Lions, Tigers, and Toddlers. A Day at the Zoo, Oh My!

For almost two years now, it's been my personal goal to bring my toddler to the zoo. And not just any zoo, it had to be the San Diego Zoo. As a former San Diegan, I think this zoo is the the best, not because it's world famous, but because I have lots of great memories of going to the zoo with my family. So I (and my husband) spent two years teaching our little one all the animals and animal sounds, and then we planned the perfect zoo trip. When the day finally arrived she got super excited for . . . . the buses. That's right the zoo buses had her all sorts of excited. I guess no matter how hard I plan I'll never be able to control what brings her excitement, but the point is she was excited. So here are some tips and tricks to keep your little ones happy at the zoo.

1. Camera: This is the number one item because it's usually the one I forget. Your kids will be cute, and you don't want to miss it.
2. Stroller/Carrier: Kids don't want to walk all day, so it's a good idea to have some form of carrying equipment.
   
3. Diaper Bag: diapers, wipes, sippy cups, sunscreen, hats, extra clothes.
   
4. Jackets: Depending on the time of year and also the time of day, you might want to have this on hand. The San Diego zoo has extended nighttime hours during the summer, so if you want to stay it's nice to have a jacket.
5. Snacks: whether you eat in the park or pack a lunch, kids appreciate snacks.Pack some goldfish, fruit snacks, and other portable foods. (This is also a good way to keep them quiet during a show!)
   

There are two options for meals pack it in or buy it there.

Packed Lunch: I reccomend the ever popular PB&J. This is a worry-free meal. I also packed fruit snacks, crackers, apple slices, trail mix. These little snacks are great for recharging little toddler batteries throughout the day.

Purchased Lunch: All zoos vary with the price of food, but most zoo food is just as expensive as eating at Chilies or Applebee's. So the portion might be smaller, but you can feel good about paying when you know it goes to help the animals. Also most zoos offer a souvenir cup. When you purchase one of these bad boys you get discounted refills, and you can use it again when you go back to the zoo. (Seriously, my dad has a cup that he purchased two years ago. He still brings it for refills.)

This wasn't a tough choice for me. I have two kids and one is an infant, so it was really handy to have a stroller.Here are some pros and cons about strollers.

Pros:

• No need to carry your child when they're tired
• Extra storage (depending on the stroller) for diaper bag, water bottles, toys, etc.
  
• A clean place to change diapers

Cons:

• Difficult to navigate crowds
• Kids can't see exhibits from the stroller
• Can't bring them on the bus or into shows

There is a lot to see and do at the zoo, but it's a good idea to let your kids dictate the speed. Allow them to enjoy the elephants and laugh at the otters. Don't rush it. My little one got a little cranky toward the end of the afternoon, instead of pushing her to see more exhibits, we took a break and watched a show. We didn't get to see every single exhibit, but it was more important to see my toddler smile.

I definitely could not have handled the day without the help of my family. So I highly recommend bringing your spouse, significant other, brother, sister, friend, whoever to help out. The day is more enjoyable when you have more people to share it with. (Plus, it's always handy to have someone else around to snap a picture or two of you and your toddler.)

During holidays (mainly summer vacation) be prepared for big crowds. There's nothing worse than that panicky feeling when your toddler gets lost in a crowd. If your toddler is old enough to understand that they need to be near you, explain it to them beforehand. If not, this is another instance where a stroller and reinforcements are quite valuable. We had to battle the summer crowd at the San Diego Zoo, and it all went smooth because we had enough people to keep an eye on my little one. When we wanted a break, we put her in the stroller.