Taking your baby to the museum sounds like…a bit of a nightmare when you first think about it! It’s a tidy place where people are quiet, trying to relax, find clarity, pay attention, etc. However, if you bend that way of thinking, you can see how a museum would be the PERFECT place for a baby!
We took Clara to her first museum, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago to see the Virgil Abloh “Figures of Speech” exhibit. We had an excellent time, enjoyed the experience, and thought we would share what we have learned about the trip to the museum with you all!
If you’re interested in sharing new experiences, working on education and discovering all different types of senses with your baby, then check out my list of tips for how to successfully take your baby to the museum below.
PLAN AHEAD
Do what you can and research the museums that are right for your family! If you have a naturally cranky baby, consider a children’s museum or a free museum that may be more busy. It will give your family some wiggle room for how your baby reacts to the environment.
By doing your research, you can find out the details of bringing your baby. Does the museum allow a stroller? Do they have certain days of the week made for stroller tours? Are there certain areas for breastfeeding? Are you allowed to bring food in? All these things are usually on the website, but you can do a quick Google search and find some FAQ as well!
SET THE MOOD
You know your child the best of anyone, so you will know the perfect way to set your baby up for the museum. Here’s what works for us:
- Plan to go at a time your child is “happiest” or the most chill.
- For us, that means either RIGHT away in the morning, or after lunch and an afternoon nap.
- We make sure she has a full belly, a clean diaper, and is napped well.
- Use a good stroller or sling setup. Don’t try something new!
- Use something your baby is comfortable in and with. This isn’t the best time to try a new wrap you might think is better…use what you know works!
- Take snacks!
- No one likes a hangry baby! We take Puffs everywhere just in case of a baby meltdown. They make our baby smile and usually giggle a little…so it’s easy to distract them!
- Bring along a favorite toy or book.
- Something to keep their hands busy is always welcomed! I suggest not handing your phone over so they can be more open to the experience. Clara loves a good stuffed animal and pretty much ANY book can calm her down.
TAKE IN THE SENSES
I say senses instead of just the sights, because there is so much to observe in a museum! Allow your baby to look at all the sights, touch things that are able to be touched, listen to the quiet, observe people, etc.
Talk your child through what you are seeing to help the experience be an educational one. What colors, shapes, animals, people, textures, etc. can you point out for your baby?
GO WITH THE FLOW
Take a deep breath, and let whatever happens- happen. If you are worried the whole time, your baby will smell your fear. (HAHA, but really…they will!) Try to take things as they come. Does your child start crying? Take them aside and settle them down as best you can, then try again.
Say they pull a Clara and fall asleep? Don’t fret that you can’t share EVERY detail with them. Take in the sights for yourself…then you can share more with them when they wake up. Enjoy that break, parents!
You can make it through anything that comes about. Just remember to breathe, let things flow, and remain upbeat! You and your family can have a BLAST at the museum, no matter how little your child is, their temperament, or anything else!
Does your family frequent the museum? Let me know what tips you have for visits with a baby as well!
