On Monday, I posted about our trip to the zoo without a stroller. We had a blast, even when we had to carry Mac for a little while. In the car on the way home, Andrew and I were discussing what made our trip so much fun. We came up with 3 tips to have happier toddler outings for everyone, toddler and adults.

Let the Toddler Go Their Own Pace

You know when toddlers throw fits? When they aren’t allowed to be in control. Let’s be honest, you can’t just let a toddler run willy-nilly to avoid a tantrum. But when you are at the zoo or the children’s museum, let them explore on their own. I touched on this a bit in Monday’s post on going without a stroller. But here’s a run-down:

When you go somewhere fun with your toddler, you have to let them decide what is fun and what they want to explore. If picking up leaves and rocks instead of looking at the animals at the zoo makes for a happier toddler, let them be. You aren’t going to the zoo for yourself, but for your children.

Go Early

It always blows my mind that parents don’t bring their children out and about earlier. Maybe it is just because Mac doesn’t sleep in, but we like going places just as they open. We have found the secret to avoiding crowds is to be waiting when the doors open. Then by the time Mac is getting tired about two hours later, it is just starting to get busy while we have already had our fun for the day.

So if you are planning on going to the zoo, get up early, get a cup of coffee and pack the car up to get going.

Get a Membership

We have been gifted memberships to both the Minnesota Children’s Museum and the Minnesota Zoo. So instead of paying up to $50 each time, we get in for free and maybe buy a few snacks each time. So if Mac starts throwing a fit after 30 minutes or if we just feel like leaving after an hour, we don’t feel like we wasted money. We can come and go as we please without trying to get our monies worth.

I know memberships are expensive. That is why we have asked for them instead of birthday or Christmas gifts. Experiencing these fun places together is a much better gift than a toy or some clothes.

What are your secrets to a happier toddler outing?