Great Read Alouds: Going to the Zoo

Children love animals whether they are stuffed animals, pets or zoo animals. One way to foster their love of animals is by planning a trip to the zoo. Before you go you can talk about the animals your kids might see and introduce new vocabulary.

• An animal keeper takes care of the animals.  
• A habitat is where an animal lives. It provides them with food, water and shelter.  
• The animal keeper provides animals with enrichment – activities that keep their bodies and minds active. Examples of enrichment are trees for swinging, rocks for climbing, a pool for swimming and a puzzle with treats inside. 

Once you get to the zoo, you can talk about what you see. What kind of homes do the animals have? What are they eating? Going to the zoo with your child can be fun and educational. You can check out Topeka Zoo passes at the library.

Read on for books to get your child excited about their trip to the zoo.

ABC ZooBorns by Andrew Bleiman & Chris Eastland

Scamper through the alphabet with a herd of irresistible zoo babies. Featuring adorable animal photos, a zippy text and a fact-filled glossary, this just might be the cutest ABC book ever!

Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? written by Bill Martin Jr. & illustrated by Eric Carle

Children will chant the rhythmic words. They'll make the sounds the animals make. And they'll pretend to be the zoo animals featured in the book-- look at the last page!

Zoogie Boogie Fever: An Animal Dance Book by Sujean Rim 

"After the zoo closes, an assortment of animals come together to party the night away in an energetic romp. When the coast is clear, the creatures don a wide variety of dance attire, from ballet shoes to leg warmers, and "zoogie boogie" under the disco ball. The patrolling zookeeper's bright flashlight beam dramatically halts the wild shindig throughout the evening, but doesn't prevent the revelers from cavorting until the break of dawn." –School Library Journal

The Zoo, a Can-You-Find-It Book by Sarah Schuette

Treat kids to a seek-and-find field trip to the zoo. Penguins, pandas, porpoises, and countless other animals make finding the hidden objects in the full-color photo puzzles a delightfully furry and feathered challenge. Pictographs and word labels are included in each to-find list.

Animal Strike at the Zoo! It’s True! written by Karma Wilson & illustrated by Margaret Spengler

The zoo animals go on strike until the tears of a disappointed little girl make them realize that they actually like what they do.