New Exhibit Opening August 18 @ 10am!
EV: Charge Up
Presented by the Olseth Family Foundation and Snell Motors
Ready. Set, Charge!
This exhibit features a child-sized electric vehicle and charging station that lets children explore how EVs work through play. Children climb into the driver’s seat, pretend to drive, and physically plug the car into a charger, just like a real electric vehicle! Through this simple, hands-on experience, kids learn that cars can run on electricity instead of gas, and start to pick up the basics of charging and clean energy along the way.
This exhibit is great for...
learning how energy powers the things we use every day, and building early habits of curiosity and care for the environment.
Powering Up
Children press a button to start the vehicle and watch a battery indicator drop as they "drive," giving them a real-world connection between motion and energy use. When the battery runs low, the simulation prompts them to recharge, just like plugging in at home. It's a clear, repeatable cause-and-effect experience: plug in, and the car powers up. That kind of direct feedback helps children start connecting their actions to outcomes and builds early confidence in how the world works.
Navigation
A magnet-based map on the back wall lets kids "drive" to different spots around the Mankato community, stopping at charging stations and points of interest along the way. Seeing a familiar object, a car, in a new context helps children connect what they're learning in the exhibit to the real world, so the next time they spot an electric vehicle in their own neighborhood, it clicks!
Pretend Play
Taking on the role of driver, or "charger," gives children a chance to practice imaginative play alongside problem-solving. When they ask questions like "What happens if I don't charge it?", they're testing ideas the same way scientists do: hypothesizing, experimenting, and observing what happens next. Along the way, they're also building social skills like turn-taking and cooperation as they narrate their play with caregivers and other visitors.
Take a Closer Look!
