There's An Outdoor Family-Friendly Adventure Waiting For You In An Unlikely Location In Oregon
By Catherine Armstrong|Published October 12, 2018
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Catherine Armstrong
Author
Writer, editor and researcher with a passion for exploring new places. Catherine loves local bookstores, independent films, and spending time with her family, including Gus the golden retriever, who is a very good boy.
Oregon is a great state to raise a family; we’re pretty much surrounded by incredible outdoor recreation spaces. This fun venue is right in the city, but even here, you’ll have the chance to get your hands dirty and explore nature.
Portland Children's Museum has been entertaining and educating Oregon's kids since 1946. It's 50,000 square feet of pure fun, and you'll find it at 4015 Southwest Canyon Road, Portland, OR 97221.
Every square inch of this place is dedicated to kids' physical and mental growth, and the Outdoor Adventure exhibit is no exception. It invites you and your family to explore a natural space that's been created by child development experts, but closely mimics the outdoor world.
This exhibit gives kids the chance to get dirty, explore nature, and have a great time doing it. Dress your kids in clothing they can get dirty, and come ready for fun!
Outdoor Adventure covers 1.3 acres and has different venues for you to explore. The campsite lets you build your own fort and set up camp as if you were in the wilderness.
The creek is one of the most popular areas. Kids love to play in the water, and this place encourages stomping in puddles, building dams, and creating boats.
You might remember the Dig Pit from previous years when it was indoors. Now it's outside, and there's even more space to dig in the dirt. Use the earthmover, or dig with shovels and other tools.
Every kid loves to climb trees and every mom worries about kids falling out of trees. Zoom Tree is a special tree that has plenty of branches to explore close to the ground. It's the perfect compromise - kids get to take some risks, and moms can relax knowing that their kids won't ever be too far off the ground.