Virtual Kids Corner
Our staff is working hard every day to bring educational resources to your homes. We hope the information below helps you and your family connect with us, nature, and our community! Enjoy visits to the zoo, check-in with our keepers and educators, and more fun programs by visiting our Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter pages.
Help us continue to offer all the things you love about the Zoo!
LOOKING FOR A FUN AND ENGAGING VIRTUAL EDUCATION OPPORTUNITY FOR YOUR CLASS?
The Brandywine Zoo is excited to bring our animals and educators to you! Schedule a virtual program for your school, library, community center/group, and more. If you are interested in a private program or program for a corporate meeting or group, we recommend booking a Beastly Guests program.
BRING ALL OF THE FUN, LEARNING AND EXPLORATION OF A BRANDYWINE ZOO SCOUT PROGRAM TO YOUR HOME!
Our Virtual Scout Programs are designed to help girl scouts complete badge work at home.
Join our iNaturalist Project
Did you know that you can observe and report wildlife for science?
Join our iNaturalist project, Urban Wild, and report your observations! It’s as simple as downloading the iNaturalist phone app ( iPhone and Android), joining our project, and snapping some photos! You’ll build your identification skills while contributing to our wildlife monitoring project! Find out more…
Do you own a wildlife game camera/camera trap and want to submit your photos to us?
We’d love to see what you’re photographing, even if it’s just squirrels and your dog! For more information click here, or download our camera setup guide.
Do you really love identifying wildlife photos?
Check out camera trap projects from around the globe at Zooniverse.org.
Scavenger Hunts, Word Searches, Bingo, and more
Downloadable World Turtle Day activities (PDF) including crafts, mazes, and word searches
Downloadable Earth Day activities: Word Search (PDF) Crossword (PDF), Scavenger Hunt (PDF) and Word Scramble (PDF)
Palm Oil Bingo: we made an informative and fun bingo game that helps you learn about Palm Oil! Can you fill the whole card?
Printable Brandywine Zoo Coloring Book: Coloring pages of many of our amazing animals including condors, toucan, burrowing owl, red panda, and more!
Illustrated by Irene Hopping (PDF)
Digital ZooKids
ZooKids, our summer-long, weekly, Sunday programs are now being brought to you virtually! ZooKids programs may include stories, crafts, activities, and other fun learning experiences! Virtual ZooKids will explore types of eaters (herbivores, carnivores and omnivores) and types of animals (mammals, amphibians, invertebrates and reptiles). We will be uploading them regularly so check back for more!
Mammals: Explore what it means to be a mammal through crafts and games in this activity sheet!
Amphibians: Discover why amphibians are so cool in this online activity sheet!
Invertebrates: What do crabs, bugs and snails all have in common? They don’t have a backbone! Learn more through fun activities and crafts.
Reptiles: There are many different reptiles so we have put together lots of crafts and games to help you explore their similarities and differences.
Omnivore: YOU are an omnivore! Discover animals that are omnivores too through these activities, videos and crafts!
Carnivores. Carnivores come in all shapes and sizes! Explore the interesting ways they find food.
Other Online Resources
The Association of Zoos and Aquariums has collected resources from all the zoological organizations in the AZA that are producing online and virtual content. Check out what other facilities are doing!
We especially like the free weekly virtual programs from the Arizona-Sonoran Desert Museum, Minnesota Zoo’s Learning Corner, Georgia Aquarium’s fantastic coloring pages, activities, and #FieldTripFriday, channel your inner #birdnerd with resources from the Tracy Aviary, and check out Denver Zoo’s Virtual Safari and webcams!
Educational Videos
Learn about the Brandywine Zoo and our animals through virtual keeper chats, training and Behind the Scene videos.
Capybara Keeper Talk, 4/28/20
Keepers’ Katie and Kelsey show you what it’s like to train a capybara!
Red Panda Training, 4/20/20
Curator Lynn and Keeper Courtney show us how zoo keepers train the red pandas.
Porcupine Keeper Talk, 4/9/20
Learn what North American porcupines eat and how they defend themselves with Keeper Rebecca.
Andean Condors, 3/25/20
Get a behind the scenes peek at the Andean Condor exhibit.
Ask & Answer
You’ve got questions, we’ve got answers! Write a letter to an animal and send it to us at education@brandywinezoo.org or message us on Facebook and we’ll answer it with our animals!
How did Juniper, our North American Porcupine Juniper, get her name? Hannah will answer that question and so much more!
Story Time
Enjoy virtual Story Time with our Education staff and some ambassador animals!
The Lorax Earth Day Story Time: Emily reads The Lorax to animals around the zoo for Earth Day
A Frog Thing: Join Ambassador Animal Apprentice Sarah and our horned/Pacman frog Ichigo.
Snow Rabbit, Spring Rabbit : We celebrated Bunnyfest online this year! Join Mark and our two flemish giant rabbits for a special Story Time.
The Snake Who Was Afraid of People Story Time: Join Animal Ambassador Keeper Emily and learn about snakes as our Red Tailed Boa Cusco climbs and plays on his snake board!
CELEBRATING WILD ARTISTS!
The items used in the projects below were selected because they can be reused multiple times, in multiple ways! Sometimes kids art projects generate a lot of waste. But art can be both creative and sustainable.
We want to hear how you reduce, reuse, or recycle the items in your kit! Tell us online by using the hashtag #BZWildART!
YOUTUBE VIDEOS
Story Time
Enjoy an art-themed story time! We’re reading Anywhere Artist by Nikki Slade Robinson with a lizard friend.
Learn How to Make Slime!
Check out this video where art and science meet! Learn how to make SLIME, just like animals do, and why it’s important for some animals to be so SLIMY! Note, parental supervision is recommended for this project!
ART KIT RESOURCES
Download the art activity guides for full instructions on how to use the resources in your kit. Instructions also include directions for regular household materials so you can be an artist even if you didn’t receive a an art kit!
Write Again: Crayon Recycling
Using a silicone ice cube tray you can make multi-colored crayons from little broken pieces!
Bottle Bird Feeder
A 3-D printed piece (included in the art kit) transforms a soda bottle into a bird feeder!
Mud Painting
A great temporary painting to do outside on your sidewalk or driveway!
Rain Painting
Use powdered paint and rain to create a cool work of art!
Popsicle Stick Bracelets
After using popsicle sticks to stir the slime and paints, you can add a touch of art to create a friendship bracelet.
Cookie Cutter Bird Feeder
You can use a cookie cutter to make a bird feeder and enjoy watching the wild critters that come to eat it. (All materials for this activity are not included in your kit)
Salt Dough Ornament
For another creative way to use cookie cutters, try making salt dough ornaments! (All materials for this activity are not included in your kit)
Potato Stamps
You can decorate the canvas bag as well! Try making stamps out of potatoes!