Kohl Children's Museum Lets Play Train Opening!

GLENVIEW, IL – It’s full steam ahead as the Kohl Children’s Museum of Greater Chicago debuts their newest exhibit, Let’s Play Railway. Opening for previews on September 27, 2008, the exhibit will have a grand opening on October 7 and run through May 4, 2009.  Let’s Play Railway allows children up to age eight to explore the wonderful world of rail play by interacting with three giant railway cars.  To complement this special exhibit, the Museum is featuring rides around the Museum property on a fully operational kiddie train. Named the Great Chicago Kiddie Express, this pint-sized railroad will offer rides September 23 – 26, September 30, October 1-3 and October 7 - 8. The Great Chicago Kiddie Express has departure times between 9:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on these dates with a ticket price of $2. Rides on the kiddie train are free on October 7 to celebrate the grand opening of Let’s Play Railway. Kohl Children’s Museum is located at 2100 Patriot Blvd., in Glenview, Ill. at the corner of Patriot Blvd. and W. Lake Ave.

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“Children will have a wonderful and rewarding time exploring the Let’s Play Railway exhibit,” said Sheridan Turner, President and CEO of the Museum. “This exhibit offers activities that encourage budding engineers at all ability levels to explore and learn from their environment while practicing fundamental physical, cognitive, emotional and social skills.”

Guests can partake in many railway adventures as they explore the three railway cars including:

• Engineer’s Cab: Little engineers will have fun operating levers, dials, cranks and buttons that trigger realistic sound effects.
• Piston Power: A kid-powered crankshaft makes colorful characters pop in and out of pretend pistons.
• Cow Catcher Xylophone: A place to play familiar tunes, make simple sounds or create musical patterns.
• Locomotion Wheel: Kids are challenged to guide a train on an “a-MAZE-ing” journey to the end of the line.
• Tumble Wheel: Tumbling neon-colored shapes against a mirrored background lets kids create new patterns with every turn.

• Farm Friends: Includes everything kids need to care for a kid-sized cow and pony: a feed bag, brushes, buckets, wheelbarrow, trough and milking stool.
• Farmer’s Field: Kids can harvest the corn, store it in the silo or feed it to their animal friends.
• Sing Along with “Old MacDonald”: Two versions of this family favorite encourage children to listen or sing along.
• Hands Down: Kids will love watching their handprint appear and disappear on this heat sensitive train wheel.
• On the Ball: Stops and starts of the wheel let kids control the path of a ball through a pin maze.
• Locomotion Library: A read-with-me book nook where children can browse a selection of favorite and educational books about trains.

• On the Right Track: Kids guide a ball from station to station – with a surprise at the end of the track.
• Roly-Poly Wheel: Kids can “rock and roll” their way into the Caboose – a mirror captures every tumble.

• CartWheel: Each rotation sends a playful character head-over-heels.
• The Sky is the Limit: It takes a careful turn of the wheel to move the sun and moon across the sky.

Kohl Children’s Museum is located at 2100 Patriot Blvd., in Glenview, Ill. at the corner of Patriot Blvd. and W. Lake Ave. in the newly redeveloped area known as The Glen.  The Museum can be easily reached by public transportation, including Pace bus and Metra trains.

For more information, visit the Museum’s website at www.kohlchildrensmuseum.org or call (847) 832-6600. The Museum is open on Monday from 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Sunday, 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Special members-only hours are from Monday through Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Admission prices are $7.50 for children and adults and $6.50 for senior citizens. Children under 1 year old and members are free.