{"id":21355,"date":"2013-03-18T09:00:15","date_gmt":"2013-03-18T13:00:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/thehappyhousewife.com\/homeschool\/?p=21355"},"modified":"2019-09-24T13:57:22","modified_gmt":"2019-09-24T17:57:22","slug":"zoo-field-trip-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thehappyhousewife.com\/homeschool\/zoo-field-trip-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"Zoo Field Trip Tips"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em>The following is a post from contributing writer Tabitha<\/em><\/p>\n<p>As homeschoolers, we love our field trips. We have the freedom to go almost anywhere and really get the best out of a field trip, anytime we choose. Zoos are a great choice because not only do you get \u00a0outdoor time, but there are so many things to see and do. Here are a few zoo field trip tips to help you get the most out of your next excursion.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_21439\" style=\"width: 510px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"http:\/\/thehappyhousewife.com\/homeschool\/files\/2013\/02\/IMG_8340a.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-21439\" class=\"size-full wp-image-21439 \" src=\"\/\/thehappyhousewife.com\/homeschool\/files\/2013\/02\/IMG_8340a.jpg\" alt=\"A Trip to the Zoo\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thehappyhousewife.com\/homeschool\/files\/2013\/02\/IMG_8340a.jpg 500w, https:\/\/thehappyhousewife.com\/homeschool\/files\/2013\/02\/IMG_8340a-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-21439\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">A Trip to the Zoo<\/p><\/div>\n<h3>Preparation\/Planning Ahead<\/h3>\n<p>Whether on a field trip with your homeschool group or just with your own family, planning ahead is essential to have everything go smoothly.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Comfort &#8211;<\/b>\u00a0What is the weather going to be like? A sunny day can turn cool, you can get rain, little ones may need naps or that pacifier may get lost. Pack a jacket, pacifier, blanket, etc, \u00a0just in case. If you might need the stroller, bring it (or rent it). I love mine for the space to put water bottles, jackets, sunscreen, and hats.<\/li>\n<li><b>Drinks &#8211;<\/b>\u00a0 A zoo usually involves long walks, and even on cooler days you need to stay hydrated. Pack drinks or plan to buy them at the zoo. \u00a0Just be sure you have something ready.\u00a0Remember your babies and toddlers and their needs as well.<\/li>\n<li><b>Food\u00a0<\/b>&#8211; If your field trip happens to include lunch time, make sure you either have something packed or know what the zoo offers. Even picking something up on the way home isn&#8217;t the best option when you are walking long distances. I know my kids start to growl back when they get hungry, even if they are having the time of their lives.<\/li>\n<li><b>Maps\u00a0<\/b>&#8211; Most zoos have their maps online so you can look ahead of time. Get the priorities straight regarding what your group wants to see, and then plan a good route. If you are part of a larger field trip, take some time before or after to see things of interest to your family that weren&#8217;t \u00a0included in the group tour. A trip to our local Kansas City zoo just isn&#8217;t complete without seeing the elephants, and I&#8217;d definitely hear about if it we skipped them.<\/li>\n<li><b>Reading\/Research-<\/b> Take time to learn about the animals you are going to see, before you see them! If you know you are going to see a certain kind of animal, get library books or have some resources available for your group or family to really dig in and get to know them before you get to see the real thing.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div id=\"attachment_21437\" style=\"width: 410px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"http:\/\/thehappyhousewife.com\/homeschool\/files\/2013\/02\/IMG_8347a.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-21437\" class=\"wp-image-21437 \" src=\"\/\/thehappyhousewife.com\/homeschool\/files\/2013\/02\/IMG_8347a.jpg\" alt=\"One of 'our' elephants\" width=\"400\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thehappyhousewife.com\/homeschool\/files\/2013\/02\/IMG_8347a.jpg 500w, https:\/\/thehappyhousewife.com\/homeschool\/files\/2013\/02\/IMG_8347a-225x300.jpg 225w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-21437\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">One of &#8216;our&#8217; elephants<\/p><\/div>\n<h3>At the Zoo<\/h3>\n<p>You&#8217;re finally there! You didn&#8217;t forget anything, everyone is excited, and you are ready for a great time no matter what.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_21438\" style=\"width: 510px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"http:\/\/thehappyhousewife.com\/homeschool\/files\/2013\/02\/IMG_8362a.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-21438\" class=\"size-full wp-image-21438 \" src=\"\/\/thehappyhousewife.com\/homeschool\/files\/2013\/02\/IMG_8362a.jpg\" alt=\"Ready for snacks, lunch, water, or just to look at maps.\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thehappyhousewife.com\/homeschool\/files\/2013\/02\/IMG_8362a.jpg 500w, https:\/\/thehappyhousewife.com\/homeschool\/files\/2013\/02\/IMG_8362a-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-21438\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ready for snacks, lunch, water, or just to look at maps.<\/p><\/div>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Special Events\u00a0<\/b>&#8211; Pay attention to the timing of special events. Either that&#8217;s when a certain exhibit will be especially crowded (and others will be less so) or something really cool is happening. Depending on your preference and the preferences of your group\/family, this could be a great learning opportunity.<\/li>\n<li><b>Be Respectful &#8211; <\/b> Everyone is at the zoo to enjoy themselves and learn something, and we can give each other the space to be comfortable.\u00a0 We&#8217;ve had some great lessons on common courtesy&#8211;a great thing to remember on any field trip!<\/li>\n<li><b>Downtime\u00a0<\/b>&#8211; I have a big family, and it just doesn&#8217;t work to rush from animal to animal without taking time to smell the flowers (or zoo smell?). There are playgrounds, benches, and family oriented areas that we can stop at to slow down and move at more of a preschooler&#8217;s or toddler&#8217;s pace. Enjoy!<\/li>\n<li><b>Know When to Leave &#8211; <\/b>Whether it&#8217;s closing time, or just time to get back to normal life, know when to call it quits and go home.\u00a0 Especially if you have a membership or your zoo is free, there&#8217;s always another day to go and see the things you didn&#8217;t get to see this time.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div id=\"attachment_21436\" style=\"width: 410px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"http:\/\/thehappyhousewife.com\/homeschool\/files\/2013\/02\/IMG_8368a.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-21436\" class=\"wp-image-21436 \" src=\"\/\/thehappyhousewife.com\/homeschool\/files\/2013\/02\/IMG_8368a.jpg\" alt=\"You don't have to be &quot;This Tall&quot; to have fun at the zoo!\" width=\"400\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thehappyhousewife.com\/homeschool\/files\/2013\/02\/IMG_8368a.jpg 500w, https:\/\/thehappyhousewife.com\/homeschool\/files\/2013\/02\/IMG_8368a-225x300.jpg 225w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-21436\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">You don&#8217;t have to be &#8220;This Tall&#8221; to have fun at the zoo!<\/p><\/div>\n<h3>After Your Zoo Trip<\/h3>\n<p>You all made it home safely, the animals were fantastic, the talk has not stopped since you got in the car, and the monkey imitations are losing their fascination.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Followup! <\/b>Talk about it. What was everyone&#8217;s favorite part? What animal would they like to see again? Don&#8217;t forget to include what you liked and disliked. What animal does everyone want to know more about? Which future event would you like to go back for? Which animal did you miss? What animal would you like them to add to the zoo?<\/li>\n<li><b>More Followup!<\/b> Books, books, and more books. Or research. Do some learning, find coloring sheets or board books with animals. Make this something they will remember for a long time. There are many age appropriate activities tied to zoos from babies to high schoolers.<\/li>\n<li><b>Membership &#8211;<\/b> If you liked what you saw, and your zoo is the kind that has a membership, sign up!\u00a0 Take more time on a particular animal or section of the zoo. A zoo can be a fun family learning experience.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>We&#8217;ve been to 3 different zoos as a family&#8211;small (Amarillo, Texas), medium (Kansas City), and large (The National Zoo).\u00a0 All were great!\u00a0 We have 9 children ranging in age from 16 years to 10 months, and it always amazes me how much <b>each <\/b>of them get from a zoo field trip.<\/p>\n<p><i>Enjoy your zoo; whether it&#8217;s big or little, near or far, it&#8217;s worth the time.<\/i><\/p>\n<p><strong>More Homeschool Trips &amp; Vacation Tips:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/thehappyhousewife.com\/homeschool\/tips-for-an-educational-beach-vacation\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Tips for an Educational Beach Vacation<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/thehappyhousewife.com\/homeschool\/tips-for-homeschooling-while-traveling\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Tips for Homeschooling While Traveling<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/thehappyhousewife.com\/homeschool\/10-summer-learning-activities\/\" rel=\"noopener\">10 Summer Learning Activities<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/thehappyhousewife.com\/homeschool\/camping-as-a-learning-opportunity\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Educational Benefits of Camping<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The following is a post from contributing writer Tabitha As homeschoolers, we love our field trips. We have the freedom to go almost anywhere and really get the best out of a field trip, anytime we choose. Zoos are a great choice because not only do you get \u00a0outdoor time, but there are so many [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":21439,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[2801],"class_list":{"0":"post-21355","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-events","8":"tag-other-events","9":"entry"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thehappyhousewife.com\/homeschool\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21355","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thehappyhousewife.com\/homeschool\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thehappyhousewife.com\/homeschool\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thehappyhousewife.com\/homeschool\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thehappyhousewife.com\/homeschool\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21355"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/thehappyhousewife.com\/homeschool\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21355\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":28296,"href":"https:\/\/thehappyhousewife.com\/homeschool\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21355\/revisions\/28296"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thehappyhousewife.com\/homeschool\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/21439"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thehappyhousewife.com\/homeschool\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21355"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thehappyhousewife.com\/homeschool\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21355"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thehappyhousewife.com\/homeschool\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21355"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}