By Reid Bock
If you’re looking for a place where your youngest children can explore, learn, and grow in a setting designed just for them, the Children’s Museum of Phoenix is the destination you’ve been searching for. Tucked away on the third floor is the exclusive Room for Threes and Younger, a magical space made specifically for children three years old and younger. This is the only exhibit in the museum with an age restriction, and it’s a game-changer for families seeking a safe, engaging environment tailored to the unique needs of infants and toddlers.
What makes this room so special? It’s where little ones take their first brave steps—literally. Navigating uneven surfaces, climbing, and sliding might seem like simple play, but here, it’s a powerful way to build bravery, one of the five essential character skills we nurture alongside kindness, curiosity, creativity, and respect. Imagine your child’s face lighting up as they conquer the slide for the first time! Learning to assess risk in a space where the stakes are small but the confidence gained is huge.
But the Room for Threes and Younger offers more than physical milestones. Activities like reaching for objects, dropping balls into holes, and solving puzzles support developing hand-eye coordination while sparking curiosity and creativity.
Socially, it’s amazing to watch how very young children observe others, imitate behaviors, and gradually move from playing side-by-side to engaging with others. These activities lay the groundwork for kindness and respect that will carry them through life.
What truly sets the Children’s Museum of Phoenix apart is how they keep families with multiple children connected. Nearly every exhibit throughout the museum features a dedicated infant/toddler Baby Zone. This means while older kids dive into active, imaginative play, parents and caregivers can stay close, playing and bonding with their babies in a safe, stimulating space. No need to split up or rush through your visit—everyone gets to enjoy the museum at their own pace, together.
Every visit to the Children’s Museum of Phoenix is an invitation for your child to discover, explore, and thrive. Whether it’s your toddler’s triumphant slide in the Room for Threes and Younger or your baby’s first moments of wonder in a Baby Zone, these experiences spark growth, confidence, and joy. Here, play isn’t just fun… it’s the beginning of a lifelong adventure in learning. We invite you to come see for yourself how the museum creates unforgettable moments for families and inspires children to reach their fullest potential.
About the Author
Reid Bock is a rising junior at Choate Rosemary Hall in Connecticut. He grew up in Phoenix and visited the Children’s Museum of Phoenix frequently. His favorite exhibits as a child were the Market, Noodle Forest, and Pedal Power. According to his parents, he enjoyed the play time so much that in order to get him into the car to go home, they had to promise to come back. The Museum is thrilled to have Reid intern with the Museum this summer, where he can feed his love of writing and the Museum at the same time!
