Real Life Homeschooling Blog Hop~ Goin' to the Zoo, Zoo Zoo!

Are you excited for our first monthly blog hop for the new series Real Life Homeschooling?

Every second Tuesday of the month, me and several other co-host will be sharing ways to take homeschooling OUTSIDE of the typical classroom setting! This week (in case you haven't guessed) I'm focusing on my family field trip to the zoo!

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Clearly I've been listening to too much Raffi lately! I had that song pop straight into my head! What can I say...I just introduced the boys to Raffi music and they ADORE IT! But yes--we went to the ZOO on a Co-op field trip!

We unfortunately live in an area where there is NOT a good Co-Op. We might meet once a year. Yeah. I know. PATHETIC! But I do NOT have time nor energy to put a new Co-Op together.

Fortunately, I have an amazing group of friends who live in Cincinnati who all homeschool their children and have put together their OWN Co-Op! I live 2 hrs away, but it's so worth it for me to not only let my boys spend time with their kids, but to get to spend time with my friends! So we travel up for the monthly field trips--we even have matching T-shirts which makes us feel "special". LOL!

We met up and car pooled with a friend to the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens. It is a GORGEOUS zoo...I should know. I've been to about 5 different zoos around the country and this one is very beautiful.

I just wanted to share some of the photos I took of our day...

 

Here is our group---not large, but big enough for everyone to have a buddy and have fun!

Another aspect of our trip was a class given for our group about Life Cycles...and the best part---they got to touch some of the creatures!

Here the three boys are investigating a black beetle...

This frog looked like just a big pile of poo. I guess that works for camouflage in the woods. He was so ugly. LOL!

Yuck. This is the Skink. Basically a cross between a snake and lizard. So it is nasty. I strongly dislike snakey things...so you bet your boots I didn't touch him. But the boys did.

This was a super cute small owl. The children loved how it could turn it's head so far around! 

The final animal and the class favorite was the cutest armadillo I've ever seen! okay--so like if they COULD be cute...she was. She just ran around and around and around our circle and the kids LOVED IT! 

Every time Baby Britches saw her, he kept saying "Ball!" because the minute someone touched her she'd curl up into a...yep, ball! I tried to get him to say "'dillo" but he refused insisting on calling her a "ball!"

There were several of these stunning beauties roaming the zoo and you can't help BUT snap photos of him with his feathers spread. Talk about stunning masterpiece of our Creator!

As part of the field trip, each of the kids gave a report on an animal they had chosen prior to the trip. Little Britches chose the lion! Here he is with the White Lions at the zoo. It was very cool that though napping when we got there, this beautiful one lifted up his head for photos!

Here is the report he did. It was his first poster ever and he LOVED learning how to use stencils for the main word. Then he filled out the little shapes with information, colored a picture and cut/pasted other lion images! He was so proud.

Just look at that smile!

We were able to experience their amazing Cheetah encounter and we saw them run a couple of the cheetahs on their training track. A-MA-ZING! You just watch in awe...They are truly a work of art in their perfection. Did you know the current world record holder for the fastest cheetah lives at that zoo? I didn't either. Her name is Sarah. We didn't get to see her run because she was taking a nap...but it still was amazing to watch the other two run.

Beautiful creature...

After a long day, we finished at the children's playground...

My Little Britches loved this net--he played killer spider! LOL!

A long day led to sleepy boys on the journey home. It was such a wonderful time and gave them time with other children. He enjoyed hearing the other students animal reports and was happy to be a part of it with his own. Well worth the inconvenience of having to drive 2 hrs each way.

Can't wait until our next field trip!

Now it's time to see YOUR Real Life Homeschooling Experiences! Share with us any activities that takes you beyond the classroom for learning! And make sure you check out what some of the other linkers post too!