NORMAL - Children's Discovery Museum Manager Shari Buckellew always has wanted to have an exhibit encouraging children to treat each other with respect.

When the nation turned its attention to the rise in childhood obesity, Buckellew thought that topic also should be addressed by the museum, which has attracted more than 500,000 visitors in its nearly four years of existence in uptown Normal.

The two concepts have been rolled into a new exhibit, "Healthy Kids Healthy Future," which officially opens Nov. 28.

"It's a good completion of the master plan," said Buckellew. "It's a good fit for kids today, their families and the community."

The three areas in the exhibit, located on the south side of the first floor, take a holistic approach to helping kids become and stay healthy, she said.

A pizza kitchen and the nearby renovated and renamed Fresh Market are designed to get kids "to appreciate the fact that they can eat healthy and still have fun," Buckellew said.

Kids will be able to "make" a pizza by choosing from a variety of healthy toppings from bins similar to those at a pizza restaurant. Then the pizza can be taken over to the make-believe brick oven to cook. When it's finished, children can use paddles to take it out of the oven.

A nearby car can be used to "deliver" the pizza.

The Fresh Market will feature healthy foods including fruits, vegetables, dairy and breads. A game challenges kids to "put a rainbow" on their plate with colorful healthy foods puzzle pieces.

Another area, "Way to Go," encourages children to "appreciate other people for who they are," said Buckellew.

At the "talking porch," kids and their parents can sit and read books or pick a card with ideas for starting a conversation. A nearby magnetic wall allows kids and their parents to build a pyramid with things that help children grow up to be healthy. The pyramid is based on Maslow's Needs Pyramid of Motivation.

At "Together We Can," two or more people work together to raise the earth to the top of a plastic tube. The nearby "Laughing Well" promotes the idea that laughter is healthy.

Exhibit manager Brad Stefl said he downloaded videos of dozens of kids laughing on YouTube for the Laughing Well.

"The beauty is you can alter and change it so it's fresh," Stefl said.

The third area of the exhibit takes kids outdoors, where they can use a climbing wall and play in the sand/pebble table. A special webbed plastic was used under the turf so that the area is handicapped accessible, Buckellew said. Eventually, a walkway will lead children to a natural area with native plantings.

"Kids can get outside, get exercise and enjoy nature," Buckellew said.

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GO!

What: Grand opening of the Children's Discovery Museum's Healthy Kids Healthy Future exhibit

When: Nov. 28 (The museum will be open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. A ribbon cutting ceremony for the exhibit will be at 10 a.m.)

Where: First floor of the museum, 101 E. Beaufort St., Normal

Cost: Regular museum admission ($4 per person; children under 2, free)

Snacks: Free healthy snacks will be available compliments of The Pantagraph (while supplies last)