The Rusty Relics Museum plays host to many tourists and visitors during the Carlyle summers, but has recently become a favorite amongst the town's children as well.
Every Wednesday in July and August, Lauren Hume and the other museum staff invite children of all ages from Carlyle to join them for some good, not always clean, fun in the sun.
The weekly museum days kick started July 4 with a World Tour day followed by an exciting Dinosaur Day on July 11.
Dinosaur Wednesday was quite popular among the youngsters and even attracted kids from other towns. After the World Tour event brought in kids only from Cornerstone Family and Youth summer program, the coordinators were pleased to see some new faces this time.
Although the humid, blistering heat slowed down the adults and a select few of the children, the majority of kids seemed oblivious to the sun as they ran around during game hour.
Hume and staff hid animals around the museum property before the kids arrived, making for quite the adventure. Participants looked high and low, under giant bells, beneath the red train, in the old water pumps as well as around the old school house.
After such a race, the adults expected the children to take a quick break which many of the children were unhappy about.
The energy in the crowd was quite something to watch as the kids began the dinosaur egg toss (yellow water balloons thrown back and forth), many of them wondered what would happen if a real dinosaur came out when the eggs broke on them. The game was a creative way to cool down for some of the parents as well.
After the egg toss, a game based on extinction and fossils proved to be both education and a slight break from the heat, as children ran through a swamp made of tarp and water, hoping not to get caught and become fossils on the side of the land.
The last outdoor game of the day was also based on extinction and saw children running in circles hoping not to get caught in a circle hoop when the dinosaur roared and ended their dinosaur life.
At this point even the energy filled children were getting thirsty and hot, so a break was had beneath the shady trees and picnic table. Healthy carrots and raspberry juice were had by all. Once the resting was done, Hume brought out some cherries and allowed children to spit them as far as they could across the properties train tracks just like dinosaurs.
The day came to an end with children creating their very own take home dinosaurs made out of cut out shapes, inside the cool air of the air-conditioned museum lobby. Many tourists stopping in got quite the pleasant surprise of about 15 children roaring at them.
Overall it was a successful day, and the kids are excited and hoping to see new faces in the coming weeks.
