The word "museum" might not equate to fun for a youngster. After all, museums are large, sterile, silent environments where you have to keep you lips locked and your hands at your side, right? Not if you're visiting a children's museum, where everything is pint sized and visitors are not just invited - but encouraged - to dig in, touch everything and play. And the best part is that a little education is rolled into a lot of fun and the kids don't even realize they're learning while they play.

There are several museums in our area that have been around for a while with exhibits that have become favorites of visiting youngsters. Most have temporary exhibits running throughout the year or rotate exhibits and add new areas.

At DuPage Children's Museum in Naperville, they've opened the Interact with Art Gallery: The Play's the Thing.

"A new interactive art galley opened two weeks ago. It focuses on dramatic play," said Alison Segebarth, director of marketing and membership. "There's a stage with different props and backdrops so the kids can create their own play. There's a tower and they can be a princess or prince and act out fairy tales."

The stage is in one of six different play neighborhoods that make up the museum.

An exciting exhibit can be seen at the Children's' Museum of Indianapolis.

Tutankhamun: The Golden King and The Great Pharaohs is geared toward kids that are a little older. There are more than 130 artifacts in the exhibit that runs through Oct. 25.

Bellaboo's Play and Discovery is the newest place in the region to open that would fall in the children's museum category. As the name suggests, a visit to Bellaboo's (where the mascot is an endangered Indiana bat) is all about learning by playing.

Just a few weeks after its opening, Sandy Basala, superintendent of visitor services, said it's getting rave reviews from visitors.

"Anyone who has raised a child, watched a child, or remembers being a child knows that kids play. That's what Bellaboo's is all about," said Basala. "It's recreation especially designed for children ages nine and younger."

In Frankfort, Ill., another new museum has opened to entertain and educate little ones. KidsWork Children's Museum had its grand opening in June.

The unique exhibit that has been a huge hit with children is the 3-D Full Body Pin Screen, where kids can make an imprint of themselves in a wall of soft pins.

Children's Museum of Indianapolis

3000 N. Meridian St., Indianapolis

FYI: (317) 334-3322; CHILDRENSMUSEUM.ORG

The Children's Museum of Indianapolis is a massive five level facility with everything from dinosaurs to lessons on tolerance. It's hard to get through the place in one day and if you find yourself still there at closing time you can take part in a parade to the front entrance. Along with the temporary exhibit, Tutankhamun: The Golden King and The Great Pharaohs, the Take Me There Egypt exhibit is a new permanent exhibit following the Egyptian theme.

Curious Kids Museum

415 Lake Boulevard, Saint Joseph, Mich.

FYI: (269) 983-CKID; CURIOUSKIDSMUSEUM.ORG

This two story playland has a beautiful view overlooking Lake Michigan. It contains exhibits covering science, electricity, careers in media, agriculture and art, with a special area for crawlers and toddlers.

Kohl's Children's Museum

2100 Patriot Blvd., Glenview, Ill.

FYI: (847) 832-6600; KOHLSCHILDRENSMUSEUM.ORG

Dedicated to children from birth through age 8, this hands-on learning laboratory includes exhibits and programs aligned to the Illinois State Learning Standards. Kids can explore in a pint-sized restaurant, store, vet's office, house and library.

Children's Museum in Oak Lawn

5100 Museum Drive, Oak Lawn, Ill.

FYI: (708) 423-6709; CMOAKLAWN.ORG

This museum recently moved into a new home and opened at the new site in July. A multilevel treehouse is one of the highlights among the many kid-friendly exhibits.

Exploration Station

1095 W. Perry Drive, Bourbonnais, Ill.

FYI: (815) 933-9905; BTPD.ORG

Operated by the Bourbonnais Township, it's a bit smaller than other area children's museums, but packs a ton of fun into the one story building. Kids will especially love the Medieval Castle.

Chicago Children's Museum

700 East Grand Avenue, Chicago

FYI: (312) 527-1000; CHICAGOCHILDRENSMUSEUM.ORG

Located on Navy Pier, the Chicago Children's Museum has all the features of your standard kids' museum and more. The three-story Kolver Family Climbing Schooner is the centerpiece of the museum and a unique feature that allows kids (and the grownups accompanying them) to scale down rafters and run through rope tunnels to the deck and then an underwater world.

With Target Free First Sundays, admission is free for ages 15 and younger on the first Sunday of the month.

On Kraft Free Family Nights, admission is free for everyone from 5 to 8 p.m. on Thursday evenings.

DuPage Children's Museum

301 N. Washington Street Naperville, Ill.

FYI: (630) 637-8000; DUPAGECHILDRENSMUSEUM.ORG

Check out one of the Family Fun Friday Nights where there is special programming or themed activities in addition to a whole museum to explore. The water table is one spot that the children won't want to miss.

Bellaboo's Play and Discovery Center

Three Rivers County Park, Intersections of I-65 and I-80/94, Lake Station

FYI: (219) 963-2070; MYBELLABOOS.COM

Designed for young kids, Bellaboo's is a new facility -- that is part of the Lake County Parks -- where the emphasis is put on playing. Everything is hands-on and geared toward imagination, such as dress up, face painting and playing store.

KidsWork Children's Museum

11 South White Street, Frankfort, Ill.

FYI: (815) 469-1199; KIDSWORKCHILDRENSMUSEUM.ORG

Open less than a year, the KidsWork Children's Museum offers special programs, such as free story times along more than a dozen exhibit areas. There's also a special toddler area for ages 2 and younger.

Bronzeville Children's Museum

9301 South Stony Island Ave., Chicago

FYI: (773) 721-9301; BRONZEVILLECHILDRENSMUSEUM.COM

The Bronzeville Children's Museum is the only African-American children's museum in the country. Named for the Bronzeville neighborhood where a large population of African-Americans settled after relocating from southern states, the museum is designed for ages 3 to 9 by tour.

Tips for your visit

* Always check out the Web site before your visit for all the particulars on hours, exhibit details, special events and coupon offers.

* Bring the hand sanitizer. Many little hands touch the toys in the museums and it's the time of year that germs just love to spread themselves around.

* Call ahead to see if there is a cafe with food available or if food can be brought along. If you're planning a long, activity-filled day, keeping the mealtimes intact can avoid a meltdown.

* Have an adequate number of parents to supervise. While its fun to bring all the cousins or the neighborhood kids on an outing, be sure to have an adult for every couple of kids. It's likely they'll want to separate and go into different rooms and it gets hard to keep eyes on several kids in a big group.

* Be prepared for the gift shop. Most museums are savvy enough to set things up so that you have to pass through a gift shop on your way out or at some point through the visit. If you don't plan on spending any money there, explain it ahead of time that you're just passing through to avoid pleading or give the child a few dollars of his or her own to spend on the trip and make them stick to their little budget.

* Arrive early for close parking and lots of empty space before the crowds arrive.

* Don't forget the camera. Children's museums provide lots of fun, colorful photo opportunities that will be perfect for the front of the Christmas cards this year.