Things to Do in and around Gilbert, AZ With Toddlers

Museums and Educational Venues

• While there aren't any museums right in Gilbert, there are several intriguing ones within a half hour away. Your toddler will likely enjoy the Arizona Museum of Natural History (azmnh.org), which is in Mesa, about 15 minutes from Gilbert. Not only will your toddler see large dinosaur skeletons and get to touch rock displays, she'll also get a chance to dig her own dinosaur bones. And the outer space exhibit is sure to interest any toddler curious about the night sky. But don't leave without a stop in the Exploration Station where your child can play with magnets and get involved in some science experiments. About 30 minutes away from Gilbert in Phoenix is the Pueblo Grande Museum and Archaeological Park (pueblogrande.org). Here, you can take a walk back in time with your toddler as you travel along a trail with prehistoric ruins of cultures that lived in the area. You can enter the dwellings and there's a hands-on gallery for kids. Your toddler can also watch a short video and visit the museum store. If you have a toddler with a fascination for firetrucks, visit the Hall of Flame (hallofflame.org), also located in Phoenix. Here, your toddler can see more than 90 fire trucks dating back as far as 1725. There are more than 400 old-fashioned fire helmets, too.

Outdoor Activities

• The Desert Botanical Gardens (dbg.org), which is about a half hour away in Phoenix, offers stunning views of the desert landscape. Your toddler can wander through the gardens, examine a rainbow of beautiful blooms and catch a glimpse of butterflies in the butterfly garden. The Lost Dutchman State Park (azstateparks.com) is a 25-minute drive from Gilbert in Apache Junction. Here, you and your toddler can hike through the park -- and see if you can spot any native animals such as cactus wrens, roadrunners and geckos. You can also pack a lunch and enjoy an alfresco meal at one of the many picnic areas in the park. An animal-loving toddler will also likely enjoy a day at the Phoenix Zoo, which is about a half hour from Gilbert. The zoo is home to a huge selection of animals including tigers, monkeys, rhinos, giraffes, zebras, lemurs, camels, wolves, bobcats and bighorn sheep. Don't forget to visit the petting zoo, ride the zoo train and stop at the playground while you're there, too.

Entertainment Attractions

• Any fun-loving toddler will enjoy the Enchanted Island Amusement Park (enchantedisland.com), which is about a half hour away in Phoenix. The park features nine rides and several attractions for kids ages 1 to 10. Your tot can ride the carousel and train -- and then take the wheel of a kiddie car. And when he wants to cool off, head over to the park's Splash Zone. On a hot summer afternoon, you might also want to put your toddler in his swimsuit and head to Big Surf (bigsurffun.com), a water park about 20 minutes from Gilbert in Tempe. Bora Bora Bay is an area in the park specifically designed for small children that includes a shallow wave pool, a water-soaked play structure and short, but thrilling, water slides. Captain Cook's Landing is also an area for toddlers and includes frog, seal, turtle and alligator play structures for climbing. Wet 'n' Wild (wetnwildphoenix.com) is another water park located about 20 minutes away from Gilbert in Glendale. The Wet 'n' Wild Junior play place is perfect for toddlers. Your child will experience a small-scale typhoon on the Tiny Typhoon ride, go down the lazy river, race down slides and splash around in the shallow pool that comes complete with water toys and spray zones.

Additional Activities

• Freestone Park (gilbertaz.gov), which is right in the heart of Gilbert, is a 65-acre open space park that has a playground area for your toddler to let loose and have a good time, as well as shady picnic areas to stop for a quick lunch. There's also a model railroad and amusement area complete with train depot, carousels and a mini Ferris wheel that will likely intrigue your toddler. You can also take your tot to Rawhide Wild West Town (rawhide.com), which is about a half hour away in Chandler. Here, she can take a burro ride through town, see a live-action Wild West show, take a ride on the train, pan for gold and see animals at the petting zoo. The Arizona Science Center (www.azscience.org), which is in Phoenix, is a hands-on place for children of all ages. Here, your toddler can see what the inside of his body looks like, as well as see the night sky at the planetarium -- and watch live demonstrations about intriguing things like hot lava, fire and germs.