How to Make a Zoo Trip Even More Educational for Your Preschooler

Do you and your preschooler enjoy trips to the zoo? With preschoolers, it doesn’t matter how many times they visit the same zoo, it is always as fun as it was the first time. Although you will want your next preschool field trip to the zoo with your child to be fun, you may also want to add education into the mix.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Research Zoo Animals At Home
   
   When researching zoo animals at home, before your preschool field trip, you can use the internet or there are a number of printed resources, like books, available for you to use. When your child is familiarized with some of the animals they may see at the zoo, they are more likely to be excited about what they see and they may also feel a sense of pride having this knowledge.
2. Pick Out Needed Supplies
   
   Of course, you will want to ensure that you have a quick change of clothes for your preschooler, some healthy snacks and a few drinks, but you may also want to think about bringing along a notepad and markers or crayons, as well as a cheap disposable camera. You will find a little bit more on this later on.
3. Read All Information Provided To You
   
   Many zoos post a little bit of information about the animals inside their establishments. This information may include the location of the animals, possibly even with a map included, and the foods in which the animals eat. Be sure to discuss this information with your preschooler. It may also be a good idea to discuss what sounds the animals in question make or what activities they enjoy, such as swimming or climbing trees.
4. Take Pictures
   
   As a parent, you will want to document your child’s trip to the zoo, but you will also want to let them do so as well. This is where the cheap disposable camera can come in. Let your child take their own pictures of the animals that they see. These pictures can later be used to create a mini scrapbook or you can turn them into an educational picture book.
5. Have Your Child Draw Pictures of What They See
   
   Having your preschooler draw pictures of the animals they saw on their zoo trip with you is another great way to combine fun and excitement. When doing this, you have two options. If you foresee a lot of breaks in your trip, let your child quickly draw a picture of an exhibit they just visited. Or, you can let your child do so on the ride home. This is a great idea if your zoo trip requires a drive of a half an hour or more.
6. Discuss the Trip When You Get Home
   
   Once you get home, you will want to ask your child questions about your preschool field trip to the zoo. What animals did they like best? Do they remember anything in particular about the animals? If one of your family members stayed home during your trip to the zoo, they can have fun explaining what they saw and learned.

Tips & Warnings

• Remember to have fun. Although there are a number of benefits to making a zoo trip even more educational, you will not want your child to feel bored or pressured into learning.