Interactive Things For Your Kids To Do During An Aquarium Visit
Many kids are interested in the ocean and its many exciting creatures, which can make an aquarium visit a good option for any family that is looking for an outing. Whether there's an aquarium in your city or you find one during a vacation, this is an attraction to which you can easily devote several hours. While children will enjoy seeing the sea animals swimming and learning about them, they may especially be excited to know that many aquariums have a number of interactive options. Here are three interactive activities that you'll want to look for during your visit.
Touching
There are many aquariums that have specific areas that allow children and adults to touch certain animals. Often, this area is known as a touch pool or a touch tank. The exact animals that people can touch will vary between aquariums, but all are safe to touch. It can be a big thrill for any child to stand next to the tank, observe the animals moving around, and then slowly build up the courage to reach into the water and touch one or more of them. Plan to be ready to document the scene on your smartphone, as it can make for a memorable photo op.
Feeding
Another interactive activity that your children will be excited about is getting a chance to feed some of the aquarium's animals. Generally, you'll buy a small amount of food from a vending machine or a sales kiosk, and then learn some tips about the best way to feed the animals. Your kids will have fun sprinkling the food into the water and watching fish and other animals quickly dart over and grab it. For many families, this is an area of the aquarium that they'll want to spend a considerable amount of time visiting.
Handling
Aquariums also give visitors a chance to handle all sorts of things, which can help children to better understand sea animals. For example, you'll often find a display that features the teeth of different sea animals that are accessible for touching. Your kids will be amazed to see the size of certain teeth — particularly those from sharks. At some aquariums, there will even be entire jaw bones of large sea animals that are set up so that children can step into them for a photo op. Look for these and other interactive opportunities during an aquarium visit with your family.