A Day At The Natural History Museum with a Young Toddler

Visiting museums has always been an interest that my husband and I share. No matter how many times we visit the same museums, we always find something new and fascinating. My personal favorites are always the dinosaur exhibits. Needless to say that I was pretty sad when my husband and son ventured off into the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles last month (on election day, actually – check out the post from that day here) while I was stuck in court for most of the day. Although this was our son’s first museum visit and I would have loved to go with them, its nice to let them have their own father/son adventures.

Adventure Destination: The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles
900 Exposition Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90007

Cost: Adults ($12), Seniors & Students ($9), Children ($5) children 2 & under – FREE

Parking: The museum offers parking, $12 per car and cash only

Stay Length: About 2 hours (with a toddler) including a lunch break

If you have ever been to the NHMLA, you know that once you enter through the front doors you will be greeted by the “Dueling Dinos.” My husband was happy to report that this exhibit along with the Dinosaur Hall were one of my son’s favorites. Nick seemed to be mesmerized by the size of the dinosaurs (who wouldn’t?) but he also seemed to take a liking to these exhibits because the museum has bones that the patrons can touch along with drawers that have various nik naks for children to explore through. This is something to keep in mind if you’re visiting a museum with toddlers, they need interaction. Toddlers, specially the younger ones are overly curious and they need to be able to explore freely (or with minimum limitations).

Since one of Nick’s favorite songs is “The Itsy Bitsy Spider,” my husband thought that he would enjoy the Spider Pavillion. Unfortunately, it took my husband longer to pay for the “Specialty Ticketed Item,” than what it took for Nick to walk out of the Pavillion. Although a very interesting exhibit, there was a no touching policy inside the pavilion which turned our one year old off right away. This is definitely something I think my son will appreciate more in a few years once he develops a longer attention span.

In order to avoid any kind of  tantrums the number one thing you want to do is keep your child involved. Whether it is by making up a game that involves the exhibits or allowing them to interact with the exhibits, you want to ensure that your child’s attention doesn’t wear. Whether you’re visiting the NHMLA or another museum, check out their website ahead of time and see if they offer any kid friendly activities.  NHMLA offers story time, live animals, and songs through what they call “Critter Club.” Unfortunately,  it only seems to be offered on Saturdays so my little one couldn’t participate but you can read all about it here.

Near the Dinosaur Lab there are various interactive exhibits for the little ones. My son absolute loved digging for bones, and looking through microscopes with dad. They also have a table areas for the older children to draw.

I asked my husband what was one tip he would give or what he learned from taking a young toddler to the museum. He said that he definitely thought maybe a visit to the museum may be more enjoyable for toddlers 2 and up. Nonetheless, he agreed that seeing our little one’s face of excitement and wonder was definitely worth it. By taking your toddler to a museum, even if you believe they are too young to take anything out of the visit, you are opening up a whole new world to your little one. They begin to link the world in their books to real life. Now when I read Nick a book about dinosaurs he begins to grasp the idea that they are not just big, but they are huge. Now those different animals and things we see in his books or on television are real to him. They are no longer just pictures.

By taking our little one to the museum we are taking the first step at showing him the world around us. One day I hope to be able to travel with him and show him the true wonders of the world, but for now being able to bring context, size, color, and overall just the imaginative world of his books to life is extremely special for us.

Although closed on New Year’s Day, if you’re in the area, the NHMLA is a great pastime for the holiday season. You may also be able to catch a smaller crowd since most people will be out shopping or eating. For more info check out their website.

If you like what you read please support the blog by voting for us.