This Summer was our first time investing in a membership to a zoo. Utah’s Hogle Zoo is the local zoo in Salt Lake City. It’s a wonderful place to bring your kids. They love the interaction between animals, and there are also other activities like train rides, carousel rides, and tasty treats. We’ve been to the zoo enough to get our money’s value, so I wanted to share some tips and tricks to make your zoo trip with two kids a success. Most importantly, have fun!
7 Tips for a Successful Zoo Trip with Toddlers
1. Purchase tickets in advance to avoid long lines at the zoo. If you are planning on returning often, consider a membership. After visiting our local zoo five times in the Summer, we found that it was worth buying a membership. Pack everything the night prior, especially if you plan to leave early.
2. Bring snacks and drinks. Your toddler will love to have a snack or drink on hand. This is especially true for those hot summer days, after the excitement of seeing animals. You can save money by packing your snacks or lunches. The food prices at the zoo tend to be higher than elsewhere.
3. The UPPAbaby Cruz is our favourite stroller to bring with us on zoo visits. We have two children (1 toddler and one preschooler). It is a lightweight stroller with large wheels that simulate the ride of air-filled tyres. The basket under it can hold up to 25 pounds and has basket pockets for smaller items like binkies, wallets, phones, bottles, etc. It has a cup holder that you can attach to the side. It is also easy to open and close, and it comes with an extendable sunshade. The best thing that we did was to get the PiggyBack attachment so our older son Austin could ride along. He loves being able to ride on it, so he does not have to walk as much. His sister also enjoys having him along.
4. If you go in summer, you will spend most of your time in the sun. You should also apply sunscreen to your children to protect them against the sun’s rays. Many zoos also have a water feature area. We always forget this, but we will bring towels and swimsuits for the children next time.
5. You will undoubtedly incur expenses that you didn’t plan on. You’ll inevitably have to pay for that extra train, carousel or ice cream everyone else is eating. Just plan on spending a bit more than you expected.
6. You can learn with your children by pointing out the signs at the zoo that tell you what animals are around. Teach your children about different animals and unique things. You might learn something yourself.
7. Take your children out and have fun. Enjoy yourself. Take the extra train ride or pet or feed the animal (if permitted). Attend a show (we love the elephant shows because they are so intelligent animals).
