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3 Ways To Keep Children Engaged At An Aquarium Experience

9 January 2023

Kathryn Gordon

An aquarium offers an exciting way for children to see all kinds of sea life like sharks, fish, and sea lions. When you take a child to an aquarium, you want them to remain engaged and excited about the experience. You do not want to rush through all of the areas. At the end of the day, you can mix some education and fun to help build memories that will last a long time.

Check out some of the ways to keep children engaged at an aquarium and use one or more of these methods the next time you purchase aquarium tickets.

1. Aquarium Scavenger Hunt

Before you visit the aquarium, check out the map and website information to learn about all the exhibits and animals you will see there. With the information, you can create a fun and engaging aquarium scavenger hunt. A scavenger hunt can include a big checklist for kids to follow and find while they visit.

For younger children, you can use pictures to showcase various parts of the aquarium. For older kids, you can provide a written list. Along with the actual sea creatures at the aquarium, you can add fun extras to the list like sea coral, tank bubbles, or seaweed.

A child can go through the whole aquarium to try and finish the whole list before the end of the day.

2. Sketch Pad Doodles

At an aquarium, children may find it fun to go up and snap pictures of the various animals, but the process usually goes quickly. Take your time in an aquarium when you bring a sketch pad. Go through the whole aquarium first and then let a child said decide which animal they want to visit again to draw.

A simple pencil drawing will work at the aquarium and a child can add colors when they return home. Keep a child engaged when you sketch a drawing of your own with them. Have the child focus on little details like animal patterns or the extra elements that surround the tank. The sketch itself can become a fun souvenir that you frame and hang up.

3. Visit the Gift Shop First

When children find out an aquarium has a gift shop, they may become anxious and excited to visit the gift shop at the end of the day. Instead of rushing through the aquarium early on, you may want to visit the gift shop first to get the experience over with. A child can see everything the gift shop has to offer and possibly pick something out at the end of the day.

A child could also pick out a special sea animal stuffed animal early on and find the same exhibit that showcases the animal in person.

Plan ahead to make the most out of your aquarium experience.

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