At RIMU we like to extend the children’s learning further through outside visitors and going on trips. One of the learning experiences that has proven popular with the children and parents (although maybe not so much with our arachnophobic practitioners!), is Zoo Lab.
Zoo Lab is a fun learning experience for the children to gain more knowledge about insects and animals that they may not get from looking in books or searching for them in their gardens. The rangers that come with the animals live with them in their own homes! So the knowledge they have about the animals is something that our practitioners would never know. Even our practitioners are amazed and fascinated about the animals and insects that come to visit.
Zoo Lab is a great learning environment for the children which grabs their interest from the start of the hour to the very end (our practitioners have never known the children to sit so well : ) !). The Zoo Lab rangers have now visited four times, we like to arrange visit twice a year, and through the visits our children have seen different animals and insects. For example, we have seen a Giant African Land Snail, Madagascan Hissing Cockroach, Chilean Rose Tarantula, Giant African Millipede, Cane Toad and Corn Snake.
During the visits the children have fun and learn simple facts about the animals. They also get to touch them and even hold them! One of our pre-school has been able to attend all the visits from as young as 2 and has held every animal that has visited RIMU!
Zoo Lab is great activity that is provided by RIMU for the children and it’s a great learning tool that RIMU are happy to give the children, we look forward to their next visit!
Zoo Lab website: www.zoolab.com
Lynsey Holden 3 September 2015