ZooKid

This summer has been one of so many new opportunities for Nico. He's almost four years old, he's potty trained and he has no anxieties about being separated from Mark or me. This month he participated in our zoo's ZooKids program. It's a month-long class (three hours once a week for four weeks) that combines classroom activities with "expeditions" throughout the zoo. Over the course of his four classes, Nico learned about animals' senses of sight, smell, hearing and touch. I hope I never forget the memory of him running to me each time I came to his classroom door at noon to pick him up. He always bounded with excitement, trying to run and hold up his craft to me at the same time.



While Nico was in his ZooKids class from 9 a.m. until noon each week, Rocco and I put in some serious hours exploring the zoo. Usually, summer is my least favorite time of year to go zooing. I've become sort of spoiled as a stay-at-home mom, getting to enjoy places like the zoo on beautiful spring and fall days when most kids are in school. Rocco, in particular, does not have be in a stroller then--with no crowds, I can let him run out ahead of me and wander where he likes. But what I recently learned was this--very few people are waiting for the zoo gates to open at 9 a.m., even in the summer. Each week that we were there bright and early, I was able to let Rocco roam and explore. I noticed that business didn't really pick until between 10:30 and 11:00. We had so much fun. Roc's favorite thing at the zoo so far this year has been the bronze animal sculptures. And there are plenty--even a few more than you see in the photos below!