Dear Diary,

Tonight, I’m searching online for last-minute gift ideas for infants and toddlers. If you are the mother of a little one who has almost everything like my little girl, you’re probably in the same present position. Last year, Santa brought Caitlynn several dolls she didn’t play with until most recently, which was the case for many gifts she grew into as the seasons changed. This year, I wondered what would put a smile on her face all year round. Then, I came up with the perfect gift–a family membership to a local attraction. Here are my top five picks.

Botanical Garden

When I thought about botanical gardens, I never pictured family fun. That’s until I visited Phipps Conservatory. The attraction features more than flowers. Kids dig the interactive exhibits, such as train displays and a kid-sized play food produce department.

Children’s Museum

At one point in time, Caitlynn and I lived at the Children’s Museum. Every weekend, we hopped in the car and headed to the play place. Caitlynn paints in the art studio, splashed in the water room, sculpts sand in the nursery and most recently climbs in a tunnel made out of tape.

Zoo/Aviary

Unlike her mom, my daughter is an animal lover. I like animals, don’t get me wrong. But Caitlynn can’t live without them! She even memorized more than a dozen animal sounds. When the weather was warm, we visited the zoo ten. If we get a membership, the cold weather wouldn’t keep us away. I wouldn’t mind popping in for only an hour, since the admissions would already been covered.

Art Museum

When Caitlynn was a baby, the art gallery installed the work of Teenie Harris–a Pittsburgh photographer famous for his black and white prints. I enjoyed the high-contrast photos, and according to experts, the black and white pictures stimulated Caitlynn eyesight and brain development. The exhibit inspired her to create our own black and white piece, with the help of my aunt. She gave me this picture for Mother’s Day!

Baby Gym

When I was a stay-at-home mom, we joined a baby gym. Originally, I thought it was for Caitlynn. She could interact with other babies and develop and fine-tune her motor skills. But I later learned the outing benefited me as well! I connected with other first time moms, swapped advice and gave and received support.

Hey DFTM Fam–What memberships would you add to the list?