Local Farmers Teach Kids At Illinois’ Best Children’s Museum

The cows are officially coming home to the Discovery Center in Rockford, Illinois.

At this point the Discovery Center Children's Museum in Rockford isn't a hidden gem. If you grew up around here, you have fond memories of at least a field trip there when you were young and it's made enough "best of" lists that anyone with a child in northern Illinois has probably heard of it.

One of the things that keeps the Discovery Center fresh are the rotating exhibits that they host. Yes, the classic favorites are there like the psychedelic video screen you played with as a kid;

but they keep it fresh with a constantly rotating exhibition in their large back room and various themes throughout the year.

A new exhibit hits the Discovery Center later this month on April 23rd when the Discovery Center "Celebrates Earth Day The Dairy Way" with the help of some local dairy farmers.

From their press release earlier this week:

Local farmers and representatives from Midwest Dairy and the Winnebago-Boone Farm Bureau will have hands-on activities for guests and introduce them to how farmers use sustainability techniques to help take care of our big beautiful planet. Children can meet a real calf, play Dairy Trivia Plinko, make butter, create a garden in a glove, sample cottage cheese courtesy of Prairie Farms, and more! Families can chat with real farmers and explore life on a farm in the Ag-Zibit gallery where guests can “milk” cows, operate a combine, climb aboard a real tractor, move grain, gather eggs and more.

Real life calves, a tractor you can play on, fake cows you can milk, and a whole bunch more? This is a unique opportunity to get your kids some hands on experience with the people who help feed the community.

Reservations are recommended. You can find more information at their website.