Local Zoo Entertainment for Free

This summer the kids need to get out of the house at least once a day – we usually know it’s time when they start chasing each other around the house, aggravating each other, or get hurt because they’re spinning in circles and bump heads or starting jumping off furniture. That’s when my husband usually turns to me and says we need to go do something – outside.

Some days we have things planned in advance like a trip to Chick-fil-A followed by the library and maybe a walk at the local Riverwalk. Other days, we just kind of decide at the spur of the moment when wildness breaks out, and we’ll do something like take the kids to McDonald’s for ice cream or walk to Walgreens.

I will tell you that we’ve never had a summer like this before where I feel like we need to LEAVE the house every day at least for a little while. Maybe it’s because the kids have gotten older? Maybe it’s because 3 of our 4 kids are BOYS. It’s probably a little of both.

Either way, it’s been interesting and challenging.

There’s one place that we’ve visited a few times this summer that’s been particularly fun for the kids. Our membership to the “big” zoo expired at the end of June, so we decided to visit a local zoo in our area that’s free for everyone.

The first time we went this summer, I was impressed with the changes they had made since the last time we’d visited. Just look at how close you can get to that tortoise.

And the new reptile house is so cool! There’s a huge Burmese python and lots of other slimy friends.

There are even a couple of alligators that actually move! The ones at the big zoo wouldn’t even flinch when we visited. These guys are pretty active and you can get a close up look at them because of how their habitat is set up.

There are lots of other animals, too – like this turkey who was asking for a close up. And there are wolves, owls, a mountain lion, a bald eagle, a goat, chickens, a llama, and lots of other animals. Gone are the animals that were there when I was a kid….the bears, mountain goats, and monkeys. 🙁

But overall, I’m glad that we can take the kids to the zoo – the same zoo Ruben and I visited when we were kids – for free. It’s been a nice way to spend time together as a family, and it allows the kids to use up some of that energy outside walking instead of inside jumping off the beds or the couch or the t.v. stand…..