Enhancing a preschooler's visit to the Zoo

[crittersmum]

Any ideas? We just bought a membership and we all enjoy going, but I'm trying to think of ways to get a little bit more out of our visits.

[Thalia the Muse]

I think a trip to the zoo is pretty darn fun all by itself! But depending on your kid's interests, you could:

• read picture books with different animals and then try to find them all at the zoo.
  
  Take art supplies and draw or paint your favorite animals.
  
  Make up a scavenger hunt. Can you find an animal with scales, a pink animal, and an animal that likes to eat fruit? Or whatever.
  
  Bring some stuffed animals from home to meet the wild animals they represent.
  
  Many zoos have special interpretive programs -- you can take a nursery tour and see babies too young to go on display, or things like that. Plus some have a petting/brushing area where you can interact with goats and sheep.

[zebra15]

Hummmm MORE?? out of the zoo???

Stop and read the info signs.... or have your DC read the animal info signs

Talk to the animal keepers/staff about xyz

Find colors/shapes etc

Play 'act like an animal'

Play 'follow the animal'

[Lillian J]

I hadn't thought of it till just now, but I have very vivid memories of a visit to a zoo when I was quite little, and it's a very big deal all in itself - I wouldn't bother do anything to make anything more of it than just being there and taking it all in, even taking breaks to relax in between exhibits.
Lillian

[Daffodil]

Especially if you have a membership and will be going there often, I'd suggest taking your time at each exhibit, watching the animals and talking about them for a while, for as long as your kid is still interested, rather than hurrying to see everything. Really paying attention to just a few animals is probably more valuable than getting a brief look at everything in the zoo.

[William's Mom]

Originally Posted by Daffodil

Especially if you have a membership and will be going there often, I'd suggest taking your time at each exhibit, watching the animals and talking about them for a while, for as long as your kid is still interested, rather than hurrying to see everything. Really paying attention to just a few animals is probably more valuable than getting a brief look at everything in the zoo.

YES! I totally agree with this. Each visit, we usually "focus" on different animals.

[Mama Shifra]

I don't know if your zoo has chimpanzees, but ours does; my son is crazy about all primates. We have read Chimpanzees I Love: Saving Their World And Ours by Jane Goodall. Even reading the captions of the pictures is very informative.

We also have My Visit to the Zoo by Aliki, but it's pretty dry. You may want to check it out from the library before buying it.