We decided to become members this year at the Aquarium of the Pacific. We found last year that almost every zoo we visited it was more worth our wild to invest in a membership rather than pay admission for the three of us. If we visit any location more than once it pays for itself in just two visits.
One of the great resources Aquarium of the Pacific has are these amazing Scavenger Hunts. Anytime I do a field trip packet I always go through and pull anything that can be done prior to our visit. This helps to introduce and lay a foundation for Jaxon to what he will be learning. We started out with the K-2 Grade and took them with us on our first visit. On our second trip we did the 3-5 and with the exception of a type of mad lib Jaxon was able to complete both levels.
With Aquarium of the Pacific I would suggest getting a map ahead of time and familiarizing yourself with the Aquarium. Each Sheet has a title at the top which determines the exhibit you need to go to complete that page of the scavenger hunt.
Throughout the aquarium are stationed educators who talk to the children and teach them facts about the animals. In this case we learned that the horse shoe crab has blue blood and is actually considered a dinosaur.
We always enjoy having some form of a challenge to help us keep focused as we visit the aquarium.
The Post Visit is a set of activities we did at home and a wonderful way to review what you have learned from your visit to the Aquarium. The one featured below was titled Tangled in Trash. We stretched a rubber band across the back of Jax's hand from the thumb to his pinky. You can twist the rubber band to make it fit tighter if you need to. Then we explained that he was a marine animal tangled in trash. I then asked Jaxon if he could free himself of the trash without using his mouth, other hand or any other part of his body. This was one of my favorite activities so many projects for his age are arts and crafts that I really enjoy finding activities that make him think.
I also occasionally find great ideas on pinterest that save until I find a time that they fit in. I had found this one and saved it for a good year now. I found it through EAdventures with Kids. I absolutely love her ideas and constantly find my self wandering through her pinterest.
