Reply to When does it become fun to do city activities with a baby/toddler?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Ok, I guess I’m the outlier. I have been enjoying museums, bookstores, gardens, etc. with my kid since they were born. I definitely took my 9 mo old to museums and bookstores, and my 18 mo old, and my 2, 3, and 4 year old.

I actually have found 3/4 the most difficult age for this, specifically because they have such specific interests and entertainment needs. Taking my 4yo to an art museum now is generally a very short (like less than 30 minute) trip through the collection or a specific exhibit, and then a trip to the cafe or a picnic outside, and then like an hour of free play time in a nearby park. Whereas when the kid was 2, we could spend 2 solid hours in an art museum just looking at art and both be happy. I’ve had to go with the flow a bit.

So I think the key is to plan ahead and really think about your kids needs. And also be realistic about what you want. If you get really attached to a certain kind of interaction (like going to a museum and looking at the exhibits with an attentive, engaged child), you might be easily frustrated. But maybe you can look at exhibits while your kid looks at a book in his stroller. Or maybe you look for things that are more likely to appeal to your kid (I once walked around a museum with my kid looking for paintings with dogs in them— it was fun!). Don’t idealize it. Let it be whatever you and your kid need it to be.

And always: bring snacks. Lots of snacks. More than you think you need. I cannot emphasize this enough.[/quote]

Oh, I absolutely agree on all of this. You can still do the cool stuff, you just adjust your expectations. And realize they even though they may seem like they’re doing everything at a dead sprint, or aren’t really paying attention, they’re absorbing a lot more than you think. I also agree with keeping kids engaged in small ways, like showing your very young child things with different colors and textures as you shop, or asking an older kid to help you find a book with a red cover and the letter “Z”  on it.

Whenever we traveled, we found that building in specific un-programmed stops in the intinerary really made a difference. So you drag the kid to a museum or a monument, but if you can have a snack at a playground afterward, they’re recharged and a lot more compliant for the next activity.

And again, be flexible, adjust expectations, and maintain a constant flow of small snacks to keep the hangries at bay—and I say this as a designated-snack-times, only-at-the-table kind of mom under normal circumstances![/quote]

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