Stingrays with toddlers

Seems like this is the thing to do on Grand Cayman, and it looks great, but I am concerned that the water will be too deep for a 3 year old and a one year old. If so are there other alternatives that you would recommend? How is Star Fish points?

I'm not even sure a 3 year old is allowed on any of these excursions.

A three year old will not care about any of the sea life.

Go to the beach, shop, or stay on the ship....get a guidebook...there is more to the islands than stingrays or starfish or turtles....

Do make sure the age limit will allow them to go.

I would not take kids this young on this tour. Go for a nice beach day and then enjoy stingray city when they are old enough to stand in the water and enjoy it.

As others said check the age requirements for the tour.

3 years just seems to be too young.

Keith

I'm not even sure a 3 year old is allowed on any of these excursions.

 

 

A three year old will not care about any of the sea life.

Go to the beach, shop, or stay on the ship....get a guidebook...there is more to the islands than stingrays or starfish or turtles....

And exactly how many 3 yr. olds have you interviewed before making this very untrue (i.e.. "dumb") statement. I taught 3yr olds for nearly 25 yrs and the majority of them would be totally interested in and fascinated by the aforementioned sea life. You really do need to think before you post. :rolleyes:

We took my now 11 year old when she just turned 4 - she loved it. My 6 year old would not get off the boat! We are heading to do it again in December with 3 kids ages 14, 11 and 5!!

I am not sure why a 3 year old would not be allowed - our excursion was a simple boat ride out, you could get out or not to interact with the stingrays. I think that is an ignorant and blanket statement regarding a three year old's interest - because, of course, they would much rather go shop~

Seems like this is the thing to do on Grand Cayman, and it looks great, but I am concerned that the water will be too deep for a 3 year old and a one year old. If so are there other alternatives that you would recommend? How is Star Fish points?

My concern would be about the one year old ... not the 3 year old.

We just got back from Grand Cayman and took the Sting Rays Tour with Captain Marvin.

I'm sure, all who have done this will agree that the water is about 3 foot deep. There is simply no way a one year old, let alone a 3 year old (unless they are fairly tall) would do much on a tour like this. They can see the Rays from the boat and if some one on the tour might hold one so they could touch it, but myself, I think you should not even consider doing this with young children.

Cheers

Len

Speaking from experience my 3 year old loved it! Dad held him and 5 year old sister and the tour guide brought rays over to them. Before long both kids were feeding the stingrays the squid. And some of the private operators offer 3 and younger free. So what do you have to loose to try it? We are going again this summer because the kids loved it so much last year. Snorkeling at reef was also well received.

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Let all of us remember there is also a ONE YEAR OLD child involved.

Let all of us remember there is also a ONE YEAR OLD child involved.

Mom or dad can hold the one year old. If the one year old doesn't like it then mom or dad can get back on the boat. I would not be worried at all with the one year old.

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The naysayers here seem to have no actual experience with small children at stingray city.

We have seen small children, more than once, in stingray city. They do very well.

Obviously they cannot stand in the water, but they are never alone or unsupervised. Their adult caretakers, usually parents/grandparents, are delighted to be with them for this educational experience.

Staying on the boat is always an option, but I would not avoid the excursion solely due to the age of the children.

I have just got back from Stingray City and the conditions were far from ideal. A three year old and one year old could not cope, the waves were huge and I kept being swept off the sand bar. I guess we were unlucky but if you get those conditions I would be exceptionally concerned..............

I almost was knocked over by several sting rays here. They come by for food and aren't aggressive but definitely pushy for some food lol. I don't think that this is the excursion for the real small ones, personally. I actually got a scrape from the hard palate of a ray while feeding them.

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I almost was knocked over by several sting rays here. They come by for food and aren't aggressive but definitely pushy for some food lol. I don't think that this is the excursion for the real small ones, personally. I actually got a scrape from the hard palate of a ray while feeding them.

 

 

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Same with my 2 daughters in their 20's. Even if a 3 year old can stand in the water and not be knocked over or scraped, if something spooks the 3 year old or the stingray, it can still actually sting them... even if the adult carrying them loses their balance, the situation could change in a second...that's why you sign all those forms releasing them from any liability. No one is telling them they can't. They asked for opinions. In my opinion, they can go to many other places to have interaction at that age that's more appropriate than being with stingrays in the water and with a one-year old, you are basically just taking them on the boat. I don't care if a crew member brings a ray over for a "touch" of the stingray. It's not really geared to appeal to that age, even if it's allowed.

Here's some free advice, which will be worth every penny you paid for it:

One of your best gauges is how your 3-year-old child deals with animals on land, like unfamiliar pets and petting-zoo inhabitants? Do they tend to approach the new, or are they retiring and reluctant to get close with the unfamiliar?

Next, the water depth varies a bit; when we were there, the water was about 3.5' to 4' deep, with only a mild bit of uncresting waves; how does the child deal with that depth of water? A flotation device and a retention cord/leash might be of service here, if the child can already swim/float a little in practice. Otherwise, children can be held in arms, piggyback, or on the hip, and still get in on the action. Yes, the rays can be a bit forward, once they determine there might be some squid available. But our own experience with them was more like an aquatic cat brushing against our shins looking for a treat.

<Warning: very biased personal opinion follows:o> BTW, the rays' skin is not slimy, it feels like wet velvet. And they have very human-looking eyes, in that they are indeed looking back at you. And they don't swim, they _fly_.:cool:

Do your homework, make some honest appraisals, and, if you decide to go for it, good luck, have fun, and may the experience be a happy one for all involved. It is truly a bucket-list experience.:)

I personally took my older daughter to stingray city when she was 5. She has always loved animals and bugs and she did not enjoy this tour at all. We are both in good shape, athletic, and good swimmers and she wanted back on the boat. She had a hard time getting up and down the ladder and with all the people and boats and rays it was not a good experience for her and not worth the time and expense. She did like the turtle farm. I would not recommend this tour for a 3 and 1 year old. If it were me, I would consider the turtle farm or just a beach day.

The water levels vary at stingray city, so your toddler(s) may or may not be able to stand. An easy solution is to put them in life jackets, which you may plan on doing anyway. I don't know if there is an age limit...

Having said that, I think a young child would love the stingrays, but it also probably varies from child to child. My son (six now) loves Octonauts (Disney Jr show), so he absolutely loves sea creatures. We spent a week in Grand Cayman this summer, and his favorite activity was our tour to stingray city, starfish beach, and the reef snorkel. Yes, he is a few years older... But the tour guides were really good with the younger children.

Since I mentioned it, starfish beach was really neat also.

Good luch with your decision.

Seems like this is the thing to do on Grand Cayman, and it looks great, but I am concerned that the water will be too deep for a 3 year old and a one year old. If so are there other alternatives that you would recommend? How is Star Fish points?

Sooo... mapsmom: seeing how your cruise went off in _April_ , and I'm pretty sure you're back from it by now, what was the end result? Did you take the kids to play with the 'rays, or was another activity chosen instead?:)