A Trip to the Zoo

We love the zoo.  We go almost every month. It's part of our desire to teach our children lifelong learning, as well as give them a more well-rounded education (aka it's a field trip with Mom and Dad). Every time we go there is something new my children learn.


Preschooler's Learning Opportunities
Sometimes, his learning is more cognitive, like when he recognizes an animal we read about at home. Or when we discuss colors we see. When we are in a quiet spot we can discuss sounds we hear or practice our animal sign language. If he as been learning it at preschool, I try and reinforce on our field trips. I also try and take pictures and videos of him experiencing the animals, and he loves to watch and go through these pictures at home. It's my way of keeping the learning experience going after we return home.

Sometimes, his learning is more behavioral; like learning how to behave in a crowded area. I often use children behaving badly as an example of how not to act. I will bend down and quietly talk to him about the disruptive behavior he observed, and use this as an example of why we don't act this way.

When we go with friends the learning becomes more social. He learns to take turns, stick with a group, and hold a conversation about what he is observing. Whatever kind of learning he experiences, it is all beneficial.

Baby's Learning Opportunities
On our last trip, I couldn't help but notice parent's who had their babies and toddlers covered up in strollers. Understandably, this may have been to keep them out of the sun or because they were sleeping, but there were very few parents who were taking advantage of the learning opportunities for their youngest ones. As an educator, this makes me sad and disappointed that parents aren't valuing the zoo learning experience for their youngsters.

Babies may not care to look directly at the animals, but this doesn't mean they aren't using their senses to learn other things. My baby enjoyed looking at the leaves on the tree while we were parked in the shade. Maybe babies enjoy listening to the birds chirping in the trees around them. Maybe they smell the popcorn popping and turn their heads to see where the smell is coming from. Or maybe they soak in the facial expressions of their family members. All of these things are appropriate for a baby to learn, and the zoo gives an opportunity to learn about the world outside of their home.

Learning Theorist, Vygotsky, categorized learning from birth to 2 years as the Primitive Speech Stage where babies learn how to speak, name objects, and respond emotionally. I believe a trip to the zoo can help babies learn in all these areas. It doesn't matter that the baby is not learning what is traditionally thought as a zoo learning experience. I believe simply being outside their day-to-day environment makes a trip to the zoo a great opportunity for a baby to learn.