Toddlers can act up sometimes, especially when they are in new places. Here are some tips to make a trip to the zoo more fun and relaxing for the whole family!
Zoo trips can be a lot of fun, but, as you noted, they can also be stressful when you've got a toddler in tow. Here are 10 tips that will help to ensure that the trip is fun for the entire family.
- Decide on a family color. When you go on outings and have every family member wear T-shirts and ball caps of that color. Try to stick to something bright and eye-catching like yellow, red or green so that each member of the family will stand out in a crowd. That way, if you momentarily let go of your toddler's hand and he disappears from sight, you'll be able to find him again in a flash.
- Maintain reasonable parent-kid ratios. One adult per kid is the ideal if you're hitting a busy attraction. Hire a teenager or invite along an extra relative or two if you've got more kids than grown-ups in your group. This is one of those situations where you don't want to be outnumbered.
- If your toddler is out of diapers, find the location of the restrooms in the park the moment you walk through the front gates. That way, you'll know exactly where they're located if your toddler needs one in a hurry. Hint: If there's a washroom near the zoo gates, encourage your child to use it before you start exploring the attraction. That should help to eliminate at least one impromptu sprint to the washroom.
- Tape your toddler's contact information to the inside of his shoe -- information that could prove invaluable to the zoo or park staff if your toddler were to become separated from you. If you have a cell phone, be sure to include that number, too (and make a point of bringing your phone with you on your outing).
- Be realistic about how much of the zoo you intend to take in. If you're visiting a large zoo, you may need to make a number of different trips on different days if you're determined to take in each and every exhibit. Toddlers aren't exactly known for having long attention spans, after all!
- Avoid any exhibits that your child is likely to find particularly scary. If, for example, your toddler is deathly afraid of cats, you might want to bypass the lion cage or the tiger exhibit until he's a little older. Petting zoos are always a good bet.
- Consider the temperament of your kids. If you've got a toddler who loves to run away, confine that toddler to a stroller or backpack or -- if he insists on walking -- use some sort of toddler harness or safety strap system instead.
- Play games or sing songs while you're waiting in line for an exhibit so that your toddler will be less tempted to wander off. More often than not, it's boredom that causes toddlers to wander.
- Make a point of bringing an umbrella stroller with you even if your toddler is usually determined to walk. He may welcome the chance to hitch a ride in the stroller after an hour or two of running off steam! Besides, if you've got older children who are frustrated by the way their younger brother dawdles, popping him in the stroller every now and again will allow the rest of the family to pick up the pace a little.
- If you're bringing along a picnic lunch to enjoy -- a great way to cut down on the cost of your excursion, by the way, provided you're actually allowed to bring your own food and drinks past the front gates -- make a point of including some frozen juice boxes. They'll help to keep your toddler's sandwich chilled and, as an added bonus, by the time lunchtime rolls around, your child will have an icy cold drink to enjoy.
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