American Notes TRAVEL

Yes, being grounded by flight delays with kids in tow can be f-u-n. At least at Denver's Stapleton International Airport, which has joined hands with the Children's Museum of Denver to launch the first children's museum in an airport.

Since August KidsPort has kept thousands of little fingers and big imaginations busy by offering earthbound youngsters an opportunity to explore everything from the dynamics of flight to the clothes people wear. A Rocky Mountain climb on a special surface and a jump into Colorado's famed powder snow (actually 60,000 white balls) have also let the sports-minded unwind.

"Because airports are adult places with nothing for kids to do, we thought this would be a natural," says KidsPort director Jim Mittenthal. Apparently so. Many pilots now announce the attraction to passengers on arriving planes, and even local school groups are booking reservations.