We're Going to the Zoo, Zoo, Zoo How About You, You, You?

This Friday happens to be a gorgeous day with warm temperatures so I hope you spend a lot of time outdoors. When you need a rest, why not go visit The Birmingham Zoo? VIRTUALLY, of course! They are giving Meet the Neighbors tours, behind the scenes, and highlighting different animals in the zoo with videos on their Facebook page. Just go to Facebook and then Birmingham Zoo. Click on posts and you will see past videos and current ones. Some of the videos even have an activity page link. No admission fee, although I know they are happy to accept donations right now while they are shut down to visitors coming through the gates.

Once you have watched a particular video, decide on an activity or two to do with your child to extend the experience. These are just a few possibilities and tap into many levels of creativity and a plethora of skills from letter recognition, remembering details, and fine & gross motor skills.

• Ask your child what they heard, what they remember from video...different age children will respond differently which is the beauty of open-ended questions with no correct answer. Making a list they can see is a great pre-literacy activity.
• Talk about what letter and sound is at the beginning of the name of the animal.
• Parents can write the letters in dots that spell the animal's name & let your child trace it helping them with their grip if they need it.
• Make one of the animals out of play dough.
• Paint or color a picture of any part of the video; could be the animal or something else.
• Create the animal's habitat with whatever you have at home; good time to use recyclables and items from your yard; you can do it on a flat surface or in a box.
• Make a sock (yes, we all have those stray socks whose partners were eaten by the dryer!) or brown paper bag puppet.
• Create a rhyming poem about the animal. 
• Write a little book about the animal - the child can dictate or write the words & illustrate. 
• Have your child pretend he/she is the animal or one of the animals and parade through the yard moving as the animal would; some may want just one piece of a costume ( a tail, whiskers, ears) or prop to "get into character."

There are many zoos in the country you can also visit from home; I've listed just a few. Think of all the animals you can see without leaving home!

The Cincinnati Zoo - virtual daily afternoon tours
Omaha Zoo - Do The Zoo At Home with Henry Doorly Zoo's daily interactive videos
San Diego Zoo - they have cool polar bear and peguin cams & Meet the Animals videos
Smithsonian Zoo - Go to the Meet the Animals tab to choose an animal to learn about
St. Louis Zoo - Behind the Scenes Tours