Field Trip Friday: The Zoo

We did it--we went to the zoo! It's been more probably a year and a half since we've gone to a zoo, maybe more. Neither kid has been terribly interested in the zoo in years past, Jman in particular. He'd just walk up to whatever exhibit I steered him to, then say good-bye to whatever animal I said was there. Good-bye, camel. Good-bye, elephant. Good-bye, hippo.

But this week seemed like the perfect time to make a trip to the local zoo. We've lived here a year and a half and haven't checked it out yet. There was no reason too--it would have been a waste of money, quite frankly. But today we went ahead and bought the family pass (along with the family pass for train rides too, of course).

And this time, Jman was kind of interested! Yes, he was still fascinated with the huge sprinklers in one garden area. Yes, he was fascinated with the train. BUT he also actually LOOKED at the animals in the exhibits with us for a while! Not for as long as WE did, but he did stay and LOOK with us some. We stopped at looked at the beautiful white bengal tigers. (Look close and you can see them in the background.) He was listening when we commented that they look like big versions of our two white kitties, but with stripes.

Another big hit were the pink flamingos! I think Jman stood and looked at them for the longest time. He has known his colors for years, but we had fun pointing out that they were "pink" and that they were "flamingos." I'm trying to work real hard at using simple language structures for Jman throughout the day, and having him repeat them back to me when I can. I'd like to also try to reinforce these simple, experience sharing, language practice opportunities at home with writing, which could also serve to work on episodic memory. (Yeah, I know--what on earth did she just say? Don't worry about it right now. It was a bunch of RDI terminology. I know what I'm talking about, and my try to explain some later. For now, I'm just thinking out loud. Humor me!)

Now, lest you think this was entirely about Jman, I must point out that this was SB3's first trip to the zoo. Yea! He rode around on my back and was just hunky dorey. The funniest SB3 story from the day would be how he jumped everytime the hyacinth macaw squawked!

Now as for Sly, the first thing he did was discover some art books in the gift shop! Gee, go figure! However, he kept his cash and strolled with us through the zoo, drawing supplies in hand. I had given him an assignement: Draw something from the zoo, AND record some factual information about whatever he chose. Since we have the passes, we can go back over and over again, and over time he can create his very on "Zoo Art" book, complete with his drawings and info on the critters. How's that for a way of doing art, research, writing, and science all in one fell swoop? Oh, and also geography because he had to include maps with where the critters lived. Sly was all for it. However, we got there very close to closing time (which we knew) so he didn't really get a chance to sit and draw his chosen critter while we were there. However, that's why God created cameras! Sly took a picture of a flamingo that he could draw from at home, and still fulfill the assignment. Now, we'll have to see if he follows through!

The other critter I just have to include a photo of was the beautiful black jaguar. Wow, was he ever gorgeous and impressive! His head was just MASSIVE, and his paws were huge. I would have loved to reach in there and scratch his beautiful ears, but of course that would probably not have gone the way I would have wanted! So, I just stood there looking at him, and marveling at God and all of God's creation. Just absolutely stunningly beautiful and amazing.