Inevitably, Cora and I have not had much one-on-one time since Issa arrived 15 months ago. Luckily she loves her little sister and doesn’t mind her tagging along for every single activity, but it certainly makes me one distracted mama when she’s asking me question number 54,024 of the day. Ah, four-year-olds. 🙂 Her thirst for knowledge and incessant curiousity was COMPLETELY indulged a few days ago though when she and I got to go for a day of Summer Camp at the San Antonio Zoo! Most summer programs I’ve found in the city begin at five years old, and the Zoo is no different, but they made an exception for us so we and fellow bloggers families could get a insider’s look at all the fun!
Our first stop was, undoubtedly, Cora’s favorite. If you remember in our ASK A video when I quizzed her on her favorite animal, she proudly proclaimed, DARAFFES. Translated, that’s giraffes for all of you that don’t speak 4-year-old. So when she heard we were going to feed Cosmo the giraffe a leaf of lettuce to kick off our day of summer camp, it was almost too much to handle. So much so, in fact, that I didn’t even get a good picture of the moment because I had to hold her hand through the whole experience. Sort of that starstruck, meeting your idol, sort of thing. Very overwhelming for a toddler, especially when your idol is 18 feet tall and has a tongue as long as your arm!
Next we headed off to the Zoo’s educational center for a interactive discussion on habitats and the animals that live in them. Cora was the youngest of the blogger kids to attend, so I was a little nervous she wouldn’t know an answer to something and feel defeated. But the zoo staff was great at helping her understand, kindly responding when she just wanted to know where the armadillo’s mommy was, and overall just making the experience fun for her. They also totally understood when she was nervous to pet the snake, and she was perfectly content watching the majority of the animals from the safety of my lap. My arms are so often full with Issa and diaper bags, though, it was nice to just keep her close and enjoy the animal fun facts together.
One part of starting a blog that I never, in a million years, would have thought about was the fact that so many of our kids have now become friends and sort of grown up together in a way. Luke from The sTORIbook was there, plus Sophie from At The Fire Hydrant, and so many more that Cora had a blast just hanging with them. Especially on the merry-go-round, which is probably where we could stay all day long every time we visit the Zoo. What is it about going around in circles that just makes kids so darn happy?!
By the end of the morning, we had discovered that the Zoo Summer Camps are an incredible opportunity for local kids to learn, grow, and have a blast in the summer months. They offer unique animal experiences, varied themes by week, and tailored activities for different age groups. There is still space to enroll if you’d like your child to have a WILD time, so check it out on their website here for more info!
So glad Miss Corabelle and I got to spend a little time, just her and I, learning, exploring, and enjoying each other’s company. The Zoo Train was the cherry on top of a great day of Summer Camp, and the cool breeze through the shade of Brackenridge Park didn’t hurt either! Go check it out this summer when you have a chance!
XO,
A
P.S. I receive perks as part of the San Antonio Zoo’s blogger ambassador program called the Zoo Troop, in exchange for sharing about our experiences. Don’t worry though, all opinions are my own!
