Kids go full speed during Superhero Day at Las Vegas museum

Even with cooler-than-usual temperatures Saturday afternoon, local superheroes put crime fighting on hold to beat the heat for an indoor fashion show.

About 15 children wearing silky capes and and handmade masks strutted across a stage at the Discovery Children’s Museum, flexing their muscles and spinning for the crowd during a Superhero Fashion Show.

One girl wore a purple paper mask, purple flower berets at the end of her braids, and vibrant purple butterfly wings. She spread the wings as she walked on stage, before an audience of about 20 parents.

“My superhero name is Superfly,” said 8-year-old Messiah Pierre, fiddling with her handmade cuffs.

She walked in the fashion show with her 3-year-old sister-turned-princess, Amelia, and 6-year-old brother, Saintil, who was disguised as the Flash.

Hundreds had visited the museum as of 1 p.m. Saturday to design their own superhero costumes, paint paper-plate shields, color comic book coloring pages, and take photos in front of a superhero-themed backdrop with props such as foam Hulk fists and Thor’s hammer. It was all part of Superhero Day at the downtown Las Vegas museum.

The museum also used science to explain powers of superheroes such as Thor, Storm, Superman and Ironman, said Tina Tetter, a learning experience coordinator with the museum.

“The program is designed around four different superheroes’ abilities and how we can look at them scientifically,” Tetter said. “They can dig into what makes them super and learn why they have those powers and what those powers allow them to do.”

Kids made magnetic slime to explore Magneto’s powers, learned about Thor’s ability to create lightning by watching static electricity create an arc in a Van de Graaff generator, and learned about genetic mutations.

“We want to ignite a love of lifelong learning,” Tetter said. “But it’s also just fun. We want to just bring an experience to a family and have them enjoy it together.

“Some families come in and don’t have a costume or have access to superhero things at home, but they can come in and design and entire costume and leave with one,” she added.

Aliana and Amaya Rodriguez, 4-year-old twins, used watercolors to decorate shields. The girls’ favorite superhero is Wonder Woman.

“I like the stars and her bracelets,” Amaya said, gobbing blue paint onto her shield.

The girls’ mom said the girls feel strong when they pretend to be Wonder Woman and Supergirl.

“Girls, show me your arms when you’re a little strong,” Bryn Rodriguez instructed her daughters.

The twins raised their arms halfway and flexed their biceps halfheartedly.

“And what do they look like when you’re a really strong woman?”

They raised their flexed arms over their heads, little muscles bulging, their free hands clutching half-painted shields, one adorned with a rainbow and one with a garden.

Rodriguez said the museum is one of her favorite places to take the girls because it’s fun and educational.

“It’s hard having small children in Las Vegas,” Rodriguez said, helping Amaya add green paint to her very blue garden. “Sometimes it’s too hot and sometimes it’s too cold, but you can always come here.”

Contact Kimber Laux at klaux@reviewjournal.com. Follow @lauxkimber on Twitter.