The Seacoast Science Center announces the opening of its newest exhibit: Jumpin’ Jay’s Discovery Dock. The adventure play space is designed to spark the imaginations of young learners as they step into action in a “working waterfront.”
Sponsored by Jumpin’ Jays Fish Café of Portsmouth, this exhibit is part of a major exhibit enhancement at the Center in 2018.
Jumpin’ Jay’s Discovery Dock features three engaging stations, which were designed for building cognitive and motor skills for children ages 6 and under. The centerpiece is a custom-built wooden Play Boat. Here, the captain and crew can suit up in their Grundens and set off for adventures at sea aboard a pint-sized fishing vessel. Limited only by their imaginations, kids can jig for mackerel, haul a trap. or give a shout over the radio as they head back in to tie up at the Discovery Dock.
The Dockside Market is a stylized fishermen’s co-op, where kids can unload the day’s catch, sort by shape and color, and use the cash register to make a sale. The entrance to the Discovery Dock features a mock intertidal Touch Tank where kids can become acquainted with common intertidal animals.
“As a local restaurant that has worked closely with the Seacoast fishing industry for nearly 20 years, we are excited to be a part of an exhibit that introduces children to a working waterfront,” said Jay McSharry, owner of Jumpin’ Jays Fish Café. “We are lucky to have a facility like the Center right in our backyard for both kids and adults to enjoy.”
