More than Grand
  • Home
  • About
    • Contact
  • Blog
  • Resources
    • New Grandparent Essentials
    • Gifts for Grandchildren
    • Best Books for New Grandparents
    • 7 Things New Grandparents Need
    • New Grandparent Checklist
    • 6 Tips for Protecting Your Grandchildren on Social Media
    • 242 Grandmother Nicknames
  • Shop

A Virtual Field Trip to the Zoo

10/28/2020

0 Comments

 
A roaring good time for your grandchildren
For parents with small children, Covid-19 has made life both harder and easier. Gone are the pressures of playdates and scheduling naps around outings. But for many, those have been replaced by long, lonely days at home. Mom and Dad are frazzled, the kids have cabin fever, and everyone is in need of a break from the monotony.

One of the ways I’ve tried to make things a little easier for my family is with “virtual field trips”. The trip to the art museum and the virtual summer vacation were both a big hit, so this time I sent them on a virtual trip to the zoo.
Picture
Once again, I looked for items that would do more than provide a few moments of fun and then add to the clutter. Here’s what I included:
​
Kids in gray shirts that say zookeeper on them
They both got Zookeeper shirts, which quickly became a favorite piece of clothing. I got these, but there are other fun styles available.  

Paint by Sticker book cover
This Paint by Sticker Zoo Animals book was a little advanced for my 2 and 4 year-old grands, so it needed adult help. Though they’ve got excellent fine motor skills, the stickers were too small to place very precisely, and neither of them can recognize double-digit numbers reliably. Still, they both loved watching the picture emerge as a parent helped them. After completing the image of the giraffe, my grandson used it as an inspiration piece to draw his own giraffe.

Child's drawing of a giraffe's face
Because books are never considered clutter by my librarian daughter-in-law, I got three fun ones. The View at the Zoo is a delightful tale with a fun twist. Both kids loved searching for the monkey throughout the book. Search the Zoo, Find the Animals is more than a search and find book—it’s filled with animal facts geared towards young children. For older kids, I’d recommend Zoology for Kids, which is filled with information and hands on activities.  I also sent Eric Carle’s 1,2,3 to the Zoo.
The View at the Zoo book cover
Search the Zoo, Find the Animals book cover
1,2,3 to the Zoo book cover
Zoo Animals with mat and carrying case
And of course, what is a trip to the zoo without animals? This set of animals comes with a play mat printed to look like a zoo. The animals are well sized for small hands, and I was very impressed that the mat was made of felt rather than vinyl. Everything fits neatly in the included carrying case. They played with the animals for hours.

I also found a couple of fun activities on the Pre-K Pages website that can be printed and sent. This “matching eyes” activity is a great early-learning game, and the “roll and move” game will have everyone monkeying around in no time!

Like this idea? Share it with a friend!
As an Amazon affiliate, I may receive a commission for purchases made through these links--at no cost to you. Every penny helps keep this site ad-free. Thank you for your support!
Picture
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Get new posts by email:
    Picture

    Categories

    All
    Activities
    Advice
    Books For Grandchildren
    Books For Grandparents
    Books For Toddlers
    Equipment
    Gifts For Grandkids
    Helping New Parents
    Make Fun Happen
    New Grandparents
    Stay Connected
    Toys
    Trends In Childcare
    What Grandparents Need To Know

    Archives

    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019

Want useful tips, stories and giveaways in your inbox? Pop your email address below!
    Built with ConvertKit
    Picture

    © 2019-2022 More Than Grand LLC

    Privacy Policy // Disclaimer // Terms & Conditions // Refund Policy

    • Home
    • About
      • Contact
    • Blog
    • Resources
      • New Grandparent Essentials
      • Gifts for Grandchildren
      • Best Books for New Grandparents
      • 7 Things New Grandparents Need
      • New Grandparent Checklist
      • 6 Tips for Protecting Your Grandchildren on Social Media
      • 242 Grandmother Nicknames
    • Shop