Ericson Team

A Day at The Echo Center with a Two-Year-Old

     So, it's the middle of winter and it's cold and I have our two-year-old granddaughter for the day. She's tired of walking the streets around our neighborhood; the playground on School Street is covered with snow. So, we decided to try The Echo Center.
     There's a new exhibit there on Race that I'll catch later, but for a two-year-old, there's lots to do on a cold day. At two, everything is a new adventure and it's fun to see the Center through her eyes.  All she wanted to see were fish and frogs. That was fine with me!
     There is an aquarium on the first level that has enormous catfish in it - huge, ugly guys with whiskers - and some adjacent aquariums with smaller fish. At 10 am we were able to watch the smaller fish eat red worms. That scared her a little but she watched from afar.
     Upstairs are more fish and the frogs. She loved trying to find the frogs which were camouflaged well in their environment. She said one looked like a cookie!






This one looked like a cookie to Lilly

A bonus was finding lots of turtles swimming or warming themselves on logs.
     Upstairs there was also a great play space for little ones with a boat to sit in, fishing poles with magnets on the ends to catch magnetic fish, a chalk board wall and sponge brushed and bucket for "painting," a store for play, and a tent. This is a perfect place for kids her age and under.
     There is also a little "waterway" for floating boats to see how boats travel. The waterfall is fun to play in. The Echo Center even includes plastic smocks

    












We also saw hermit crabs up close. By the time story hour came, she was tired. But we had a great time exploring The Echo Center. What a perfect way to spend a cold day in Burlington. A bonus is looking out the windows to see the lake. I think Lake Champlain is beautiful in every season!
     On the way out you can't miss the gift shop. We bought a little magnetic turtle to remember the day. Check this link for times the Center is open and for details about exhibits. http://www.echovermont.org/index.html
I have been told that local libraries have passes for families so they can go for free. Children two and under are free.