CHOM, the Children's Hands-On Museum in Tuscaloosa, is a great place to take your kids. There are classes and organized events. But there are also many moms with their children just hanging out and playing on the lower level on any given day of the week.
Downstairs you will be amazed at the fun stations set up to resemble a farm, boat, theater, hospital, etc. My son loved crawling across the piano mat on the floor in the theater room. I was reminded of that movie "Big" with Tom Hanks. LOL. And he loved the puppet show area in that same room. He also loved the farm area. It's lots of fun.
Oh, and there is a fee. You can pay per visit or get a membership. Check out the website for the fees and other information at www.chomonline.org.

My 2 year old had a great time when we took him to CHOM. The only reason we didn't get a membership is because there's only one section for his age. It was fun, but not worth the membership or the one time fee either.
That's why we've only went once. Maybe when he gets older, we'll go more.

We've loved CHOM since we moved here a year-and-a-half ago, and we think it's well worth the membership price.
Our toddler was only 18 mos at the time, but he loved (and still loves) the activities available on both floors.
He likes to run through the cave & play in Grandma's attic, and he loves to "scoop ice cream" in the ice cream parlor.
Some of the things upstairs may have been a little over his head at first, but it's all great anyway because the kids are allowed to touch and play with everything. It's like an indoor playground.
They also have storytimes and crafts, like Kristi said. And it's a complete life-saver on very rainy or very cold days (or those horrible summer days when it gets over 100 outside).
My husband and I will continue renewing our membership every year (even though the fee is a lot on our single paycheck), and we think it's very worthwhile, especially for parents who are struggling to avoid television overload.

FYI: there is a special going on over at CHOM right now. Pay $36 for a 3 month membership and then if you decide in 3 months you want an entire year that $36 goes towards it. We signed on.

is there any other places for kids here besides chom? we are members and go about 2 times a week, but i need other places kids are 2 and 3 years.

They have a really good story hour at the library, and I think it starts back in just a few weeks.
But there's also a great indoor pool at the PARA center in Hillcrest (I think that's what that area is called, but I'm sorta new to Tuscaloosa and could be wrong), and we take our tot there at least once a month (and he turns three in a couple of weeks).

Do any of you go to the Moovin and Groovin sessions at CHOM? That is something i think Olivia would love and at a good price if i purchased a membership. She is getting to that age where she really wants and needs the interaction so I am going to have to get started with something soon.

We go to Movin and Groovin about once a week. It's a lot of fun. We usually go downstairs and play afterward. However, lately, the classes have been really large--nearly out-growing the garden room where they're held.

I've taken Will to the story time at the library the past 3 weeks. We really like it. Today they announced that next week will be the last one for the Spring session. They will break and then start back in June. I'm kinda disappointed that we just started going and it's already time for a break. For some reason I had just assumed it was a continuous all year thing. Oh, well June isn't that far off.

I took Will swimming for the first time at the Bobby Miller activity center (the PARA center in Hillcrest) the Saturday of the A-game. He really liked it. I'm going to try to take him back about once a week or so. We, haven't been back yet though. My husband was kind of annoyed at me that I went with out him on A-day. He doesn't like to miss any of the "firsts!" So, I've been waiting to go again till we can all go.

Does anyone know of anything else that would be good to take a 7-month old to do? I figure he is too young for the CHOM.

Kimdermusik is great for that age, but it is a bit on the expensive side. Worth every pdnny, in my opinion, but not in the category of free/inexpensive fun. I think there was another thread about kindermusik with info on all the summer sessions.

Thanks, LawMommy. Yeah, I saw the other thread about Kindermusik. I'm sure it is worth it... but it's a bit out of our budget right now.