PLAYSEUM?
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Anonymous
Yikes! This is REALLY a turn off for me. I prefer my play time to be religion-free. |
Anonymous
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I heard on WTOP today that you can download a free pass on the WTOP site.
That's really dumb of them not to be open for at least some of Christmas break. |
Anonymous
| I think it would be a great place for a 2.3 and 6 year old. We were there for about an hour and a half today. Noticed the christian rock on the IPOD as well. |
Anonymous
| I don't know what you are all complaining about. I heard tainted love, love shop and a ton of other 80's music, yes some songs with God in it but over all I think it was just a variety of music. I actually apprecitated the fact that the music was not all preschool, toddler music and wheels on the bus. I felt like they were just trying to make it a fun atmosphere. |
Anonymous
| I'd only be "turned off" if it was Muslim music. Or Jewish music. |
Anonymous
It is just at the front desk. I only noticed it when arriving and leaving. You can't hear it in the playrooms. It didn't bother me at all (as an atheist). 
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Anonymous
Nice. |
Anonymous
That sounds nice. I don't particularly want to create a "religion free" zone for myself or my children. I am a non-practicing anything (and consider myself an athiest, too, but mostly I'm just exceedingly uncurious about god or spirituality). As someone who went to religiously affiliated university, and has friends who consider themselves devout practitioners of many religions, I am not "anti-religion." What I do find annoying is what is sometimes a religious sales pitch. I am as interested in buying a religion as I am in buying Amway products. No thanks, and please don't ask me. So if it just happens to be in the air in a friendly, nonchalant sort of way without any actual God/Jesus sales pitch, I think I'd quite enjoy a nice, relaxed, open play area with my child. She, at age 2, has no opion about anything except: "Is it fun?"
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Anonymous
Didn't bother you when it was anti-Christian. Why would it bother you now? |
Anonymous
Okay, okay, no-one knows who said what, here, but rest assured "i'd only be 'turned off'" poster, most everyone here understood that you were trying to make a point through sarcasm. Chill. |
Anonymous
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We went today with a 2, 3 and 6 year old and had a blast. We are a 2 mom family and are not Christian, so I wasn't sure how comfortable we would feel. We had such a great time that we bought a discount pack of 50 tickets.
It is closer to a small children's museum than anything else. It's divided into smaller rooms, so not a big open space. My kids loved the beauty salon where you could style hair, dress up or paint your nails. The pet room with live bunnies, birds and guinea pigs was a big hit too. There is a science room where we all made super balls, so cool we got the recipe for the 1st grader to take into school (the project was led by a former science teacher). It is also a used book store, so there are books everywhere, including one small shelving unit of kid bibles, but again, you'd have to really look to find it. It is a beautiful space with lots of natural light. The back room has a foosball table, a stage with instruments (including a very in demand drum kit!) and a puppet theater. There are probably a dozen different play spaces in all, each has bookcases of appropriately themed books and some dress up clothes. The art and "world" rooms seemed really cool, we didn't get a chance to spend too much time there this visit. They also have activities each day, today was the super balls, which was free, for an additional small fee the kids could make little apple pies. The owner is friendly, patient and good with groups of kids, as are all of the adults. I'd say it's aimed at the preschool crowd up to maybe 7 or 8 and probably more 7 or 8 year old girls rather than boys. It would be nice if they could have a Lego room or something for older boys but the pieces would probably be a hazard for little ones. |
Anonymous
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We were there too today (and also a 2 mom family) and the recommendation comes directly from my 3 year olds who want to "go back. NOW." It would have been hard to be there as a single parent with younger kids (as it was, it was a bit of a challenge when my kids wanted to be in 2 different areas as it was pretty crowded by the time we left at noon - but not nearly as bad as Port Discovery (where I refuse to take them solo.)
The kitchen/bakery area was a HUGE hit and the drums have been a constant source of conversation since we left. They are now on the list for Santa (although I think Santa will just bring them back to play there!) We'll be definitely be back. FWIW - I never noticed any religious undertones (I was kinda looking since I had read this thread - not that I would have cared.) and found/saw nothing. |
Anonymous
| I went today. It was so much fun. 2.5 year old DS had a great time. I had read this thread and still didn't notice any religiousness. |
Anonymous
| Interesting that they are running activities for Hanukkah and Passover, related to the two holidays. I'm guessing that they got a big over zealous in their bios and like a pp said, maybe they need to learn a bit about marketing. That said, I certainly hope the Jewish holiday events aren't missionary or anything. Will probably stick with synagogues or JCC's for the holidays, just in case! |
Anonymous
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I chatted a bit with the owner today, I think it's just a big part of who she is, I don't think she has any "missionary" intent with the Playseum. (This from one of the lesbian atheists above who was looking for anything like that.) I don't think she wanted to self sensor or thought that people would fear some attempts to convert. I couldn't come up with any tactful way to bring up this thread.
It's really a lovely place packed with fun stuff for the preschool and early grade school set. Clearly a lot of thought and work went into creating the "adventures", the owner even made many of the props by hand, generally using recycled materials. I think they are celebrating the Jewish holidays because they want to be inclusive. Btw, if you are ever there during a baking activity, try to talk your kids into doing it. My kids' mini apple pies were yummy! I bet if they do latkes they will be great too.
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