Deciding to visit zoos in the towns and cities that we travel to is a no-brainer. First off, with our membership to our zoo here in Seattle (Woodland Park Zoo), our entry to other zoos is often free or discounted. Secondly, it’s one of those win-win places for kids and adults. Plenty for grown-ups to enjoy without feeling like they are missing out and sitting at the kiddie table all day, but also so engaging for children with exhibits designed just for them. It would be hard to find a kid who wasn’t interested in animals, right?
Hiking Lake Pleasant Regional Park: Typical Arizona with a Few Surprises
We packed a whole lot of Arizona into one excursion during our visit to the state a couple of weeks ago.
A whole lot of typical Arizona was involved. You know…
- Saguaro cactus (among other varieties) towering over us, waving
Trip Planning with Kids: Building Background Knowledge with Books
What’s your favorite way to plan and research for upcoming travel? Do you involve your kids?
With Bergen (2.5 years old) talking and understanding more and more, I’ve been anxious to get him involved in some of our traveling planning. While I love that two of us (Mom & Dad) can still ultimately do all the deciding, its fun to see what types of things that really peak his interest.
Built into two different books (both reviewed on the blog), one a family travel handbook, one a memoir, is a tip I couldn’t wait to try with Bergen. Both authors suggested visiting the public library with kids before a trip to explore the available books and resources on the locale. Travel guides, non-fiction books about the landscape, fictional stories set in the location, maps…you name it, they all have a place in getting kids excited about travel and loading them up with information.
Kids are explores by nature, and travel gives them permission to dive deep into their curiosity and open their eyes in surprise. -Tsh Oxenreider