Phoenix Art Museum in Downtown Phoenix

When our son was 9 months old, we took him for a visit to the Phoenix Art Museum in downtown Phoenix. We weren't sure how child friendly it would be, but felt he was still at a good age to attend without being a disturbance to other attendees. As it turns out, the Phoenix Art Museum is a great place for children!

Upon entering the museum I was advised I could keep my diaper bag with me, but would need to wear it on my front to ensure I didn't bump any exhibits. This is understandable, but next time I think I would ensure I only enter with absolute essentials so I don't have to wear my bag front facing. At some point during our tour, a guide advised I could affix my bag to our stroller, which was significantly better so that I could still hold the baby comfortably. 

Breastfeeding is allowed in all areas of the museum, and they make an exception for their no food or beverage policy for baby bottles and sippy cups. We were still obviously very careful where we fed our son to ensure there wasn't even a remote possibility of harming any of the exhibits.

We went while there was a Desert Rider special exhibit which was very interesting. It's an exhibit from local artisans around low rider and skateboard culture. There were two pieces in the exhibit that I probably enjoyed the most - one being a car sized piñata - because, come on, it's as big as a car, and the other being this stunning photo of a woman breastfeeding her child in front of a low rider. It probably struck me more than most since I was still doing my best to breastfeed my son, but it was an absolutely beautiful photo.

Another neat exhibit was the 1960's fast fashion section, with paper dresses and accessories from that time. Everything was so unique and colorful, it was a really fun section to explore.

Our son grew a bit impatient when we were exploring the exhibits with only paintings, but we were able to spend a few hours wandering the halls.

The only thing I recall giving us an issue was figuring out how to get from one side of the second floor to the other, but we asked a friendly staff member and they were able to show us how to get where we needed to be.

As of September 2022, the pricing for the museum is as follows:

• Adults - $23
• Children (6-17) - $5
• Children 5 & under - Free

I also found out that on Wednesdays the museum is free from 3-9pm, and on First Fridays (the first Friday of each month) from 6-10pm. 

Highlights

• The exhibits are always changing, so there is something new to see whenever you go, in addition to the vast collection of items they consistently have on display. 
• Very child friendly, considering its filled with priceless works of art

Final Verdict

My son was still very small when we attended. Now that he's more mobile I think I'll stick to the Children's Museum and other types of museums where he can touch the objects and run amuck. We will definitely be back in a few years to check out any new exhibits.

Phoenix Zoo

I absolutely adore the Phoenix Zoo. Located in the southeast part of the city, south of Scottsdale, the Phoenix Zoo encompasses more than 125 acres, and houses over 3,000 animals. Much like OdySea Aquarium, its accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, with inspections every 5 years, and spot checks by USDA inspectors. 

The Phoenix Zoo is an outstanding spot for children of all ages, it's extremely walkable, and very stroller friendly. You can bring in bottles, water, and snacks for your little ones if you want to make it a more economical outing.

It takes about 3 hours to see all four zoo trails - Arizona, Africa, Tropics and the Children's section. We've already been a handful of times, and it's hard to say which section is my favorite - they all have unique qualities that make them enjoyable.

As of September 2022, pricing is as follows:

• Adults $29.95
• Children (3-13) $19.95
• 2 & under are free

There are discounts available, and the Phoenix Zoo is currently available on the Pogo Pass (two visits per year). 

The first time we took our son, he was still a little potato who wasn't very interested in the animals. However, we still happily took him around in his stroller, with ample places to stop and feed him bottles. The restrooms had changing tables and were very clean, and it was actually a lovely place to take a very small baby. 

There are plenty of fun things for older kids as well, including the Scooterpals, a carousel and water play areas. They have a fantastic petting zoo area with goats and cows, which was very popular when we went.

Highlights

• Stroller friendly, very walkable, great way to get out in the fresh air
• Helpful staff, clean exhibits with happy animals

Final Verdict

We loved going to the zoo so much, we asked our family for a membership for our son's first birthday. Now we can go back as often as we want, whether it's to see a new exhibit, or just to check out how the giraffes are doing. I am also excited now that our son is more mobile, he can enjoy the water play areas, and be more invested in the exhibits.

One of the benefits of being a member is discounted tickets for special zoo events, such as Zoo Lights around Christmas time - we can't wait!

OdySea Aquarium and Butterfly Wonderland in Scottsdale

I am an avid animal lover, and based on the things I had heard about the OdysSea Aquarium, I must admit that I was apprehensive to go. My understanding is that since Dolphinaris was closed down (due to the death of four dolphins), animal care has increased dramatically at the remaining facilities.

After some research, I found one of the key things you want to see in any facility that houses animals (such as a zoo or an aquarium) is an accreditation from a third party, which ensures best practices and standards are being followed. The second is to be vigilant when at the facility - do the animals seem well cared for, or do they appear to be sick? What are the conditions of each exhibit like?

OdySea Aquarium 

I am happy to share that OdySea Aquarium is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Upon my recent visit, all of the tanks were incredibly clean, and no animals appeared to be sick or in distress. In any of the areas where guests were able to touch animals, the staff was hyper vigilant to ensure the animals would not be stressed or harmed.

We decided to purchase a two exhibit ticket, allowing us access to OdySea Aquarium and the Butterfly Wonderland exhibit. Other options included Pangea (great for dinosaur lovers), Ripley's Believe It or Not,  and VR Xtreme. 

The two exhibit tickets were $60.95 each (ouch), and our son was free since he is under 2 years old. For ages 2-12, the tickets would have been $45.45. I searched high and low for any possible discounts - Pogo passes, anything from the local library, local influencers, and found nothing. The only deal I was able to find is if you chose to go to the aquarium after 4:30pm, the ticket price (one exhibit only) dropped to $27 per adult. It takes about 2 hours to go through the entire exhibit, and the aquarium closes at 7pm daily, so this seems like a viable option, if we ever chose to go back.

So how was it for little kids? I thought it was an outstanding experience. Strollers are allowed, and no one fussed about bottles, so we were able to take our time wandering through the various exhibits, showing my son all of the various sea creatures. He really enjoyed seeing the fish and the general people watching. In general I think it is a great activity for kids of all ages. Fair warning - if you have a stroller, you are going to be waiting to go up/down the elevators. They're rather tight so most families had the stroller plus 1-2 adults and any additional children per trip. 

One of my favorite parts of the aquarium that we would've absolutely missed out on had we gone down the elevator was the escalator ride. You're in a tunnel within a large tank and the creatures are swimming all around you. If it's possible for one adult to handle your child and the other adult to handle the stroller, I would definitely recommend using the escalator to ensure you get the full experience. Sadly, we didn't get the memo about one of the main bathrooms having a great view of one of the tanks, so we didn't get a chance to see that (perhaps that will be one of our reasons to go back).

My son is too young to respectfully handle animals, so we opted out of the "touch tanks" that they had in a few spots during our tour. We did walk around them though so he could see the animals up close and personal. The sting rays are very pretty and eager to be touched. There are hand washing stations nearby so you can wash your hands before AND after. There was also ample hand sanitizer stations around. 

At the very end of the aquarium visit is a room you have to wait to go into, which we found out was a movie of some sort, in a rotating room. We heard it took about 20 minutes to sit through, and our son is definitely not patient enough for such things, so we opted out during this visit. 

Aquarium Highlights

• Animals seemed well cared for and exhibits were very clean
• Neat to see so many water creatures in the desert

Aquarium Final Verdict

We will definitely go back at some point. It's not something I would want to get a membership for, I don't think it's a place I would want to go multiple times a year, but it is a nice activity to get out of the heat and see animals we wouldn't normally see. Perhaps a once a year kind of thing.

Butterfly Wonderland

Next up we had Butterfly Wonderland, which was an experience. When we first entered, there was a line of folks waiting to head inside. We waited about 15-20 minutes, which is no small feat with a squirmy baby. Unfortunately, what we were waiting for was a mandatory 3D movie experience for the flight of the monarch. 

Our son was NOT having it, and you could tell other folks with kids under 2 were going through the same general fussiness. They can't/won't keep 3D glasses on, so they see a blurry mess on the screen, and although it was interesting to an adult, it wasn't very captivating for small children. 

I stepped out of the movie theatre to ensure my son didn't disrupt everyone else's experience, and when I did, I found they had opened the door to the remainder of the exhibit. My husband was right behind me so we decided to head directly to the exhibit and begin looking at the butterflies.

Years ago, before we lived in Arizona, my husband and I had visited the Niagara Falls Butterfly Conservatory. That is an absolutely stunning facility, and we suspected that the Butterfly Wonderland in Arizona wouldn't quite meet those expectations...and we were right.

The staff in the exhibit were very nice, answering any questions the adults or children had, and the grounds were well kept, with a large variety of plants and butterflies. It is definitely worth attending, even with little kids. The being said, it's not a very big area, so we were able to do our tour and snap a few photos, and were ready to leave after about 20-30 minutes. In addition to the butterflies, there was an interesting bee hive structure (outside of the exhibit, but you could see it through some windows), as well as a few chickens running around.

Note - the section with butterflies is "rainforest-like", it's warm and VERY humid. Be prepared and ensure you have some water afterwards.

Butterfly Wonderland Highlights

• Informative staff
• Fun, clean exhibit

Butterfly Wonderland Final Verdict

Skip the movie and go directly to the exhibit if you have little ones under two. Save yourself the headache. Otherwise it's a lovely time and a neat opportunity for your children to be surrounded by butterflies (and chickens)!

Gymboree in Scottsdale

On August 13th, I was looking for something fun and indoors to do with my son. We had been going to the farmers market each weekend and that was starting to grow tiresome. It was still too warm for most outside activities, so I started looking for indoor playground.

When looking at the Gymboree website, it was advertising for their National Day of Play event, which happened to be on Saturday, August 13th! You had to pre-purchase on the website, fill out a waiver and select a time to attend.

(image sourced from Gymboree site)

Based on my son’s nap schedule, I signed up for the 9:45-10:30am class. It was $15, and super easy to create an account. The National Day of Play class was open to anyone under 5, but this session seemed to mostly consist of kiddos 2 and under, which was great. 

It was a very large room, with excellent line of sight no matter where your child was. It had a number of wooden play structures, soft play areas, balls, ramps and exersaucers. The facility was very clean (with a faint aroma of bleach spray in the air), and very well maintained.

Due to the National Day of Play event, they also had juice boxes and snacks for the little ones - such a nice touch!

Adults had to wear socks, and the babies could go without, which was nice because it allowed them to get some traction on some of the more advanced play structures. The entire room had thick padding, and any cabinetry storing things had the appropriate safety mechanisms to keep little ones out. 

The bathrooms were readily accessible and very clean, and there were plenty of cubbies to store your belongings.

My son had a wonderful time, and didn’t want to leave. He could’ve spent many more hours playing with all of the toys and the other kids.

I asked the employee as I was leaving if this type of event is frequent and she advised it was only once a year, and gave me the schedule of classes they typically have.

To say I was taken aback by the cost of the classes at Gymboree would be an understatement. They have different types of classes available, and for non-members they have drop in passes for purchase.

As of September 2022, pricing is as follows:

• School Skills $185/month - one class per week and unlimited access to “open play” sessions
• Music $95/month - one class per week, any music class anytime, and unlimited access to “open gym” sessions
• Preschool Steps $135/month - one class per week, any preschool steps class anytime, and unlimited access to “open gym” sessions
• Art $105/month - one class per week, any art class anytime, and unlimited access to “open gym” sessions
• One play class per week $95/month - one class per week, and unlimited access to “open gym” sessions

The drop in class prices for non-members are $29. They also have special events and play passes available where you can buy a bundle of class passes.

Highlights

• Great staff, clean and well maintained facility
• Pricey

Final Verdict

If this was a lower cost, I would likely come back more often. The facility itself and the staff were great. Unfortunately they are not open on the weekends, so since I work full time, their class availability doesn’t work very well for me. I believe all of their classes are 9-4 Monday through Friday. 

The session we attended was the “open gym” style, and I would be very interested to see a music or art class guided by the staff, because I saw rave reviews about how wonderful the staff were with the children. I will very likely be back for one of those, but have a number of other businesses I plan to check out in the interim that are more accommodating to my schedule. 

Luv2Play at Norterra

(image sourced from Luv2Play website)

One of the first indoor playground type places I went with my son was highly rated on Yelp - Luv2Play at Norterra. We went early on a Saturday morning, because the reviews advised it can get really busy as birthday parties are happening throughout the day.

This facility is around 12,000 square feet in the Norterra plaza in North Phoenix. It has three different areas - baby, toddler, and big kids. The baby space is meant for kids under one year, the toddler for little ones from one to four years, and the big kid space from 5 and up.

As of September of 2022, the pricing is as follows:

• Adults - free (up to 2 per paid child)
• 0 - 5 months - free
• 6 months - 4 years - $13 (M-Th) / $15 (F-Sat)
• 5 - 12 years - $16 (M-Th) / $18 (F-Sat)

All adults and children are required to wear grippy socks, which they sell for $3.50/pair.

Upon entering the facility, you’re greeted by the staff at the front desk, who ask if you have been there before. If not, you’re asked to sign the waiver and walked through the pricing. After paying, you are given a wrist band - for adults, it’s placed on your wrist, for Littles it’s placed around their ankle. You’re directed to the cubby area to place your belongings, and once you have your socks on you’re ready to go!

Once behind the child proof gate, you see the three main sections - the party rooms are along one wall, the toddler section to your left, baby area in the middle, snack bar and rest area towards the back, and the large multi level big kid area to the right.

Having not gone to these types of venues before, I wasn’t really sure what to expect, but my first impression was that the facility was clean, and the equipment seemed to be in good condition. I will say that the baby area is VERY small compared to the rest of the sections. 

The baby area consisted of a ball pit, a soft play arch, some wooden puzzles affixed to the half walls, foam building blocks, and some little stacking stool type pieces. There were also two rocking type animals to sit on. 

The toddler area was much larger in size, with a large musical keyboard (similar to the one from the movie Big), spinning tea cup type chairs, and a two or three tier maze structure with a ball pit and various other climbing activities inside.

I didn’t explore the big kid area very much but it takes up the majority of the facility, and looked like LOTS of fun.

The snack bar area was very popular, and adults were able to sit at the tables and take a break while their kids ran around. Due to the half walls around the baby and toddler areas, you don’t have full line of sight if sitting in the snack area, so I chose to stay in the baby area with my son. 

Overall I would say it’s a great place if you have multiple kids, so that they can all play at the same time, but if you only have one kid under four, there are better places to go in the valley. 

My son was still under one when we went, and he enjoyed the ball pit immensely. My big concern was the bigger kids coming and going while he was in the ball pit. They nearly bowled him over several times, despite my attempts to get him out of their way as soon as possible. You definitely depend on other parents to keep their kids in the age appropriate space, and if they don’t…it can be tricky to navigate. 

Highlights

• Average price for an indoor playground
• Clean facility, obviously well maintained
• Small play areas for the babies and toddlers
• Snack bar, free WiFi

Final verdict

I would go again for a birthday party, or if we have other children to go with, but likely won’t be taking my son back until he’s a bit older. Between the small play areas for the little ones and the older kids dominating those areas, there are better places for the under 5 age range.

Welcome to Mini Zonies!

Welcome to Mini Zonies - an Arizona Toddler Family Blog!

We are an Arizona family with a toddler and we love to share our experiences with you. We are here to provide helpful tips and advice on parenting, living in Arizona, and other fun family activities. Our goal is to help other families explore the great state of Arizona and all the wonderful things it has to offer. We will be posting about the best places to go for family fun, kid-friendly activities, and events in and around the Phoenix area. We will also discuss topics like potty training, healthy eating, and parenting. We hope to provide helpful information and resources to other parents who are also trying to raise their kids in Arizona, or for those families visiting our beautiful state. We want to create a community for parents to come together, share their stories, and ask questions. We want to help each other navigate the challenges and joys of raising a toddler in Arizona. Thanks for joining us on our journey!