Woodland Park Zoo (Homeschool Day)

Yesterday, we met up with one of our favorite families for a day of fun in Seattle.  Woodland Park Zoo held their annual Homeschool Day with a special animal show and learning tables that align with state standards.  We've tried Homeschool Day twice before, once in 2009 and once in 2010.  Both times, my kids who were the appropriate ages were too advanced in science to learn anything.  This year, Fiona was just the right age!  The weather was perfect! It was sunny and pretty warm for October. 

This group of kids have known each other since there were only four of them, aged 3, 2, and 5 and 6 months old.  Now they are 13, 12, 11, 11, 9, 8, 6, 4, 2, 11 months, and 10 months.  One of the best things about having older kids (just one, because there are many) is being able to send the age 4 and up crowd into an auditorium to see an animal presentation and know that the older kids will take care of the younger kids.  Crystal Poppins and I stayed in the toddler room with the three babies (until Ian brought Daniel to us-then we had four babies)!

After the animal presentation, we took our zoo tour.  All the kids wanted to do was climb on the rocks and sit on the statues.  I'm pretty sure if there was a park with just rocks to climb on, they would have been perfectly happy.  Even Heidi wanted out of her stroller to climb on rocks.

The kids spent some time reacquainting themselves with each other and then they were as thick as thieves. 

Lula jumped in every puddle she saw.  She did pretty good keeping up on foot despite her two year old age. 

We told them to stay out of this cave because of the puddle.  They didn't care.  They had more fun with caves than they did with animals! Until lunch...

Then it was time to play and trade Pokemon cards.  These guys have been into Pokemon for years now.  They take breaks and get interested in other things, but Shane recently learned how to play the real game, so now he and Ian can be found battling past their bedtimes.  While the older six played, we took the younger group across to the baby/small child play area.  Fiona enjoyed climbing around and meeting other little girls to play with.  My other three were content in the outdoor area:

Playing in a sandbox with no pants on.  You mean, I traveled two hours (with traffic) and paid admission prices (discounted for Homeschool day) to watch my kids do what we do in our own backyard for free? 

 The penguins were really cute.  This green guy would follow fingers around and around!

The unsocialized homeschooling Boy Scouts loved climbing all the rocks.  I heard frequently, "That [animal] is blocking that rock display!"

More cave squishing (nevermind the wolves were being fed right across the path-the cave was much more fun!)

 They can barely squish seven in still...but there was a kid or two that wasn't part of our group.

 Cute Baby #1!

Cute Baby #2!  (Cute Baby #3 doesn't get to have her picture posted because she is a foster baby.)

Really? They needed a sign?  It should have said, "If you love your physical well being, please do not inhale the porcupine's natural perfume. They really really stink!  Like armpits! Really stinky armpits!"  Ian said, "I don't smell anything. It just smells like my room." He was joking. Like always. I hope.

We got to the bear display just as they were being fed!  The bears were pacing back and forth because they knew the food was coming soon.  I was expecting salmon carcasses to be thrown down for them and was disappointed to see a head of cabbage and some Bear Chow nibbles.

By this time, the kids were done with animals and at every stop they pulled out their cards.  So we trekked to the exit and promised extra card time in the parking lot.

 Lula was ready for a nap in traffic and was ready to shed her soaking wet pants and shoes.

After more trading and one more trip into the closed zoo for a bathroom break, the moms and babies were in a hurry to hit the road and go sit in traffic.  For us southbounders, the traffic wasn't too bad and we made it home in two hours.  We are excited to get together again in another Seattle location.  I wonder if there is somewhere indoors that doesn't cost any money that just has tables, chairs, a bathroom, and some space to run?