The Power of Play

Inside the new Great Lakes Children’s Museum location

Parents of kids who love the tree in the Grand Traverse Mall, rejoice; there’s even more fun to be had at the new Great Lakes Children Museum (GLCM).

Since 1998, GLCM has provided a place for kids to be kids. In 2023, the organization announced that they would have to vacate their original space on West Bayshore Drive to make room for the Traverse City Freshwater Research & Innovation Center.

Local parents worried what would become of the museum, as there are limited indoor options in the region that are kid-focused. Speculation circled that the museum could end up in the old Rite Aid on 14th Street, or maybe would move out to Cadillac. Last summer, GLCM began moving into the Grand Traverse Mall.

The 8,000-square-foot space has been a hit since their arrival near the end of 2024, a win for GLCM and for the mall’s foot traffic.

“These past couple of months have been great. We’ve already seen attendance go up,” says Executive Director Tracie MacPherson. She’s particularly happy to see attendance increase with their Plus membership, which offers a discounted membership to underserved communities and low income families. “Our Plus membership has grown 63 percent since we moved in here.”

Ready, Set, Play!

The first thing that will likely catch your kiddo’s attention is the ball wall, a wall with hoops, cranks, shoots, tubes, and other whirligigs to delight young minds.

“It’s just immediately engaging,” says MacPherson as a toddler aged boy makes a basket and watches with fascination as the ball journeys down the wall.

Next to the wall is a multi-level playscape centered around a ball pit. “Slides and climbing structures are really important for kids’ reverse motor skills,” she tells us. The process of lowering and lifting yourself and moving backward and forward develop what are called reverse motor skills, which help with balance, spatial awareness, and coordination.

In the first five years of a child’s life, it’s crucial for them to play. Interactive play creates their blueprint for lifelong learning, social skills, and emotional development. (This is when the human brain has the highest neuroplasticity! During this period, a child’s brain undergoes rapid growth, forming millions of neural connections.) Engaging in play with loved ones and peers builds cognitive abilities, including problem-solving, creativity, and language development.

Through interactive play, children also develop physical coordination as they explore their environment. Socially, it helps them learn cooperation, empathy, and effective communication. Emotionally, it provides a safe space to express feelings and build self-confidence.

Aging Up

While the interactive exhibits are fun, with many newer options than the ones at their old location, MacPherson is working to expand the age range for kids who come to the museum.

“In our old location, we said our age range was zero to eight, and here we’re really trying to expand that from zero to 13. We’re working to figure out what programming and what exhibits resonate best with those upper elementary and early junior high kids, because those kids still need to play.”

That’s being done in part through science-based exhibits. One new exhibit teaches kids about the sun, moon, and stars while allowing them to build their own satellite. Another exhibit lets kids take charge of building their own Mars Rover.

More fun includes a room where kids can play with lights and bubbles, a water table where kids can race boats and other floaties, a Climate Action exhibit that gets kids excited about helping the environment, a northern Michigan-themed maze that will change with the seasons, a woodworking exhibit, mini-train station, and so much more.

Good to Know

For parents who need privacy to feed their babies, or kiddos who are feeling overstimulated, there’s also a quiet room to retreat to. Finally, a lunch room provides a place to eat, craft, or throw a birthday party.

Beyond the hands-on fun, the Power of Play store is an easy go-to for kids' gifts. The shop is stocked with toys that are engaging, fun, educational, and curated by GLCM staff for their learning value and fun factor.

Now and going forward, the museum is in a constant state of change. New exhibits will be added, and existing ones will change to keep things fresh and exciting. Though they’ve only been in this new location for three months, MacPherson is happy to see kids from the old location and new faces are all enjoying the museum’s offerings.

And while this new location is already gaining popularity, it’s just a stepping stone to a future, permanent location.

“We’ll be here for the next three to five years,” MacPherson tells us. “It will take some time to decide where we want our permanent home to be, who our partners will be in that new location, designing, fundraising, community feedback—it’s an exciting and interesting process. We want to fill the community’s needs in a way we have never done before.”

Coming Soon

Childcare in Traverse City is notoriously tough to find, in the summertime especially. (See our article in this issue about the competition and opportunities for summer camps!) Finding a summer camp for your littles shouldn’t feel like hunting down Taylor Swift tickets, and MacPherson recognizes the need for more options.

“We are going to be doing summer camps this year. One of the things that was heartbreaking last summer was all the families that were so desperate to find safe, affordable, educational places to put their kids while they work during the day. We’re really excited about that because we know it’s something the community really needs.”

She’s in the process of hiring a camp director whose focus will be creating fun and educational camp programming.

The Great Lakes Children’s Museum is located inside the Grand Traverse Mall near Target. Tickets can be purchased online or in person for one visit, or memberships can be purchased for those who plan to visit regularly. Follow the GLCM social media and email newsletter to stay updated on all the fun, including Summer Camp 2025 options.

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