It’s no secret that museum trips aren’t always toddlers favorite activity – sure, maybe they like the suits of armor, or the fossils at the natural history museum, but in general, who can blame them? You can’t run, you can’t yell, you can’t touch the art, and you definitely can’t lick it – and that list of rules out almost all of a toddler’s favorite ways to enjoy things. If Baby ran a museum, things would be different, and there’s no reason why they can’t get started right now!
Presenting the toddler wonders of the world
- Right in Baby’s own back yard: There’s nothing more fascinating than finding something new and exciting in a familiar place. If Baby is good at finding cool rocks, weird leaves, or really big dandelions in your back yard or in their favorite park, have them put together an exhibit for you so that they can show off all of their discoveries at the same time.
- Museum of fun: Many toddlers Baby’s age are starting to enjoy categories and creating patterns. You can challenge Baby to organize their toys into groups that make sense to them, and then you can try to guess what criteria they were using to make the groups. This game can also be a good pre-cleanup activity.
Even if Baby isn’t of prime museum-going age just yet, building positive associations around the idea of museums when they are young is a great way to set the stage for museum adventures together as they grow up. And if making their own museum displays gets Baby in the mood for a field trip, it’s a great time to see if your city has a children’s museum that the two of you can explore together, or even a science museum, since many offer interactive exhibits that can be especially fun for young children.
