SAN DIEGO — It was her first time seeing Little Blue Penguins and 7-year-old Ali Smith couldn’t hold in giggles of delight.

“Pretty cute,” Ali said. “Even if I stand on my tippy toes, I can see them. So cute!”

Ali recently explored Birch Aquarium with her mom Jenny Smith during Kids Free October; kids 12 and under get free admission to more than 50 of San Diego’s museums, historic sites, aquariums and gardens.

Smith said it’s a way for them to get out and explore together, without having to spend as much money.

“The Kids Free October is such a great opportunity to see museums and other things that we don’t get to go to on a regular basis,” she said. “It’s just a good experience to learn new things and see different environments that [Ali] doesn’t get, you know, at home or at school.”  

Research has shown us that 90% of a child’s brain develops by age 5. Alethea Arguilez is the executive director at First Five San Diego, which teamed up with the San Diego Museum Council to make enriching museum experiences available for all kids.  

“Touching things, tasting things, feeling things, hearing things, smelling things,” Arguilez said. “All of those activities that are really going to help them thrive and develop.”

Arguilez added that the goal of programs like Kids Free October is to help expose all kids to arts, science, history and nature and should not just be for the privileged few.

“I hope that we could really nurture the interest and inspire our community across the board. It’s never too late to start really getting your babies to appreciate this.”

Not only did Ali see her first Little Blue Penguin, but she also got to touch her first shark on this visit to Birch Aquarium.

“Oh, my gosh!” she said. “I like how cool all the things are.”

Kids Free October is going on for the rest of the month, all over San Diego County.