Going to the Zoo

by Teresa McEntire | More from this Blogger

06 Jul 2006 03:45 PM

Every Thursday is half-price day at the Boise Zoo and today we finally made it. Because of illness and bad weather we had to keep putting off our trip and I was tired of my kids asking when we were going to go.

We went in the morning before the usual afternoon heat, which actually turned out to be rain. We had a great time seeing all of the animals. But I did learn that animals rarely cooperate. The entire time my son wanted to see the badger. Then when we finally got to its exhibit it was curled up in the back corner. Its fur blended in with the dirt and my son never really was sure he saw it. The zebra was a little more cooperative; it at least appeared for about two minutes before going back into its enclosure. But my daughter did get to see it, so she was happy. All we saw of the bear was his rump poking out of a doorway.

My children's favorite animals were the meercats. They were active, running around their enclosure, popping out of holes, and looking at the people watching them. A close second were the tigers, because at the time they were walking around instead of just lying down. Oh, and how could I forget the monkeys? As soon as we walked up my two-year-old started making monkey sounds (she's my little monkey and sometimes I think it would be nice if I could put her in a cage). Another favorite was the butterfly pavilion.

While we toured the exhibits there were plenty of "Ooh look at that" and "Wow, look at this". Every time I take my children to the zoo I'm reminded of how incredible, diverse, and unique the animal kingdom is. Especially when I look through a child's eyes.

Here are some tips on how to make your zoo trip great:

• Unless your children are over the age of 4 or 5 bring a stroller or rent one from the zoo (usually $3-5). I ended up carrying my almost three-year-old a lot.
• Bring water and lots of it. Walking around in the heat makes you thirsty.
• Have a snack handy. We had planned to eat a picnic lunch at the park, but my kids were hungry before we were done seeing all of the animals.
• Don't worry about visiting every animal exhibit, especially if the zoo is large. Just see the animals that your kids are really interested in.
• If you can't see the animal easily move on. Young children and even older children have a hard time finding an animal that isn't moving or is hidden.
• Don't wait for your child to pose or even smile before taking a picture. Neither children nor animals will wait for the perfect shot.

I hope you take a chance to visit the zoo this summer and enjoy exploring the animal kingdom.

Learn more about Teresa McEntire

Teresa McEntire grew up in Utah the oldest of four children. She currently lives in Kuna, Idaho, near Boise. She and her husband Gene have been married for almost ten years.

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