills whether they’re ready to try out big kid scissors or a hand saw Real Tools has it all!

Count to understand and recognize “how many” in small sets up to five.
Connect numbers to quantities they represent using physical models and informal representations.
Show understanding of how to count out and construct sets of objects of a given number up to five.
Identify the new number created when small sets (up to five) are combined or separated.
Fairly share a set of up to ten items between two children.
Sort, order, compare, and describe objects according to characteristics or attribute(s).
Recognize, duplicate, extend, and create simple patterns in various formats.
Express wonder and curiosity about their world by asking questions, solving problems, and designing things.
Plan and carry out simple investigations.
Collect, describe, compare, and record information from observations and investigations.
Use mathematical and computational thinking.
Generate explanations and communicate ideas and/or conclusions about their investigations.
Observe, investigate, describe, and categorize living things.
Show an awareness of changes that occur in oneself and the environment.
Identify, describe, and compare the physical properties of objects.
Begin to understand basic safety practices one must follow when exploring and engaging in science and engineering investigations.
Use nonstandard and standard scientific tools for investigation.
Become familiar with technological tools that can aid in scientific inquiry.
Engage in active play using gross- and fine-motor skills.
Use eye-hand coordination to perform tasks.
Demonstrate body awareness when moving in different spaces.
Follow simple safety rules while participating in activities.
Identify and follow basic safety rules.
Use materials with purpose, safety, and respect.
Begin to understand the consequences of his or her behavior.
Exhibit eagerness and curiosity as a learner.
Demonstrate persistence and creativity in seeking solutions to problems.
Show some initiative, self-direction, and independence in actions.
Demonstrate engagement and sustained attention in activities.
Develop positive relationships with peers.
Interact verbally and non-verbally with other children.
Engage in cooperative group play.
Use socially appropriate behavior with peers and adults, such as helping, sharing, and taking turns.
Begin to share materials and experiences and take turns.
Solve simple conflicts with peers with independence, using gestures or words.
Seek adult help when needed to resolve conflict.
Follow rules and make good choices about behavior.

Upper Level

Cubelets

Look at those robots go! Take a turn building with the Cubelets and you get to decide what kind of robot you want to make. From lighthouses to race cars come see what you can design!

Count with understanding and recognize “how many” in small sets up to five.
Connect numbers to quantities they represent using physical models and informal representations.
Recognize that numbers (or sets of objects) can be combined or separated to make another number.
Show understanding of how to count out and construct sets of objects of a given number up to five.
Identify the new number created when small sets (up to five) are combined or separated.
Fairly share a set of up to ten items between two children.
Estimate number of objects in a small set.
Compare, order, and describe objects according to a single attribute.
Sort, order, compare, and describe objects according to characteristics or attribute(s).
Recognize, duplicate, extend, and create simple patterns in various formats.
Express wonder and curiosity about their world by asking questions, solving problems, and designing things.
Use mathematical and computational thinking.
Begin to understand basic safety practices one must follow when exploring and engaging in science and engineering investigations.
Become familiar with technological tools that can aid in scientific inquiry.
Engage in active play using gross- and fine- motor skills.
Use eye-hand coordination to to perform tasks.
Demonstrate body awareness when moving in different spaces.
Follow simple safety rules while participating in activities.
Identify and follow basic safety rules.
Begin to understand and follow rules.
Use materials with purpose, safety, and respect.
Begin to understand the consequences of his or her behavior.
Exhibit eagerness and curiosity as a learner.
Demonstrate persistence and creativity in seeking solutions to problems.
Show some initiative, self-direction, and sustained attention in activities.
Develop positive relationships with peers.
Interact verbally and non-verbally with other children.
Engage in cooperative group play.
Use and socially appropriate behavior with peers and adults, such as helping, sharing, and taking turns.
Begin to share materials and experiences and take turns.
Solve simple conflicts with peers and independence, using gestures or words.
Seek adult help when needed to resolve conflict.
Follow rules and make good choices about behavior.

KEVA Blocks

Get ready to build with our KEVA Planks! A world of creation awaits with these simple wooden blocks. Build the colosseum, a house, or whatever you can imagine. With the KEVA Planks, there is no limit to your imagination!

Count with understand and recognize “how many” in small sets up to five.
Connect numbers to quantities they represent using physical models and informal representations.
Identify the new number created when small sets (up to five) are combined or separated.
Fairly share a set of up to ten items between two children.
Express wonder and curiosity about their world by asking questions, solving problems, and designing things.
Show an awareness of changes that occur in oneself and the environment.
Engage in active play using gross- and fine-motor skills.
Use eye-hand coordination to perform tasks.
Demonstrate body awareness when moving in different spaces.
Identify and follow basic safety rules.
Use materials with purpose, safety, and respect.
Begin to understand the consequences of his or her behavior.
Exhibit eagerness and curiosity as a learner.
Demonstrate persistence and creativity in seeking solutions to problems.
Show some initiative, self-direction, and independence in actions.
Demonstrate engagement and sustained attention in activities.
Develop positive relationships with peers.
Interact verbally and non-verbally with other children.
Engage in cooperative group play.
Use socially appropriate behavior with peers and adults, such as helping, sharing, and taking turns.
Begin to share materials and experiences and take turns.
Solve simple conflicts with peers with independence, using gestures or words.
Seek adult help when needed to resolve conflict.
Follow rules and make good choices about behavior.