Earlier this month, we had the chance to take Oakley to the aquarium for the first, and definitely not the last, time. At 4-months old, she has gotten so much more alert, curious of her surroundings, and is developing a super fun and active personality. She was awake for the entire experience. We’ve discovered that the penguins are her new favorite animal, and, of course, her pops and gram bought her a stuffed penguin which she LOVES.
Like I mentioned, at four-months old, Oakley has started really growing into her personality and capabilities. My therapy brain was SO eager to take her on this adventure. Visual tracking, sensory processing skills, attention to objects, motor skills, cognitive development, auditory processing, socialization skills, and so many more benefits for her development, all without screen time!
I highly recommend taking your little one to the aquarium! Oakley had an absolute blast! And we found a few things we were happy to either have or know during this outing. So, here are some “know before you go” tidbits if you will.
Use a hip carrier:
At this age, Oakley has very good and strong head control. She would rather be sitting upright “unrestrained” (or so she thinks) than strapped into a stroller. Plus, in crowded attractions, a stroller can be too much of a hassle to deal with. We love THIS hip baby carrier rather than wraps or the Ergobaby carriers for adventures such as the aquarium. It saved our arms and muscles but allowed her to safely and securely look around at all the exhibits and lights. I would also recommend practicing with it before taking it out for an entire day. We used it for a short walk in my parents’ neighborhood so we could find what techniques work best and were most comfortable for everyone.
Discounts to save money:
Shoutout to my mom for being a public school teacher! The aquarium is so expensive without any discounts. Even with Oakley’s ticket being free at this age, it was still going to cost Dawson and me over $100 to have this outing. We were able to plan this trip perfectly with the Educator Appreciation Days that Ripley’s offers. So for my parents, Dawson, Oakley, and myself, it was only $35 for tickets and parking.
Hidden coffee shop:
We went to Ripley’s Aquarium in Gatlinburg, TN. Conveniently for me, right next door at Margaritaville Resort, there is a yummy coffee shop in the lobby! I wouldn’t have known it existed just from signs or advertisements. My parents did a weekend trip there and told us about it! Their vanilla iced latte- two thumbs up.
Nursing mother’s room:
As a nursing mother, timing feeds around public outings and always being in an acceptable place to feed Oakley can be tough. I prefer feeding in the car even with my nursing cover. That’s where I am most comfortable. Not many public attractions have accommodations for breastfed babies and their families. Ripley’s Aquarium does though! They have a nursing mothers room available without any extra charge or risk of exposure. It is a totally separate, private room with a changing table and rocking chair. This was so convenient for us and saved us a trip out to the parking garage. Good job Ripley’s!
Have wipes for hands easily accessible:
Oakley has really started reaching, grabbing, and touching anything she can get her hands on and then bringing her hands immediately to her mouth. At home, that isn’t a big deal, but out in public, EW! While we were at the aquarium, she would put her hands on railings or the glass exhibits. Rather than trying to carefully position ourselves at a safe distance from any surfaces and making it harder to see any animals, we kept antibacterial hand wipes easily accessible and would wipe her hands and arms down every time she touched something. This gave me so much peace of mind and are great to have for any trips or situations outside of the home!
Parents, I hope you can make it to the aquarium with your little ones. It was a hit for our family! We will definitely be going back!
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