Zoo Camp - Grassland Safari

With Chris gone, we have jumped back into our "keep-busy-so-time-flies-routine": first stop, Zoo Camp. Clara started zoo camp Monday. This week's topic was Grassland Safari. She learned all about elephants, tigers, giraffes, zebras and kangaroos. The teachers were the same as she's had in the past, but she worked much more closely with one of them this time around. Mrs. Jennifer was Clara's 'big buddy', the teacher Clara was paired with for walks into the zoo and activities in the classroom. Last time Clara's 'big buddy' was just one of the classroom helpers. Mrs. Jennifer couldn't get over Clara's thirst for knowledge, how eager Clara is to learn all she can, what a big helper she is with her 'little buddies' and the fact that she is already reading. When Clara's class takes walks into the zoo each teacher/assistant ('big buddy') is paired with just 2-3 kids ('little buddies'). Because Clara is such a willing helper, they paired her up with one of the head teachers and 2 of the youngest children in the class (the class is for ages 3-5yrs). Mrs. Jennifer said Clara was fantastic at keeping up with her little buddies, making sure they stayed together, and were OK -- very caring and helpful. Have I ever mentioned Clara's the best big sister anyone could ever have? So it only makes sense that those characteristics shine through in other ways. I am so proud of her, for simply being herself!

With the zoo being about 45 minutes away, Jonathan and I would simply find something to do each morning in Fresno for the 3 hours Clara was in zoo camp. The drive back and forth was exhausting and so was finding something to do with Jonathan. Each day we came home after zoo camp, and EVERYONE took a good 3 hour nap. (I didn't need these naps to get me through last year, but then I wasn't 7 months pregnant then either). Today Jonathan and I decided to hang out at the zoo too, with the hopes of running into Clara's class at some point so I could get a few pics of her.

Right as we walked into the zoo, they were bringing out the first 'meet and greet' animals of the day -- the Llamas. Jonathan got to hold this ones' leash for a picture.

Later we met Skye, another meet and greet animal.

As we were looking at Skye, we found Clara and her class. Here she is with Mrs. Jennifer and one of her little buddies (her other little buddy wasn't in camp today).

So we tagged along to the bird show with them. Jonathan got to sit with Clara's class. He was so excited - once they finished getting the sand out of their shoes.

When we went back to pick Clara up, she was busy playing playdough with some of her classmates.

Once we got home, I got Clara to show me the art projects she had worked on all week. Each day they do one project, and they get to bring them all home on the last day. Clara painted the grass on her art folder here.

She made a giraffe...

a prairie dog...

A leaopard mask...

...and some finger puppets.

I was trying to get a shot of her t-shirt. They get a new shirt for each week long camp. This one had all the heads of grassland animals arranged in the shape of Africa. It's a cool shirt, though not the best picture of it.

Clara had a great time in zoo camp once again. She'll go for one more week at the end of July. That camp will be a photography one like the one she did last year. I am happy to have a break from the driving for a while. We have a couple of low-key weeks coming up, so I plan on trying to tackle potty training Jonathan again. I'm using zoo camp as a bit of a motivator. He wants so badly to go, but has to be 3 and potty trained in order for that to happen. If I can get him potty trained, I'd like to send him with Clara to her next camp at the end of July. Next year Clara moves up into the next age group, for which zoo camp is an all day experience - a great introduction to all day school before she enters 1st grade. However if possible, I'd love to have her and Jonathan be together for a camp this summer first!