The Experience: Our family has seen nary an episode of the legendary Scholastic TV show “The Magic Schoolbus,” but that didn’t stop us from being mesmerized by the Oregon Children’s Theatre’s live stage adaptation, The Magic Schoolbus Live: The Climate Challenge.

From the moment Ms. Frizzle and her class of curious kids board the bus for their first adventure, we and all the other kids in this packed audience were agape. (Literally – I looked down the row and saw nothing but open-mouthed faces and riveted eyes.)

The class travels around the globe to figure out why the weather’s so wacky these days, and in the course learn about habitats, animals and the relationship between people, our actions and the changes we can see in the seas or feel in the weather.

It’s a cautionary tale, to be sure, but it’s fraught not just with evergreen messages like, “Reduce, Reuse and Recycle,” but also fresh additions like “Rethink” how you do things and “Small Things Matter” (small people, it seems to imply, do too). And even this relatively educated adult appreciated the refresher on the science of the greenhouse effect.

Bottom line? Take the time to catch this bus. You’ll walk away with lots to think about, to be sure. But between the show’s catchy songs and fast-moving dialogue, lively staging, creative sets and imaginative use of simple effects to pull it all together, you’ll never even know you’re learning something.

Inside information: The Magic Schoolbus runs about an hour, with no intermission. Booster seats for smaller kids can help ensure their view; get yours at the coat check room.

The 411

Performance dates: Runs Saturdays at 2pm and 5pm; Sundays at 2pm thorough Feb. 19. Tickets: $16 to $30 adults, $13 to $26 youth, plus charges. Location: Newmark Theatre at the Portland Center for the Performing Arts’ Hatfield Hall, 1111 SW Broadway Contact: 503-228-9751; octc.org/onstage/magicschoolbus.

— Sarah Pagliasotti

The Experience: A world of knights and princesses awaits at the Children’s Museum in the form of the new Lego Castle Adventure that opened this month and runs through January 22.

Lego fans of all ages will find plenty to play with and ogle – from detailed replicas of European castles to life-sized dragons and knights, to a catapult you can use against a simulated castle wall. More…

The Experience: Where can you find rock stars, Chinese acrobats, dog tricks, fruit pies and baby pigs all in one place? The State Fair, of course! Starting Friday, this annual event will More…

The Experience: If you’ve been frequenting the Oregon Zoo but haven’t yet seen this year’s Wildlife Live! shows sponsored by PGE, you’re missing out. Three times daily on the concert lawn, keepers and animals perform short, lively shows that teach audiences about the animals and inspire them to protect habitats such as jungles and forests.

Kids love the More…

The Experience: When our grandparents and parents were little, they may have spent summer days catching frogs, digging in the dirt and playing outside using little more than their imaginations and whatever they found on the ground. They didn’t need skateboards, TV, or sidewalk chalk. They got sunshine and fresh air, they reinforced their More…

The Experience: The Portland Art Museum’s summer headline show, The Allure of the Automobile, lives up to its name with stunning cars (when you see them you’ll understand why they’re considered art) that are much more interesting than those high-end vintage vehicles you may be used to. It’s truly a must-see for adults and older kids. Lively placards with period photographs describe the car and its historical context, and you can rent an audio tour for $5 or download it for free on your iPhone. More…

The Experience: The Oregon History Museum’s “Oregon, My Oregon” captures our state’s past in dynamic detail. The permanent exhibit, which occupies a whole floor of the building, covers the period before whites arrived up to the present. More…

The Experience: My first rule when I take my kids to museums is “keep it short”. I want them to leave on high note, with at least a few strong impressions of what they’ve seen, rather than walking out whining, pouting and hungry – and hating even the mention of the “m” word.

This makes it difficult to take in all that the newest exhibit at PAM has to offer. More…

The Experience: If you have an animal lover in your home, you’ll want to know about Dogstar. This doggie daycare in the Pearl also runs a small pet rescue operation, and encourages passers-by to stop in and help socialize the cats and dogs that are up for adoption. More…

The Experience: Kids can become immersed in the daily lives of the pyramid builders in this fascinating new exhibit at OMSI. With hands-on activities, artifacts, and explanatory videos at various levels of complexity, Lost Egypt will entertain and educate everyone from about age four on up. More…

A caveat is necessary with this entry – we’ve included it in the Family Fun section because of its educational nature, and the lessons it holds for older kids, but it’s not a light-hearted family outing.
The Experience: The latest exhibit at Mercy Corps’ downtown Portland Action Center, titled “The Revolution Will be Led by a 12-Year-Old Girl: The Girl Effect”, begins with a disturbing and thought-provoking question: Is 12 the beginning of a girl’s life or the end of it?

The videos, photographs, and text which make up the exhibit illustrate two very different answers to this question. More…

The Experience: Sam’s head was sweating and his eyes were on fire as he approached me from the other side of the large exhibit hall.

“Where have you been?” I asked above the noise from the various machines surrounding us.

“I was figuring out the gear ratios on the bikes over there,” Sam said.

Sometimes we go to museums, and my kids just wander from booth to booth, not knowing how to engage with the subject at hand. Not so with the latest exhibit at OMSI, which opens this weekend. Every part of the exhibit is highly interactive, involving kids’ hands and minds to investigate problems and devise solutions. More…

The Experience: The folks who designed and manage the Portland Children’s Museum must truly be kids at heart, because they’ve succeeded in creating a space that captures nearly every child’s imagination. Each room and hall and nook and cranny is filled with activities to delight and entertain kids of all ages, from infants to older elementary school kids. More…

3995 Brooklake Rd. N.E.
Home to 15 Heritage Power Equipment Museums featuring vintage trucks, tractors, cars, motorcycles and more. Open Wed-Sun, 9 am-5 pm
3995 Brooklake Rd. N.E., Brooks (40 miles S of Portland); 503-393-2424; antiquepowerland.com

We love our libraries! In fact, our regional libraries are among the most frequented in the entire country. Sure you’ll find great books for all ages, but you’ll also find special programs for kids and families, from story times and summer reading programs to magic shows and chamber music. Visit your local library, check their website, or call to find out about upcoming and ongoing events.

library.co.clackamas.or.us/lib

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www.wccls.org/

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www.fvrl.org/

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Volunteer-operated observatory open to the public when skies are clear and a volunteer is available. Check website after 5 pm for availability. $3 donation.
John Inskeep Environmental Learning Center, Clackamas Community College, 19600 S Molalla Ave., Oregon City; 503-657-6958, ext. 5665; depts.clackamas.edu/haggart.

OMSI’s planetarium is the largest and most technically advanced in the Pacific Northwest.
1945 SE Water Ave.; 503-797-4610; www.omsi.edu/planetarium.

Animal exhibits, conservation education, special events, concerts, camps, classes and more.
4001 SW Canyon Rd.; 503-226-1561; www.oregonzoo.org.

Wildlife sanctuary, hiking trails and injured bird care facility.
5151 N.W. Cornell Rd.; 503-292-6855; www.audubonportland.org.

Tours scheduled by appointment, guided by officers of the mounted patrol unit. Free.
1362 NW Naito Parkway; 503-823-2100.

Site of Oregon’s first provisional government; hosts a variety of living history events. Free; $3 parking fee.
Champoeg Road, St. Paul. 503-678-1251, ext 221 (state park); 503-678-1649 (Friends of Historic Champoeg); www.champoeg.org.

Living history performances, tours and special events.
1501 E Evergreen Blvd., Vancouver, Wash.; 360-816-6230; www.nps.gov/fova.

This restored 1881 house was the childhood home of Herbert Hoover.
115 South River St., Newberg; 503-538-6629.

This estate, listed in the National Registry of Historic Places, features a 1913 log home and extensive gardens. Free.
8005 SW Grabhorn Rd., Aloha; 503-629-6355; www.thprd.com/facilities/jenkins.cfm.

A “salt box”-style house built in 1863 by the Young family when they arrived at the end of the Oregon Trail, this home was later converted by the family into the community’s first general store and post office. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2008.
12050 NW Cornell Rd., Beaverton; 503-629-6355; www.thprd.org/facilities/jqay/home.cfm.

The home of John McLoughlin, founder of Ft. Vancouver.
713 Center St., Oregon City; 503-656-5146; www.mcloughlinhouse.org.

Civil War reenactment groups perform throughout the region.
www.nwcwc.org.