Las Vegas is known around the world for extravagant entertainment that includes children's venues affording ultimate play and learning experiences. One-of-a-kind facilities capture youthful imagination and range from rides at the world's largest indoor amusement park to painting with sea creatures to science discovery at the nation's largest children's museum.
DISCOVERY Children's Museum at Symphony Park offers three floors of exhibit space providing endless opportunities for youth to explore science, arts and culture. The 26,000-square-foot museum attracts more than two million visitors annually. Nine themed exhibit halls encourage learning at all stages of childhood. Exhibits include Patents Pending for young inventors, the Eco City with make-believe banks, grocers and a wind turbine, and Toddler Town with a Crawl Zone, role-playing options and play structures. Older kids learn the workings of law enforcers and the lawbreakers they chase at The Mob Museum in downtown Las Vegas. Exhibits tell the story of organized crime in America and heroic mob busters like Eliot Ness. Interactive exhibits, a high-tech theater and artifacts reveal the secrets of the underworld. The Mob Museum is free to children 10 and younger.
M&M's World may be the sweetest stop on any youngster's Las Vegas itinerary. Located along the Strip, it opens its doors for free to four floors of chocolate experiences and products. Activities include viewing of the 3-D film, "I Left my M in Las Vegas" and opportunities to personalize M&M candies. The fourth floor revs up chocolate joy with an M&M sponsored NASCAR racecar and themed NASCAR M&M products. Hershey's World is another chocolate haven. Located along the Las Vegas Strip, the 13,000 square-foot store sells more than 800 different Hershey products. Make sure you have a camera to photograph the kids with the 800-pound Statue of Liberty replica and the Empire State Building created from 1,800 chocolate bars.
Fun-loving youngsters discover their bliss at Adventuredome at Circus Circus. America's largest indoor theme park, it spans more than five acres totally encased in glass. Thrill rides include the double-loop, double corkscrew Canyon Blaster and El Loco vertical drop. Bumper cars, junior airplane rides and a hot air balloon-themed Ferris wheel provide gentler rides. Pay for individual rides or purchase an all-day ride pass. Additional activities include a 4-D theater with special effects coming in the form of water spays and bubbles. There's rock climbing, mini golf, a midway and arcade. For spooky amusement, plan a Halloween visit when the park transforms into Frightdome.
Daily tours of Siegfried & Roy's Secret Garden & Dolphin Habitat at The Mirage connect children to the wild kingdom. The Secret Garden tropical environment is home to black panthers, golden tigers, leopards, lions and white tigers. The Dolphin Habitat includes more than two million gallons of water in its playground for bottlenose dolphins. While pricey, the facility offers kids a rare opportunity to interact with the dolphins. Children 8 years and older are eligible to collaborate with the marine creatures in the Paint With a Dolphin program. The Dolphin Habitat takes the fun up a level to make the dream of being a dolphin trainer come true for youngsters 13 and older with the Trainer for a Day program. More marine wildlife experiences take place at Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay. The $60 million facility inspires, awes and thrills kids with 2,000 sharks, exotic fish, reptiles and sea turtles. Its 14 exhibits include a Touch Pool allowing children to get up close and personal with living aquatic creatures.
