Event #4: Discovery Cube Orange County 5/22

 I hadn't been to the Discovery science center since I was a little girl, and I was pleasantly surprised to see that it hadn't changed all that much. When you walk in, it is easy to be overwhelmed with the plethora of fun interactive exhibits that not only teach you about scientific experiments and discoveries, but they are presented in such a fun and artistic way that it is appealing to both adults and children. As you can see from the pictures that I have selected it looks like your average super market display. However, this interactive fake grocery store seemed to be the hottest exhibit in the joint. Little kids were literally lined up to get their chance at a computerized grocery store.

With the innovations that have been made in interactive technology over the last decade or so, virtually anyone can use a product like a tablet or iPad. So for this exhibit, the children get to push around a mini shopping cart complete with an interactive touch screen that instructs them on which groceries they need to get and where they can find them. I thought this was an extremely clever way to teach kids how to grocery shop. Above all that, and not pictured, was a recycling game that made kids recognize the difference between recyclable materials and sort them into different bins.

Here is the check out station where kids scan all their items before they can take their groceries "home." 

 The designing that had to go into the creation of this exhibit, from the fake food (which ranged from fruits and veggies all the way to baked goods), to the layout of the entire store, the artistic and technological efforts that were needed to make something like this cannot be overlooked. By combining the elements of technology and art in this exhibit, the science center is able to educate young children and adults about ways to better care for the environment, as well as teach valuable life lessons. 

Here I am with a Science Center Employee after reliving the glory days of being a child. It was a great day.