DAILY VACATIONER: Daily Vacationer Jr: American Swedish Historical Museum: Toddler Time

We absolutely love the American Swedish Historical Museum. Located in a beautiful building in FDR Park, the museum is a fascinating look at the Swedish culture, a well as its impact on America. A friendly staff and amazing interior always make it a joy to visit this Philadelphia gem. Daily Vacationer Jr particularly enjoys the ASHM's attention to passing down the Swedish culture to the next generation by including child-friendly programs and activities within the museum and throughout the year.

We took the opportunity to visit the Do You Know Pippi Longstocking? exhibit while we were there. A very popular special exhibit from 2014, the Pippi exhibit was condensed and move permanently to a new location in the museum, providing a fun play area where little ones can whip up culinary creations in the kitchen of Villa Villekulla, become Thing Finders in a crazy chest of drawers, play dress up, and enjoy the collection of children's stories. We were also pleased to find that the ASHM had kept the Pippi Longstocking scavenger hunt. By following the map and collecting a card from the treasure boxes located around the museum, kids can have their own adventure exploring the building (giving their caregivers get a chance to see all the exhibits). After all ten boxes have been found, make sure to visit the front desk to claim your treasure!

Daily Vacationer Jr also had the pleasure of making it out to one of the ASHM's much talked about Toddler Time sessions. A monthly event, Toddler Time immerses young visitors in different ideas and concepts with a fun, interactive experience. During our visit, the topic of the day was Milk - where does it come from and what do we do with it? We started by gathering in one of the museum's many interesting exhibit rooms for stories and songs about milk, the animals it comes from (didn't know people milked reindeer!), different kind of dairy workers, and dairy products. A demonstration of the long horn Swedish herders use certainly got everyone's attention.

After learning through song and story, we were brought outside to meet someone extra special: Delilah, the dairy cow! As her handlers walked her around, patiently answering questions and even demonstrating how to milk her, the real live cow from Colonial Plantation brought the whole concept of farm animals and milking to life. (Delilah is not the first farm animal to visit Toddler Time - last year, a sheep was a frequent visitor too!) After a meet and greet with Delilah, guests were treated to dairy snacks of cheese and crackers and Siggi milk and yogurt products. Hands on demonstrations of "milking" and churning milk into butter, as well as fun crafts kept everyone happy and busy in the front courtyard. The whole experience was hands down one of the best run kids events at a museum that we have ever been to!