North Country Children's Museum — Local services in Town of Potsdam

Basically a big, interactive, educational playroom for kids, the NCCM is well worth a visit and probably worth a membership if you live in the Canton/Potsdam area.

Some of the activities include a huge water table that simulates boats heading down the river. Moveable pieces let kids control the route their vessels will take downstream. Air blowers also allow experimentation with different sails and air currents.

Also at the museum are two big magnetic walls that are covered with a variety of pipes that kids can arrange in a path of their choice and send down balls from the top to see if their routes can successful carry them to the bottom. Think giant marble run.

A feature my daughter loved was the play coop/grocery store. Many shelves and bins were stocked with play produce and boxed items. Shopping carts, reusable grocery bags, a cash register, and a conveyor belt rounded out the experience. My kids have always loved play food so this is really in our wheelhouse. Of course, the exhibit is sponsored by the Potsdam Food Coop, so I had to roll my eyes and grit my teeth (in equal measure) at the numerous organic, non-GMO, and all natural labeling on the boxes. Misleading marketing is annoying even in the play world, unfortunately.

Signage at the museum suggests weekends will be filled with special programs and activities, so that will be a big plus, especially for museum members. One last item of note--there were several volunteers there the day we visited and they were all quite helpful and friendly. We eagerly anticipate our next trip, my three year old...

The North Country Children’s Museum is a total gem! It’s a thoughtfully designed space and every exhibit is hands-on and perfectly designed for sparking curiosity in kids of all ages. Each activity blends creative play with learning, and the newly opened exhibits take imaginative play to the next level. We were only in town visiting, but as a mom, this is exactly the type of place you want in your community - a safe place for kids to be kids, not on screens, and instead, immersed in culture, history, science and the arts. The staff I engaged with were kind, patient, and incredibly passionate about making each child's experience special. You can feel the love, care and attention to detail that went in to making this such a special place. A true asset for the...

We stopped here on the way to Ottawa to break up the trip. The museum is small, but jam packed with activities for the little ones. My 3 year old spent two hours enjoying the different attractions. He loved being a construction worker, navigating boats through water, going down the slide, and doing a puppet show. Afterwards we ate snacks at picnic tables by the river just across from the parking lot. There are also a few outdoor musical instruments in that area. I understand there is a playground walking distance, but we didn't have time to stop there. The museum is expanding to include an area for 8 to 12 year olds. We really enjoyed this chuldren's museum and will consider it again as a stop on our...