6 Tips for Taking Your Toddler To a Sci-Fi Convention! #ComicCon #SciFi

Arena Blake attended the Dallas Comic Con on behalf of TheLinkFairy.com and received complimentary admission for the event. See more of her writing on her Dallas Mom Blog, The Nerd’s Wife and also find her on Instagram and Google+.  

I recently had the chance to take my two-year-old super hero lover to Dallas Comic Con. I knew that he would love getting the chance to meet some of his favorite characters — you can always find an Avenger at a con — but I didn’t realize JUST how much he would love it.

There were a few things that we did to make the experience enjoyable for all of us, and I wanted to share some tips for taking your toddler to a con!

 

1. Let Them Dress Up

One of the best things about cons is cosplay — attendees dress up not only as sci fi characters and super heroes, but pretty much any fictional person is fair game. So let your toddler don their Super Man cape and run wild. You’ll be surprised at how many people will treat your toddler like the hero they are dressed as. Everyone likes getting in on the fun!

2. Even Better — Make a Family Costume

I cannot tell you how awesome it was to see families dressed up together. I loved this family that dressed up as The Joker, Bat Girl, Super Girl, and Robin. There was also a father and son dressed up as Thor and Loki. This is a great chance to bond as a family and make some fun memories together.

3. Make Sure To Have Plenty of Supplies

Bring their favorite toys — we couldn’t leave home without my son’s Captain America shield and Spider-Man mask. These will be a lifesaver when your toddler needs a break or just a minute to play. Also make sure to bring lots of snacks and juice boxes. Food and drinks tend to be expensive in convention centers, and you never know what they will have on-hand. A hungry toddler is your worst nightmare.

 

4. Bring a Stroller

Trust me on this. Even if your toddler likes to walk around on their own, you’ll be grateful for a stroller to carry the myriad of things you’ll need for a day trip with them (see #3 above). It’s also great for a brief nap in the middle of the day, if you are so lucky. If you *do* get lucky and your toddler takes a nap, that’s a really great time to go to that panel you’ve been dying to see.

5. Make Time for Panels

If your toddler doesn’t want to nap during that panel you want to see, chances are, you can still attend. We found that a favorite show on the iPad with headphones was a great distraction. We also walked around the back of the panel room with the stroller to entertain our little guy for a while. That worked until he was tired of Daddy’s trick stroller moves.

6. Have Fun!

The most important thing you can do with your toddler at a Sci Fi convention is to just let them have fun. Is your kid a huge X-Men fan? Make sure he gets the chance to meet that guy dressed up as Wolverine. We were walking through the exhibit hall, and a woman dressed up as Loki happened to walk by. My son yelled out to her, “Hey, Loki! Over here!” She stopped, came over, and talked to him for a bit. It was awesome, and it made his day! He also loved meeting Captain America, and chatting with Elsa from Frozen. We could have spent the entire time just talking to cosplayers. He had so much fun!

Dallas Comic Con is presented by Fan Expo Dallas. Don’t miss next year’s event on May 29-31, 2015 at the  Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas, Texas.

 

Arena Blake is the wife of a Nerd and mom of a toddler who loves his Stars Wars blankie a little too much. She shares parenting adventures, yummy recipes and great photography on her Dallas mom blog. You can also find her on Instagram and Google+.