Kids' Corner provides hours of fun to little visitors at the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center

The Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center unveiled their new Kids' Corner in spring of 2024, and when I finally had a chance to check it out with my own kids, we were delighted!

It's such a cute corner of the center with lots of options for playful fun! They put the kids' area in the corner of the hallway that leads from the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center's museum side to the Betty Strong Encounter side, and I think that was such a clever use of space that had been previously kind of underused.

And then in that corner there are basically two nooks, and inside of two adorable canvas wall tents, there are now a variety of toys and other things that encourage imaginative learning. Here's what you can expect in the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center

• Costumes and props: there was a big linen-ish shirt, a blue jacket, and a tricorn hat that kids could wear to dress up as members of the Corps of Discovery. One thing I'd love to see added in the future would be a baby carrier authentic to the type that Sacajawea would have used, because my girls especially would be thrilled with that. My kids also loved the tambourine and a turquoise beaded necklace. 
• Books: the new kids' corner has a great variety of children's books on topics related to Lewis and Clark, the Corps of Discovery, their Expedition, prairie wildlife, and Lakota culture and history
• Furs: I wish there had been more info on what they are, because I do not know much about furs, but the kids had fun playing pretend and they definitely add to the ambiance. 
• Historical cooking equipment: there was a very cool pretend campfire as well as various bowls and pans and such, and my kids definitely knew immediately that they were perfect for pretending to make some s'mores. Some felt food of dishes more authentic to the expedition might be a fun future addition to this play area!
• Dolls: The corner included cute dolls of Lewis, Clark, President Thomas Jefferson, York, and babywearing Sacajawea (my girls' instant fave)
• Historic games and toys: there were several different types of toys and games like tops and jacks that are still fun today but were also popular at the time of the Expedition, and I think that really helps kids connect to people in the past to realize they played the same games. 
• Other creative toys: the kids' corner also has some other fun toys and sets to encourage young visitors to play creatively, like magnetic block tiles. 

Overall, I thought the play area was really cute and well done and I will definitely take my kids there to play again. Be sure to check out all the other fun at the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center too while you're there!