10 Reasons why you should buy a membership to the CMOP!

My children and I love driving downtown to visit the Children's Museum of Phoenix, it has so many amazing things to offer! It is officially a new year so I wanted to share my top ten reasons why I think my Arizona based readers should sign up for a membership to the Children's Museum of Phoenix (CMOP) and make the most of your new year. If you aren't in the Arizona area, I highly suggest looking into your local children's museum as well. My top ten isn't in any particular order, and I will provide info on membership costs at the bottom of this post (Number 10).

1. Members only night - On the third Friday of every month they have an extended hours members night, from 4-7PM the museum opens up after their normal hours to allow pass holders into the museum to explore for three hours.

2. Escape bad weather - Arizona can get extremely hot during the summer so going to the park or participating in other outdoors activities isn't always an option. Kids and parents can go a little crazy after being cooped up inside for too long during summer break, so the museum allows a place to escape to that is fun and has air conditioning.

3. The Art Room - If your kids are anything like mine, they love getting messy and they love doing crafts. I have to admit, after a day of work or cleaning up I don't always like cleaning up a big craft mess at home. The museum has a huge art room where your child can paint, work on crafts and even read a book if they want. There is usually 2-3 crafts set up for children to do, and the crafts change often so you aren't always working on the same thing when you visit the museum.

4. The Kidchen - The museum has a full kitchen set up where staff members and chefs set up food demonstrations for kids, not only do the kids get to watch the food or treat being made, but they get to make it as well. The kitchen activates cost extra (cost varies) however museum members get a discount. We've participate in making a candy apply and a gingerbread house and both were so much fun! Plus there was no mess to clean up afterwards aside from throwing away our plates.

5. The Staff - We've visited the museum a lot and I don't think I've ever run into a single issue with the museum or any of the staff members. The staff is always alert, friendly and helpful if you have any questions or need some help. I like that they spread staff out across the museum so there is always one in sight helping keep an eye on the children playing.

6. Monthly Programs - Every month you'll find a large assortment of programs for various ages, offered in different rooms at the museum. Some have to do with the theme for the month, for example this month the museums theme is Dinosaurs so you can build your own Dino tail, and others are programs they like to hold regularly. It is always a lot of fun seeing the new programs!

7. Hands On! - One of the thing some children don't like about normal museums is that you can't touch anything, for a child that can sometimes be hard to do. The Children's Museum of Phoenix is pretty much a free for all, there are TONS of hands on activities, things to touch, see and explore. You'll find a noodle forest to explore, a shopping center with a giant pinto bino bin you can play in, a pizzeria where you can make cloth pizza, a room to build forts, cozy nooks to read a book, a three story tall playground and more. The museum offers three floors packed with fun.

8. Food & Drinks - Some museums and attractions has a strict policy on not being allowed to bring in food or drinks which is kind of a bummer especially for families trying to save a little extra cash. Kids get hungry often and they can't all at the same things due to allergies, etc. so I love that fact that the museum let's you bring in your own sack lunch or a drink, as long as you eat it in their café. If you choose not to bring food, but end up wanting lunch they do have a café that serves a range of food including lots of healthy options like fruits, milk, crackers, and more, plus they have coffee for the adults.

9. Your child will love the museum - The museum is wonderful for infants all the way up to I'd say about 14 years old. I visited the museum with my children several times when my children were younger, and we still visit often even though they are getting older. My son is about to be seven and my daughter just turned eleven, both still love coming to the museum because they offer programs and areas that are entertaining even for the older children. Both of my kids love the art programs, the kidchen programs, the noodle forest, playground and extra activates they set up. Last month they had a "Snow Much Fun" day where they brought in a mountain of snow the kids were able to play in. There is something for everyone to do! Even I enjoy visiting with them, plus it helps wind down all of their extra energy to help them get a better nights sleep because they will be tired after a long day of play.

10.  Save yourself $$$ - Buying a membership will make it to where you'll save a ton of money on visits, programs, the gift shop and more. If you visit the museum without a membership you'll be spending $14.95 per person (seniors are $14.95, children under 1 are free). So let's say you have four members of your family visiting the museum, you'll be spending $59.80 on admission for one visit. For the same family of four you could purchase a one year membership for $195 which allows you unlimited access to the museum, you can visit as many times as you want. My family and I like visiting at least once a month but if we can make it we try visiting 2-3 times a month, especially in the summer when it is 100+ degrees out. Prices vary depending on the size of your family and pass that you want, membership prices and info can be found Here.

As an added bonus for adults once every few months the museum hosts what they call a "Date Night" where it is a adults only night at the museum. It is NOT included in a membership, but I wanted to mention it because it is a lot of fun. They have a DJ, food trucks, alcoholic beverages for those who like to drink, crafts for adults and more.

Disclaimer- I am part of the PLAYfluenster team at the museum and I was provided a year membership by the Children's Museum of Phoenix for a monthly review, free of charge no other compensation was provided. However, no product compensation will influence the outcome of any review. My honest opinions are used in all reviews, they are solely my own & they may vary from others. My reviews are posted for readers in order to provide an informed decision before purchase.