Tips for Visiting Museums with Children
If you’ve been to KidsPlay, you probably know that visiting a museum with children can be an enriching and enjoyable experience for the whole family. Museums offer a unique opportunity to spark curiosity, ignite imaginations, and create lasting memories together. More than that, visiting museums with your child can be the start of a lifelong passion for museum-going. Here are a few tips to help you make the most of your museum visit, at KidsPlay and beyond:
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Choose the Right Museum:
Torrington and Northwest Connecticut have plenty of interesting museums to choose from. Look for museums with hands-on, interactive exhibits that cater to children’s interests. Science centers, children’s museums (like KidsPlay Children’s Museum in Torrington, CT!), and history museums with special kids’ sections can be particularly engaging.
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Plan Ahead:
Check the museum’s website for kid-friendly activities, special exhibits, or family programs. Many museums also offer scavenger hunts, guided tours, or workshops designed for children. Planning ahead can help you make the most of your visit.
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Set Expectations:
Talk to your children about what they might see and do at the museum. Encourage them to think about what interests them most and what they’re excited to learn. Many museums’ exhibits also feature the history and culture of our broader Northwest Connecticut community, providing plenty of opportunities for you to connect with topics they may be learning about outside of the museum.
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Keep It Short and Sweet:
Remember that children have shorter attention spans, so plan for a visit that suits their age and energy levels. It’s okay to take breaks, find a cozy spot to rest, or grab a snack when needed.
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Engage with the Exhibits:
Encourage children to ask questions, touch, explore, and interact with exhibits whenever possible. Many museums have activities that invite children to play, build, or create — all great ways to learn through doing!
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Follow Their Lead:
Be flexible and follow your child’s interests. If they’re fascinated by a particular exhibit, take the time to explore it in depth. Their curiosity can guide your experience and make the visit more meaningful.
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Make It Fun:
Turn your visit into a game! Create a scavenger hunt, challenge your child to find a favorite color or shape in the exhibits, or make up stories about the objects you see. Little games like these keep children engaged and help them connect with what they’re learning.
Here are some of our staff’s favorite Connecticut museums for kids to explore (other than KidsPlay!)
- The Carousel Museum in Bristol – There’s a lot for kids to love about amusement parks. As they get older, they might also like to learn about their history, and the Carousel Museum in Bristol offers an opportunity to do just that! Beautiful artwork and plenty of hands-on activities make this a great place for you and your family to learn about the history of carousel art, as well as the process behind creating and restoring these fantastic horses. Does your little one love to play in KidsPlay’s fire truck? Then be sure to also check out the Museum of Fire History, which is housed in the same building!
- Yale Peabody Museum in New Haven – Who doesn’t love dinosaurs? Recently renovated and free to the public, the Peabody collection includes over 14 million specimens – which yes, does include the famous dinosaurs, and also so much more to get you and your family excited about the history of the natural world.
- Dinosaur State Park in Rocky Hill – One more for the dinosaur enthusiasts: this 200-million-year-old fossil trackway has been excavated and is now a state park. The park includes interactive exhibits and is free for the public to visit – and also boasts outdoor nature trails and an arboretum, perfect for the little one who may not be quite in the mood for a quieter indoor museum.
And don’t forget to use the Association of Children’s Museum’s Find a Children’s Museum tool to find other children’s museums for you to enjoy throughout the country!
A museum visit can be a wonderful way to spend quality time with your children while nurturing their love of learning. With a little planning and creativity, you can create a fun and memorable adventure that they’ll treasure for years to come!