How Do You Zoo?- A self guided zoo tour

Pack for fun and learning with a well stocked backpack 
for your little (or not so little) one

Zoos and aquariums are in the process of making revolutionary changes to their education and interpretation approaches.  I recently visited the aquarium where I interned.  In a little under 2 years, they went from very standard signs giving common and scientific names for each of the species in their reef tank to a technologically driven interpretation method, complete with a robotic camera that allowed visitors to see almost 360 degrees around the tank, from inside the tank!  These facilities are adapting quickly to keep up with changing technology, and zoo visitors are definitely reaping the benefits.

Make the most of your visit, utilizing all the great information these places have for you.  Help your child pack a special Safari Backpack, with plenty of materials to enhance the wonderful experience that awaits you!

BE PREPARED

Your child will feel in control of your visit if they can carry this all by themselves (you may need to make rules or set a weight limit so that you don't end up with the brunt of the carrying duty).

·         Backpack – one with lots of pockets and carabiners gives you a fun place to store the cool stuff you bring with and the souvenirs you bring back

·         Water Bottle – stay hydrated!  Make your carrying easier with straps or rings for attaching to the backpack

·         First Aid Kit – a few band-aids and antiseptic wipes

·         Hand Sanitizer – for petting zoo excursions

·         Map/Compass – maps can be confusing, but most have a legend.  Orient yourself with a compass.  Not only will it help you navigate, but it is a great lesson in orienteering

BE A SCIENTIST

Zoos and aquariums are a great place for seeing the science of animal behavior.  Create your own inquiry project.  Use simple implements like a measuring tape and string as visual representations of the numbers you find along the way.

·         Pocket notebook/pen – for marking down observations

·         Clipboard – tie on a pen or pencil for quick use.  Use with activity sheets

·         Binoculars – find camouflaged animals from far away

·         Magnifying glass – take a closer look

·         Stopwatch/watch – for inquiry projects

·         Measuring tape – just how long is a giraffe’s tongue? Or the tusk of an elephant?  See for yourself with the help of a measuring tape.  Small measuring tapes (to 60") are great for these types of questions.  However, if you happen to have one that reaches 16' or more, it can be used to measure the distance you could leap in one jump if you were a grasshopper.  Use with a stopwatch to see how fast you are, compared to a cheetah.

·         Ball of twine/hemp – use with your measuring tape to get the full effect of the length of an anaconda.  How many times could it wrap around you?

·         Calculator

·         Field guides

·         Inquiry sheets* – explore the science of animal behavior with a scientific inquiry based study that you design

BE AN ARTIST

Everyone needs a break now and then.  Pack crafting materials to sit back and draw an animal or two with real life subjects.  Add these to your Animal A-Z Binder to watch their artistic talents grow over time.

·         Paper (lined and plain)

·         Crayons/Markers/Colored Pencils

MAKE A RECORD

Your visit may last only a day, but the knowledge can last a lifetime.  Keep a record to use as your own personal animal encyclopedia.

·         Interpretive sheets* – show the world what you learned at the zoo today

·         3-ring binder w/dividers – create your own Animal A-Z.  Organize your knowledge by class (mammals, birds, reptiles/amphibians, fish, and invertebrates), habitat, or region

·         Camera – don’t forget to take lots of pictures!  If you have (an extra) one that can survive being operated by a child, be sure to bring it along- some of the best pictures I have were taken from a child's perspective.  Toss on a neck strap, add a carabiner for extra security, and you're set!  Watch for neat photo opportunities, and take pictures on consecutive visits to see your child grow


Don't forget! Information is on more than just signs.  Keep an eye out for other sources, like audio tours or phone numbers, videos, and zookeeper or naturalist chats, shows, and demonstrations.  Employees usually know when animals tend to be active, and can point you in the right direction for a fun experience.  Don't hesitate to use smart phones or tablets to enhance the experience as well- make use of the knowledge at your fingertips.

Parents, educators, fellow zoo enthusiasts: Is there anything I forgot?  Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Environmental Education Introduction

Ocean discovery is perhaps one of the most amazing experiences in the world.  I'm not talking about the exploration of uncharted depths--although as a University of Miami Marine Science Department graduate, that also gets my heart pumping!  I'm talking about the double take of surprise on a child's face when they touch a sea urchin for the first time.  The initial start on touching the pointy spines: eyes going wide, shoulders jumping.  The mouth drops into a slightly down turned "O", as though this creature is something the child is uncertain should actually be picked up, held.  And then comes another surprise, as the urchin seeks with its tiny sucker feet.  This second startled reaction is usually characterized by another jump of the shoulders, this one small because the child isn't taking his hands out of the water for anything.  And it's followed immediately by laughter.  Sucker feet are ticklish, it seems.

Sea Urchin in Biscayne Bay

This ocean discovery is the heartwarming kind, as children and adults alike explore firsthand the world that they can't exist in, a world that may be blocks from home or miles from it.  It doesn't matter whether they are Kama'aina Keiki (Hawaiian native children) or land locked Mid-western kids like I once was.  There is the same intensity of focus as they wait for creatures of the deep to swim within reach of their fingertips.  Working as a Roving Naturalist at Brookfield Zoo's Stingray Bay, one of the most rewarding sights was not the giggling, half frightened youngsters who jumped back every time they felt the slightly slimy slip of stingray flesh (although that had its rewards, of course).  It was the sight of young ones flat out on their bellies, arms deep in the pool, faces solemn.  These were the ones who had their sleeves rolled all the way up, heeding my chipper "you don't want to smell like stingrays all day!" and the more serious caution that "your clothes have been washed with chemicals that could irritate the ray's sensitive senses."  It's the latter these kids followed.  It was clear even then that they would be content to smell of stingray--of ocean, to be exact-- for eternity.  Since I echo that sentiment, I loved these children for their love, for the intensity that had them hungrily tracking the circular flight of the stingrays around the pool, that had the most amazing look of awe and excitement flashing on their face before their eyes sought the next target of their addiction.  Their moms would literally drag them away, saying "you're soaked" in various tones of anger, exasperation and affection.  But those kids also listened as I spoke of ways to protect the ocean and its creatures, and they sought out the Seafood Watch cards we had waiting by the door.

Feeding Cownose Rays at Brookfield Zoo

We are all of us eager to learn from the world.  I seek to make all children active participants in the realm of nature and science.  I look to mold minds that question and inquire, grasp concepts and apply them elsewhere in life.  And I want to make all children staunch defenders of nature and thoughtful consumers of its resources.  Step 1 is that connection, already a first small flame, just waiting for something to stoke it into a passion.  Informal educators like me have that chance to be the soft wind that feeds the fire.
All it takes is the right approach.