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We're Going to the Zoo
Celebrate National Zoo and Aquarium Month with Your Toddler
By Melinda Copp
features thousands of aquatic creatures in a million gallons of water – including some of the oceans' most dangerous and bizarre wildlife. Their Shark Central exhibit even allows visitors to touch the sharks. And this summer, the aquarium is opening a new Frog Bog exhibit with plenty of interactive components kids will love. For more information, visit them at www.newportaquarium.com.
The Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga allows visitors to experience diverse underwater worlds, from freshwater mountain streams to saltwater coral reef wonders. They offer summer camp programs for kids ages 4 and up. And the aquarium's most recent addition, Penguin's Rock, features Gentoo and Macaroni penguins keeping busy in an 18,000-gallon pool where visitors can observe a host of curious bird behaviors. For more information, visit them at www.tnaqua.org.
The Living Desert in Palm Desert, California is a unique natural zoo that offers plenty of fun-filled activities for families with storytelling, small animal encounters, wildlife shows, an interactive northeast African village replica called Village WaTuTu, a hands-on Discovery Room and their new desert play land. The zoo also offers Starry Night camping programs for families with children 5 and up. For more information, visit them at www.livingdesert.org.
The Monterey Bay Aquarium in California is always a popular favorite for families, and they recently expanded their Splash Zone exhibit gallery, which includes 45 interactive stations and experiences with some of the world's most unique and fascinating creatures. Their Web site also offers games and activities to do before, uring and after your visit, including a guide with detailed ways to turn a visit into a learning experience appropriate for the age and development stage of your kids. For more information, visit them at www.mbayaq.org.