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Nadine Silverthorne’s love of journaling began in Grade One with the entry, “I am the greatest dancer!” Two babies (and countless diaper changes) later, she has found her home away from home as editor of SweetMama. Don’t miss her humorous bi-weekly accounts of the joys and pains of working while raising them fabulous.
Water: The Exhibition
silver spoons: visiting the royal ontario museum canada
(Mar.07.11)
On Friday night I attended the media preview for the Royal Ontario Museum's Water: The Exhibition (now open to the public) with my husband and two kids. Down in the basement of the ROM, a very cool underwater-feeling world has been created and while there's certainly a lot of plaques to read, young kids will get a kick out of this experience too.
My husband and I left feeling like the human race is doomed, while my kids left excited, gibberish and knowing a heck of a lot more about the world around them. Needless to say, I was extra careful while doing laundry and dishes over the weekend.
Here are some of the highlights:
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This little guy was in a tank up front, just past other tanks with some taxidermy wonders (like stunning Emperor Penguins) and other live creatures like a rattlesnake and gila monster (on loan from Reptilia). We stared at the tank for a long time wondering what we were supposed to be looking at, when a helpful aide came by to point him out to us. "He's a bird-poop frog" she delighted in telling my kids, who giggled their heads off at the mention of anything poopy.
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This sculpture shows ice melting into water and then turning into vapour. There are so many things to touch in the exhibit that those with young children need not worry. It's definitely hands-on!
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This recreation of a slot canyon is a great spot to talk about the strength of moving water, as they're literally created by the force of rushing water. The largest concentration of these in North America is in Utah, so you can pull out some Lightening McQueen/Radiator Springs analogies from Cars to help give a frame of reference here.
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Kids can stare into fish tanks for hours. A tank with a freshwater fish assortment is right next to an interesting film for adults, perfect for when the adults get bored of trying to give a lesson to deaf ears. This cichild was one of many different fish in a tank designed to show how animals can share water and coexist as a community.
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I had no idea that these nasty-but-cool creatures existed. Lamprey eels are like the vampires of the sea, latching onto larger animals with their suction mouths and many teeth. Creepy! But don't worry, they only like cold water and rarely attack humans unless starved.
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Unfortunately, photography is not allowed in the exhibit, so I can't show you the really cool stuff — you'll have to make the trip out and discover it for yourselves. It's a bit crowded, so strollers can be a hinderance to getting around. Cost of the exhibit (Adults $31, Kids 4 and older $19.50) includes general admission to the ROM, with reduced admission on Friday nights.The Food Studio cafeteria has loads of great food options (and wine and beer if you're so inclined).
Some more fun facts about water to share with your kids:
- Annually, Canada's rivers discharge seven per cent of the world's renewable water supply – 105,000 cubic metres per second.
- The human body needs 2 litres of water a day in our Canadian climate. A person can live without food for more than a month, but we can last only a few days without water.
- Water power meets about 62 per cent of Canada's electrical needs.
- A five-minute shower with a standard shower head uses 100 litres of water whereas a five-minute shower with a low-flow shower head uses less than 50 litres of water.
- Manufacturing plastic water bottles uses a lot of water—twice as much as the bottles contain. The total estimated energy needed to make, transport and dispose of one bottle of water is equivalent to filling the plastic bottle one-quarter full of oil.
- And this one for the moms: Washing a full load of dishes in the dishwasher uses less water than washing those dishes by hand. (There's an argument for a top-of-the-line new appliance.)
Visit
www.rom.on.ca/water for more details.