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Non-Tulsa Discussions => Chat and Advice => Topic started by: cjmcinty on October 07, 2009, 09:35:50 PM

Title: Little visitors
Post by: cjmcinty on October 07, 2009, 09:35:50 PM
I have some family coming into town this weekend with a 5 year old and a 2 year old. We're planning to go the aquarium, but we're looking for a couple of other kid friends options. Zoo is out, and we've already talked about the fair. Any other suggestions? Are there any places where kids can bake or decorate cookies or paint pottery?

Thanks!
Title: Re: Little visitors
Post by: Breadburner on October 07, 2009, 10:02:40 PM
The pizza place with the big rat......
Title: Re: Little visitors
Post by: Townsend on October 07, 2009, 10:11:57 PM
Purple glaze on brookside across from Mecca and Puck's.  A good place for them to paint pottery.  Great people there.
Title: Re: Little visitors
Post by: Miss Solemnis on October 07, 2009, 10:30:07 PM
You might check Sage culinary studio for children on Brookside.  Don't know much about the place, other than the fact that it exists.  Website shows they do Saturday events, but they don't seem to have an October calendar posted.   
Title: Re: Little visitors
Post by: RecycleMichael on October 07, 2009, 10:42:46 PM
Tulsa Stained Glass has a cool little studio at 41st and Memorial. The kids make a tile and glass mosaic for less than ten bucks a piece.

The splash pad park at 41st and Riverside is good for that age group. Cool little water playground and interesting playground with lots of parental seating...

I think Gilcrease Museum is very cool and has some real hands-on exhibits for that age child. The garden were favorites of my kids on a nice day.

Title: Re: Little visitors
Post by: cjmcinty on October 07, 2009, 11:55:36 PM
Quote from: Breadburner on October 07, 2009, 10:02:40 PM
The pizza place with the big rat......

chuck e. cheese huh. how original! was kind of trying to think outside of the box ;)
Title: Re: Little visitors
Post by: pmcalk on October 08, 2009, 08:07:59 AM
Between the two, Incredible Pizza is better than Chuck e. Cheese.  Not my favorite place, but my kids love it, the food is a little more edible, and its clean.

Don't forget the Air & Space museum--they have some great hands on activities.  Purple Glaze is great--there is another location out south, if you aren't near Brookside.  This weekend the Youth Symphony has a free concert at the PAC.  It's designed for young children, though 2 may be a little young.  If the weather is nice, the Carmichael pumpkin patch is a lot of fun for kids.
Title: Re: Little visitors
Post by: Hoss on October 08, 2009, 08:38:31 AM
Quote from: pmcalk on October 08, 2009, 08:07:59 AM
Between the two, Incredible Pizza is better than Chuck e. Cheese.  Not my favorite place, but my kids love it, the food is a little more edible, and its clean.

Don't forget the Air & Space museum--they have some great hands on activities.  Purple Glaze is great--there is another location out south, if you aren't near Brookside.  This weekend the Youth Symphony has a free concert at the PAC.  It's designed for young children, though 2 may be a little young.  If the weather is nice, the Carmichael pumpkin patch is a lot of fun for kids.

+1 for the ASM.  It's fairly new and it's also not far from the zoo, although you've already said that's out.
Title: Re: Little visitors
Post by: cannon_fodder on October 08, 2009, 09:58:39 AM
Gotta ask, why is the zoo out?
- - -

We always enjoyed hiking (or with the littler ones, wondering around in the woods more than hiking) with our kids.  There are several good places to go around Tulsa that aren't a hard hike or that long:  Turkey Mountain, Oxley, Red Bud (favorite), or around Lake Keystone there are several.

If you want to make more a day trip out of it you could go to Woolaroc (North near Bartleville) which has a Western museum as well as all kinds of exotic and not-so exotic animals (from Elk to Zebra roaming around to miniature goats in a farm-like setting).  On the ground there are also several hiking trails and not too far away is a large heard of wild mustangs (government program to keep them off of grazing land).  Additionally in that general area is the Tallgrass Prairie reserve, an open area with miles and miles of open restored prairie and a large buffalo heard roaming around.

I wish I could say we had a nice children's museum too . . . but alas.
Title: Re: Little visitors
Post by: cjmcinty on October 08, 2009, 10:25:14 AM
I was actually hoping to go the zoo while they are here, because I haven't been yet, but they live in St. Louis and go to the zoo regularly throughout the summer. Wanted to do something different this weekend.

Quote from: cannon_fodder on October 08, 2009, 09:58:39 AM
Gotta ask, why is the zoo out?
- - -

We always enjoyed hiking (or with the littler ones, wondering around in the woods more than hiking) with our kids.  There are several good places to go around Tulsa that aren't a hard hike or that long:  Turkey Mountain, Oxley, Red Bud (favorite), or around Lake Keystone there are several.

If you want to make more a day trip out of it you could go to Woolaroc (North near Bartleville) which has a Western museum as well as all kinds of exotic and not-so exotic animals (from Elk to Zebra roaming around to miniature goats in a farm-like setting).  On the ground there are also several hiking trails and not too far away is a large heard of wild mustangs (government program to keep them off of grazing land).  Additionally in that general area is the Tallgrass Prairie reserve, an open area with miles and miles of open restored prairie and a large buffalo heard roaming around.

I wish I could say we had a nice children's museum too . . . but alas.
Title: Re: Little visitors
Post by: Hoss on October 08, 2009, 10:48:22 AM
Quote from: cjmcinty on October 08, 2009, 10:25:14 AM
I was actually hoping to go the zoo while they are here, because I haven't been yet, but they live in St. Louis and go to the zoo regularly throughout the summer. Wanted to do something different this weekend.


Take them if possible.  For a city of our smaller size, we have a pretty nice zoo.
Title: Re: Little visitors
Post by: Conan71 on October 08, 2009, 12:12:52 PM
If you were up for about a 2 hour car trip, the Jasmine Moran Children's Museum in Seminole is a great place.

http://www.jasminemoran.com/frameset.html

Perhaps links to more ideas here.

http://www.travelok.com/cities/city.asp?city=Tulsa

Does anyone know if that museum just SW of the Bishop Kelley campus is still there or did it get converted to some other use?
Title: Re: Little visitors
Post by: rwarn17588 on October 08, 2009, 12:55:54 PM
Quote from: cannon_fodder on October 08, 2009, 09:58:39 AM
Gotta ask, why is the zoo out?


Because when you've got a family that regularly goes to the St. Louis Zoo, which is the best in the country with the possible exception of San Diego's, going to the Tulsa Zoo is not doing anyone any favors.

This is not the disparage the Tulsa Zoo. It's just that it simply doesn't compare to St. Louis'. It's pretty obvious this family is looking for something a little different than what they get back home.

I'd do Tallgrass Prairie. It's about 75 minutes north of town, but where else are you going to see buffalo in their natural environment?

Title: Re: Little visitors
Post by: pmcalk on October 08, 2009, 12:55:54 PM
Quote from: Conan71 on October 08, 2009, 12:12:52 PM
If you were up for about a 2 hour car trip, the Jasmine Moran Children's Museum in Seminole is a great place.

http://www.jasminemoran.com/frameset.html

Perhaps links to more ideas here.

http://www.travelok.com/cities/city.asp?city=Tulsa

Does anyone know if that museum just SW of the Bishop Kelley campus is still there or did it get converted to some other use?

It's been gone for many years now.


There is a new one (forgot the name) out at 61st & Sheridan.  Not great, but not bad either.  http://www.kaleidoscopecm.com/ 
Title: Re: Little visitors
Post by: Conan71 on October 08, 2009, 01:32:39 PM
RW reminded me of Woolaroc
Title: Re: Little visitors
Post by: Hoss on October 08, 2009, 01:34:27 PM
Quote from: Conan71 on October 08, 2009, 01:32:39 PM
RW reminded me of Woolaroc

That's not a bad one either, although it's been YEARS since I've been out there.  Do they still have buffalo that wander the fields out there?
Title: Re: Little visitors
Post by: Conan71 on October 08, 2009, 01:37:28 PM
Quote from: Hoss on October 08, 2009, 01:34:27 PM
That's not a bad one either, although it's been YEARS since I've been out there.  Do they still have buffalo that wander the fields out there?

They have within the last five years.  Not so sure today, but no idea why they wouldn't.  They have lots of interesting artifacts in the museum, though not sure how much would appeal to the age range of the children CJ is hosting.  I thought Indian artifacts and airplanes were cool when I was that age, but I might have been weird.  Hell, I still am weird, what am I saying!?
Title: Re: Little visitors
Post by: DolfanBob on October 08, 2009, 03:31:34 PM
In the new Vype magazine there is a coupon for a place called   Putt & Jump party company in Owasso.
Inflatable jump arenas, Glow in the dark mini Golf, Arcade and more.
76th st N and 169 Hwy. 272-3366
Title: Re: Little visitors
Post by: Kashmir on October 08, 2009, 04:18:35 PM
Quote from: pmcalk on October 08, 2009, 12:55:54 PM
It's been gone for many years now.


There is a new one (forgot the name) out at 61st & Sheridan.  Not great, but not bad either.  http://www.kaleidoscopecm.com/ 
Ugh, I went to Kaleidoscope this summer...broke toys, weird lava room, smelly playground, snack bar selling red Baron Pizzas for $14 (no I did not want one).   
Title: Re: Little visitors
Post by: cjmcinty on October 08, 2009, 04:50:05 PM
Quote from: rwarn17588 on October 08, 2009, 12:55:54 PM
Because when you've got a family that regularly goes to the St. Louis Zoo, which is the best in the country with the possible exception of San Diego's, going to the Tulsa Zoo is not doing anyone any favors.

This is not the disparage the Tulsa Zoo. It's just that it simply doesn't compare to St. Louis'. It's pretty obvious this family is looking for something a little different than what they get back home.

I'd do Tallgrass Prairie. It's about 75 minutes north of town, but where else are you going to see buffalo in their natural environment?



you got it!
Title: Re: Little visitors
Post by: pmcalk on October 08, 2009, 06:08:36 PM
Quote from: Kashmir on October 08, 2009, 04:18:35 PM
Ugh, I went to Kaleidoscope this summer...broke toys, weird lava room, smelly playground, snack bar selling red Baron Pizzas for $14 (no I did not want one).   

Like I said, not great.  Didn't eat there.  My kids had a good time playing in the play room and climbing walls. 
Title: Re: Little visitors
Post by: TUalum0982 on October 08, 2009, 09:10:32 PM
Quiktrip park at 41st and Riverside.  Also a nice park at 96th and riverside on the SW corner. 
All star has putt putt at 61st and 169. 

There is a good pumpkin patch called pumpkin town?? at 81st and Mingo that has train rides, huge inflatable slide, pony rides, and of course pumpkins.

Ice capades at the fair? I dont know the schedule, but if the weather is cold or rainy, its a good indoor activity that lasts 2hrs or so.

If you guys decide on the aquarium, there is funhouse located at riverwalk that has childrens games. 

Title: Re: Little visitors
Post by: Kashmir on October 09, 2009, 12:48:06 PM
Quote from: pmcalk on October 08, 2009, 06:08:36 PM
Like I said, not great.  Didn't eat there.  My kids had a good time playing in the play room and climbing walls. 

I know.  When did you go?  It looked really sad back in July.  The climbing walls cost $5, which considering they are not putting much $$$$ into the place, is crazy.

Bass Pro in BA is fun for kids with the big fish tank...even though it's...in BA.

There is an air show this weekend we are taking the 3 &5 y.o. to, my son is obsessed with airplanes!