Come to the Zoo

Come along on a trip to the zoo!
We'll see a swinging chimpanzee and a kangaroo or two!

Maybe a zebra taking a drink.
And a roaring lion,

And, what do you think?
A tall giraffe, plucking leaves from a tree-

Come along to the zoo. And see them with me!

Come along and see them with me!

Come to the Zoo ~ Helen H Moore

ZooWorld Review:

The tickets are expensive and the zoo is small, but it is somewhere my kids (& niece/nephew) have always enjoyed visiting. The habitats are small (which is concerning to my mother), but as a visitor you get a chance to see the animals being active close-up. The tigers and lions were hissing and pacing. Cool. The animals were close enough to observe. Cool.

They also offer animal encounters, but remember to pay for them in the main office because they have scheduled times. We were too far away from the front office to go back and pay, so we didn't get to interact with the lemurs. If we had known when we purchased our tickets we would have registered and paid. Unfortunately, we learned the hard way and didn't get to participate in that encounter. However, we spent a few hours roaming the zoo and having fun.

Make sure to see Field Trip Reviews!

Note about cost...
ZooWorld is pretty pricey. A cup of animal pellets is $5 and it's $2 for a lettuce leaf to feed the giraffe. It is a small zoo so the cup of pellets is something I would recommend if you have a child who has to feed the animals or getting one cup for multiple children. Next time I would just go with the lettuce leaf, Even though it is overpriced... the joy of being so close to the giraffe is worth it (to my child). You can still see the giraffe up close without purchasing a leaf.

The lost art of playing

Over the past few years, the art (and I do mean art) of playing has altered into indoor activities centered around a screen. Sure, there is nothing wrong with playing games, watching movies, and having endless entertainment options at your fingertips.

There is also nothing wrong with spending hours outside talking with your friends and finding random ways to entertain yourself. Sadly, the days of playing outside until dark have almost vanished. As an adult I often wonder if those many hours outside where used to keep us out of our parent's hair. In the end, it does not matter because my memories of that time are always cherished.

Neighborhood antics. Silly games. Creative ideas. Healthy trouble (mostly). That time to be "free" and "wild" in the safety of my street only enabled my sense of wonder and innovation. While times have changed, there is always a place to find the art of playing.

Family Vacation Freeze Tag

Freeze tag is only one option from a number of "classic games". And am I really old enough to have the games I played in my youth referred to as "classic games"? I guess it is better than "old-fashioned games"... but only by a little.

The games are limitless, as an older games can be altered to appease the audience. Our game of Red Light. Green Light. ended up being a game of many colors:

• Red - Stop
• Green - Go
• Yellow - Very, very slow
• Purple - Walk Silly
• Orange - Skip
• Black - Backwards
• Light Blue - Tippy Toes

So, remember these ideas when you hear "I am bored" or too much time is spent glued to a screen. Because any day can be made into a good day. All it takes is a little imagination and the desire to make it good.

"I climbed the tree to see the world."

A Day at the Beach

"At the beach, life is different,

time doesn't move from hour to hour,
but mood to moment.

We live by the currents, 

 plan by the tides,

and follow the sun."

 

Quote ~ Unknown

A little loony!

The Journey of the Loon

(A poem about how my mother now "speaks to the loons")

My mother and daughter took a morning walk
By the ocean so they can bond and talk.
Their walk is stopped, by a worrisome sight.
A bird looks hurt and can't take flight.

The large bird is lying on the sandy floor,
Looking injured and washed onto shore.
People have past it, they just walked by
But not my mom, she wants to try!

The family drives to the rescue center,
but on the way has to reconsider.
The center says "we can't take a bird today",
Plus, it's just a loon, that's their way.

So, take it back. And let it be.
The loon will make it's own way free.

So we pull over to the closest beach,
And set the loon back near the water's reach.

Time passes and still it sits
The waves are all gone, we've lost our wits!
A wave approaches. We all watch...
Nothing happens... another flop!

When the wave washes back out again
The loon is only inches from where she's always been.

My mom is worried. She wants it free.
So, again she moves the loon closer (see)...

Another wave... what will it do?
Finally, this wave carries out the loon.

So that's what happened, our story's end
Of how my mother and a loon became friends!

Be Free!

Interesting Loon Facts:

• Loons are mostly solitary birds.
• The loon has solid bones (unlike most birds which have hollow bones). 
• Loons generally do not walk on land. They are mostly on water - their legs are on the back of their body instead of underneath it.
• They need to take off like an airplane in order to fly, they need around 30 yards or more before they an take flight.
• Loons are an older species of birds, they can be traced back over 100 million years.

Information on Loons (including these facts):

• Audubon
• All About Birds

(Teaching lessons can be found in life adventures!)

When traveling with children...

make sure to take pictures of lethargic teen, but only post the picture that does not fully expose him sleeping.

When traveling with children...

make sure to take a picture of where you parked your car because you will forget and you can guarantee that no one else with you even looked at the sign.

When traveling with children...

make sure to be as embarrassing as possible and enlist any younger children to help. This provides 2 bonuses: the younger child will think you are fun and the teen will always remember how much he loves traveling with you.