The Official Sacramento Zoo Blog

Twilight Tuesday - South of the Border

2009-07-17T13:14:00.000-07:00

Marisa Hick, Marketing Coordinator

The South of the Border Night this past Twilight Tuesday was a hot blast of fun. Despite the heat, Los Elegantes delivered a great show for us to enjoy the eats, drinks and dancing.

Victor of the non-profit organization Ritmos joined us for the evening as well. They are a group that teaches about culture through the Latin rhythms. We were glad that they could join us.

If you made it out we hope that you enjoyed yourself, if not you can make it out next week. Remember, if you are a Sacramento Zoo member it is free!

Next Twilight Tuesday on July 21, we are featuring Travel in Time 60’s and 70’s Car Show, live entertainment provided by The Q Balls and a Slider Trio dinner special that we are expecting to be fantastic.

Enjoy the slideshow:

Tails from the Dark Side

2009-07-14T16:59:00.000-07:00

Education Bulletin

Evening is one of the busiest times of the day for wildlife. The diurnal animals, those who are awake and active during the day, are taking advantage of the break from the afternoon heat and trying to gather as much food as they can before they settle in for the long cool night. At the same time, the nocturnal animals are just beginning to wake up and start their day as the sun begins its descent. There is even a type of animal, called crepuscular, that is only awake and active at dawn and dusk. When you put all of these animals together, you can see why sunset is always bustling in the wild!

So what are wild animals doing that keeps them so busy in the evening? Do they take a bath and brush their teeth and lay out their clothes for the next day? Not quite, but they are using this time to prepare. Many insectivorous animals are busy gorging on as much food as they can gather. Anyone who’s been out enjoying a midsummer evening can attest that there is no shortage of bugs! Many wild animals like birds and mice are also gathering nesting materials to get ready before the temperature drops at nightfall.

Most people never get to see all of this activity at the Zoo because we close well before the summer sunset begins. That’s what makes the Overnight Safaris such a special experience. Groups and Families who come to the Overnight Safaris get to enjoy that busy time of the day with our unique and very wild family!

Sign up for an Overnight Safari today.

Baby Poison Blue Dart Frogs

2009-07-09T14:21:00.000-07:00

By Kate Gore, Reptile House keeper

The Reptile House has three new additions - baby Poison blue dart frogs (Dendrobates azureus). The egg mass containing the 3 was found on the 7th of May. They were full tadpoles as of the 24th of May, and began metamorphosing on the 25th of June. The baby frogs are being fed fruit flies exclusively, and when they are a bit bigger, they will also eat small crickets.

(Metamorphosis In Brief:

The eggs are laid in jellylike masses, usually our egg masses contain 4-8 eggs. The eggs hatch into tadpoles who live in the "jelly" surrounding their egg. After a few weeks, the tadpoles are moved to a little container of water where they grow in size, usually doubling or tripling in size, after a month of growth they start developing back legs, and within a few weeks they develop their front legs. We then put the froglets, as they are now known, into small tanks with a low level of water and gravel to crawl out on. And, in a few weeks, their tail shortens and eventually disappears, at which point they are now called frogs, and moved into a tank with land and water. )

We have 3 adult blue dart frogs on exhibit--judging by their sizes, there are two females and one male. If you look at the exhibits, you might see what looks like coconut halves on the ground; these are, in fact, hollowed out coconuts with little dishes partially filled with water inside. The "houses" give the frogs privacy in which to lay their eggs. In the wild, these frogs would use anything in which water has collected to lay their eggs--even trash!

Giraffe Habitat Renovation - Progress Report

2009-07-06T13:56:00.000-07:00

By Jaime Wilson, Zoo Blog Keeper

Since February of this year, we have seen demolition, earth moving and construction happening at the Giraffe exhibit. Currently, the three girls are living in the old barn and yard between the two construction sites.

On the left side, an old cement building was torn down and now there is a huge raised viewing area that is coming along nicely. Dual ramps bring the visitor up to eye level with the giraffes and there is an area designed for supervised feedings! Recently, the Zoo Curator let all of the staff walk up and see the new area. It's not finished yet, but the staff were just overwhelmed at how nice it is and very grateful to see all our hard work become reality.

On the right side, the hippo pool and old kangaroo yard were leveled and a very tall cinder block building was raised after lots of electrical and plumbing. And it's so much taller than we expected! When you stand below it next to the Vet hospital it looks gigantic. The walls are finished and they are working on the roof now.

We are still months away from completion but it's great to see the progress every day and we hope you are as excited as we are about this state-of-the-art exhibit. If you would still like to donate to the project, visit the Giraffe Habitat Renovation and Expansion page. The goal of $2 million has not been reached yet, so every donations counts!

King of Feast Slideshow

2009-07-02T11:50:00.000-07:00

By Jaime Wilson, Zoo Blog Keeper

Oh boy, it was a hot one! At 105 degrees outside everyone was enjoying the misters along Big Cat Row, the shady trees and taking their time walking around the Zoo. Even in the heat, hundreds of supporters came out to try over 40 different restaurants, wineries, breweries and bakeries. The auctions had lots of bids and overall, we were very happy with the event and can't wait til next year... and it being just a little less warm!

Thanks to everyone who came out for the event, all the vendors who made it possible and the volunteers and staff that toughed it out, all with a smile!

Sprinkler Fun at Zoo Camp

2009-06-30T17:04:00.000-07:00

By Amanda Castaneda, Education Manager

What do we do at Zoo camp when it's 100 degrees outside? We turn on the sprinklers and run around like wild animals!

Hot Weather means Cools Treats!

2009-06-23T16:34:00.000-07:00

By Leslie Field, Animal Care Supervisor

You Won’t Find These Frozen Treats at Your Local Grocery Store!

When the thermostat hits 90 degrees, in most homes the popsicles start to fly out of the freezer. It’s pretty much the same at the Zoo, except that your treats are considerably different than the “pops” we have in our freezer!

In the carnivore area, blood pops are all the rage! The Zookeepers (or BETA volunteers) take the blood from the meat diet, dilute and freeze it in pans or balloons. Once frozen, the balloon is removed leaving a ball or the pan is heated off the popsicle. Just about every one of the carnivores enjoys this cool treat. A twist to this recipe uses tuna juice and water to create pops that the River otters particularly love.
The primates, birds and hoof stock enjoy a more vegetarian food fare. The keepers freeze pieces of their diet with water in shallow pans or Bundt pan rings for hanging. A variety of items can be tossed into these popsicles – sunflower seeds, nuts, berries, melon, raisins, grapes, veggies, flowers … even bamboo and other edible plant materials.

Sometimes it is just as refreshing to freeze fresh food items without putting them in water. Keepers have frozen entire diets or just a few items. A pan of ice-cold fruits, veggies and plants provides frosty variety to the animals’ summer diet.

Twilight Tuesday - Hot, Cool & Rockin'!

2009-06-18T09:55:00.000-07:00

By Jaime Wilson, Zoo Blog Keeper

This summer, we have introduced a new series of events called Twilight Tuesdays in June & July. Basically, we just keep the gates open late so you can enjoy the whole Zoo during cooler summer evenings.

But wait, that's not all! Around 5 pm the party gets started with a live band, dinner specials, beer and wine - centered around a theme that is different each night. We suggest bringing lawn chairs, picnic blankets and making an evening of it. Last admission is at 7 pm, but you are welcome to stay until 8 pm.

June 23: Country Music and BBQ Night
Live Music by Rowdy Kate
Dinner Special: BBQ Ribs, Chicken, Ranch Style Beans, Cole Slaw and Biscuits

June 30: Blues and Brews at the Zoo
Live Music by Mick Martin and the Blues Rockers
Dinner Special: Tri-Tip Sandwiches and Garlic Fries

July 7: A Night Across the Pond, British Night & Car Show
Live Music by Jangles
Dinner Special: Fish 'n Chips, Bangers 'n Mash
*Register to show your British car! $10 per car includes 4 admissions. Call (916) 808-5888

July 14: South of the Border
Live Music Los Elegantes
Dinner Special: Mexican Mix Platters

July 21: Travel in Time, 60s & 70s Car Show
Live Music by The Q Balls
Dinner Special: Slider Trio, Potato or Macaroni Salad and Cole Slaw
*Register to show your classic car! $10 per car includes 4 admissions. Call (916) 808-5888

July 28: Journey to Asia
Live Music by Second Wind
Dinner Special: Chicken Satay Skewers over Rice with Peapods, Bamboo Shoots and Water Chestnuts

Bring the whole family for some midweek summer fun!

Sacramento Zoo Members: Twilight Tuesdays are included with Zoo admission, so make sure to show your Membership card to get in! Call (916) 808-5888 if you are not sure how many people are covered by your membership.

Here are pictures from our first Twilight Tuesday!

Auctions & Raffles & Inkind, Oh My!

2009-06-15T13:11:00.001-07:00

By Jaime Wilson, Fundraising Coordinator

Okay, so that title doesn't sound very interesting, I know. But in my defense, I do get very excited about all of this! Throughout the year, the Zoo does 3 silent auctions, 1 live auction, 3 paid raffles, and about a dozen free raffles and giveaways. Most of them are in conjunction with the fundraising events we put on such as King of Feasts, Ice Cream Safari and Wild Affair.

That adds up to over 400 items ranging from small plush animals to vacation rentals and expensive wines. Of course, we don't just have this stuff laying around, so how do we get it all? We ask!

Since our items are donated to us, the money we raise at the auctions goes right back into the Zoo. We are fortunate enough to have a lot of support from local wineries, restaurants, activity centers, bakeries, boutiques and other stores. We also receive donations from distributors and manufacturers that supply our gift store, Zoofari Market. The most unique donors are our volunteer Board of Directors, who are very creative - donating dinners in their homes, one-of-a-kind tours and vacation homes.

It truly is amazing that so many individuals and businesses come together to make our fundraising events even more fun, all while supporting the Zoo.

Thanks to all of our donors!

And if you have a business that is interested in donating an item, feel free to contact me at sacramentozoo@gmail.com. Items that go very well are dinner gift certificates, wine, children's packages, movie and theatre tickets, golf foursomes, spa packages, and one-of-a-kind experiences.

Family Overnight Safaris - Sleep at the Zoo!

2009-06-08T08:53:00.000-07:00

By Caitlin Lill, Overnight Coordinator

With summer quickly approaching, the zoo is abuzz with visitors, day and night! Starting Saturday June 13th the Sacramento Zoo will be hosting Family Overnight Safaris throughout the summer. These camp-outs are designed for small groups and families of 2 or more people to enjoy!

Visitors will be able to tour the zoo in the evening, have a delicious spaghetti dinner, talk to a variety of educators about our animals, and watch some of our nighttime critters get a tasty treat! Once the sun goes down we’ll also have games, snacks, stories and songs around a blazing campfire. Afterwards, visitors will camp under the stars or in your tent on our Reptile House Lawn, falling asleep to the sounds of animals from around the world. In the morning, we wake up to “nature’s alarm call,” a scrumptious pancake breakfast, and more wonderful animals to visit with.

Registration is still available for dates throughout the summer, and if you’re interested please visit our Family Overnight Safaris page for more information!

Sacramento Zoo Tweetup June 6th

2009-06-02T09:14:00.000-07:00

By Jaime Wilson, Social Media Fan

If you haven't heard, the Zoo loves Twitter! And a lovely phenomenon is the Tweetup, a real life meet up of folks on Twitter. Sacramento has been abuzz with SacTweetups since the beginning of the year and now we are introducing the first ever ZooTweetup! Thanks to Entreprini and Sacramento Social Media Club for making it happen.

If you are on Twitter, register here for half-price Zoo admission on Saturday, June 6 at 10 am. We will meet up in the Kampala Conference room for a meet and greet, live Twitter feed, light refreshments and a special Animal Encounter - a couple of our Animal Ambassadors will be stopping by. There will also be a scavenger hunt for some great prizes and of course, you and your family can enjoy the Zoo. And don't forget to take a ride on the Carousel or Zoo Train, tickets are $2!

Make sure to register here! When you show up on June 6th, you will check in at the front of the Zoo to get your nametags (they are your golden ticket to the half-price admission and activities) then head over to Kampala.

If you are already a Sacramento Zoo Member, please check in for your nametags then proceed to the Members Entrance and show your membership card.

And of course, we will be live tweeting the whole time! Tag your tweets with #zootweetup and they will show up on the video screen during the tweetup.

Not on Twitter? Join here and follow the Zoo for all sorts of cool insider information, updates, specials and more!

If you are trying to find us, here are our twitter handles:
Sacramento Zoo: @SacramentoZoo
Entreprini: @Entreprini
Social Media Club: @SMCSac

My weekend at the Sac Zoo!

2009-06-01T11:23:00.001-07:00

A quick note from a Zoo visitor that just made us smile. Thanks Bethany & Ryan!!

Dear Blogmaster,

I just wanted to say that we spent last Saturday at the zoo and loved it! We started our day at the SPCA Doggy Dash, but quickly realized how much better our experience was at the zoo! They have nothing on you guys!

Many Thanks,
Bethany Johnson and Ryan Downs

82 Teens Getting Ready for Summer Camp

2009-05-28T12:37:00.000-07:00

by Robin Baker, Teen Coordinator

It’s that time of year again! Everyone involved with zoo camp is getting into gear for our Camp Counselor Training this Sunday, May 31st. We are all very excited to meet and get to know our new teen volunteers, as well as welcome back some friendly and familiar faces. This is our biggest summer camp ever for volunteers as we are expecting to have around 80 teens attend, not including teachers and staff. We will be doing introductions, playing games, learning important facts about zoo camp, and, of course, eating a large amount of pizza. Make sure to check for the pictures in a few weeks!

Amanda and Robin - Your Summer Camp Leaders!

Swingin' Safari - Golf for a Purpose

2009-05-25T12:06:00.000-07:00

by Roy Kinji, Marketing Director

The weather was perfect last Thursday, which was a big change from last year's sustained winds and the year before when is was 100 degrees and the A/C was not working. Swingin' Safari is our annual golf tournament fundraiser at Teal Bend Golf Course. For all those golfers who may not have been having their best round, Pyramid Brewery made sure it was a great day for all.

Del Rogers came out to the course and did two live newscasts at noon and again at 6 pm. We found out he is actually pretty afraid of snakes. Our Pacific gopher snake wiggled his way out of his gate right in the middle of the live broadcast and Del was startled to see him slithering across the grass. The Zoo keeper set him back in the gate and all was fine after that.

The winning foursome was Kevin Stillman, Andy Heekin, Dennis Nunes, Matt Brooks. The winner of the putting contest and longest drive was Tracy Nichols, and this was her last tournament before going pro and joining the Canadian LPGA. All the golfers tried their shot at the hole-in-one Honda prize, but there where no winners this time.

The raffle and auction are the great conclusion to a fun day. Our MC, Steve Bernstein got so excited he added an item at the last minute - his barbershop quartet singing at your home or party.

Thank you to all our golfers and sponsors this year!

From Keeper to Veterinary Technician (3 weeks)

2009-05-22T11:34:00.000-07:00

By Alison Mott, Zoo keeper/ Veterinary Technician

I have been a Zoo keeper for 4 years and have worked here at the Sacramento Zoo for the last 2 1/2. I also have my veterinary technician certification and have worked in our veterinary hospital on occasion, so when our resident vet tech had to go on medical leave I was able to fill her shoes for a few weeks.

A typical keeper day starts out a lot like a typical veterinary technician day. Check on the animals in your care and prepare their diets. One big difference is that as a keeper I was taking care of many animals in one day. Now I am taking care of only one. Our new Red river hog, who is going through his quarantine period before he is placed in his new exhibit. If you ever stop by the hospital and see us wearing purple scrubs then you will know that we are working with an animal that is in quarantine.

From there my days are very different and are never the same. I have to get the hospital ready for the day’s procedures. So far one of the animal procedures I assisted with is our North American river otter annual exams. We start by putting them to sleep. They have sharp teeth and they know how to use them, so for our safety and theirs we work on them while they sleep. We do an all over check, their fur, eyes, teeth, ears, feet and so on. We will draw blood and take x-rays. I monitor the Otter and the anesthesia during the procedure and help out whenever the veterinarian needs me. After everything is done the otter wakes up in their crate and later that morning is taken back to their exhibit.

Some mornings include going around the Zoo and checking on animals that have been seen by the veterinarian. Sometimes I help give medication to these animals, other times it’s just to stop by and see how they are doing.

The afternoons are usually busy with laboratory work. You may see me running blood through our chemistry machine or using a microscope to look for parasites in fecal samples. This is all very important to help keep the animals here healthy.

Ask our front gate staff is an animal exam is scheduled on the day of your visit or peek into the viewing windows at the vet hospital.

Conservation Carousel Grand Opening

2009-05-20T10:00:00.000-07:00

by Lauren Kraft, Public Relations Coordinator

Today was the official opening of the Zoo's Conservation Carousel. The carousel is really a sight to see. The hand-carved animals are beautiful and the kids are so excited to ride on their favorite animal and then go out into the Zoo to see the real thing. Everyone who purchases a ride ticket today will also get a free Pink Popcorn and will be entered into a drawing to win a pair of Ice Cream Safari tickets.

Amazon Parrot Greetings Return

2009-05-15T10:54:00.000-07:00

by Lauren Kraft, Public Relations Coordinator

I heard a familiar sound today in the Zoo again... "meow, here kitty kitty, come here." It was not the group of school kids on a field trip looking in the tiger exhibit, or even the family talking about the jaguars. It was coming from a small green bird just down the way; the Amazon parrots are back out on exhibit! A visitor favorite, Jasper, the Plain-colored Amazon parrot, is chatting away and amusing everyone visiting on these warm spring days.

The two Amazon parrots were off exhibit during the winter while Jasper recovered from a respiratory issue. Now that the weather has warmed up and Jasper has been given a clean bill of health, he and his female companion are back out in the Zoo. So don't forget to say "Hi" next time you are visiting.

Gus Says: Commute Another Way

2009-05-12T14:58:00.000-07:00

By Gus, the Green tree frog and Zoo Mascot

Be Green this May and Bike, Carpool, Skate, Bus or Walk to Work! Since 1956, May has been recognized as National Bike Month. At the Sacramento Zoo, we are encouraging our staff to use any alternative method of transportation besides driving alone in a gas guzzling car. Reduce pollution and traffic while getting some great exercise or bonding with coworkers on your commute.

Why should you bike to work this week?
IT’S FUN
Biking to work builds morale, encourages camaraderie, and is a great way to get active in your community.

IT’S HEALTHY
Active employees are more alert, take fewer sick days, and are more productive.

IT’S GREEN.
Biking reduces your carbon footprint, reduces traffic congestion, and can save you money.

Welcome Amber the Anteater - Slideshow

2009-05-05T14:53:00.000-07:00

By Lauren Kraft, Public Relations Coordinator

The Zoo's female Giant anteater is now out on exhibit with the male. She arrived over a month ago and spent 30 days of quarantine in the veterinary hospital before given a clean bill of health. She moved up to the Giant anteater den a couple weeks ago and started getting acclimated to her new companion, and her new exhibit. The two anteaters were introduced to each other on the exhibit and are getting along just fine. The female does like to sleep in and usually does not come out until 10 or 11 am. Giant anteaters are nocturnal, so she is just catching up on her beauty rest.

With a tongue that moves in and out 150 times per minute, the Giant anteater can eat up to 30,000 insects in a single day!

When the weather is warm, look for these two bathing in their pool - it is amazing to see!

Conservation Carousel - Letter from Zoo Director

2009-04-29T14:40:00.000-07:00

On Monday April 20 a United Van Lines truck pulled into our front gate from Ohio. By Friday afternoon, we were the proud owners of a beautiful, hand-carved, hand-painted Conservation Carousel! Over the next few weeks we will be taking the final steps to prepare this new addition at the Zoo for a grand opening on May 20th.

A recent letter to the editor in the Sacramento Bee raised some questions about why the Zoo is spending money on a carousel rather than the enclosures for the animals at the Sacramento Zoo.

The care of the animals is always our top priority. With our limited space at Land Park, we have to be creative about generating revenue. We want the Zoo to be accessible and don’t want to raise admission fees beyond the reach of our community.

Three years ago we invested in a small train at the Zoo. That train now generates $50,000 annually that directly supports our animal care, education programs and conservation. We anticipate that the carousel (which cost just over $500,000) will provide even more significant revenue in the next few years, contributing additional funds to these same essential activities.

Mary Healy
Director/CEO
Sacramento Zoo

Bags from Old Zoo Banners - Another Sale!

2009-04-27T08:00:00.000-07:00

By Jaime Wilson, Green Team Member

Back in March, we debuted our Banner Bags, durable bags made from old Zoo banners. You might remember the blog we posted about it. Well, the response was huge and we sold most of the bags on Bloomin' Crazy.

Well, I am very pleased to announce that we are having another public sale at the Zoo at California Celebration on Saturday, May 2. The booth will be at the front of the lake and will open when the Zoo does, at 9 am. We can take cash, checks and credit cards.

For those who don't know here is an excerpt from the other blog:

"We now have a very limited number of reusable bags made from our old Zoo banners! They are extremely durable and really cute. Since each one is handmade from parts of old banners, they are usually one-of-a-kind and most have animals on them. There are also notepads and portfolios available."

These fabulous bags are made in Berkeley, CA by Elbow Grease Designs.

Just post a comment if you have any questions and I will post a response. If you want an email response, please include your email address (we won't post that part!)

ZooZoom 2009 Slideshow

2009-04-24T08:00:00.000-07:00

By Jaime Wilson, Zoo Blog Keeper

We hosted our annual race, ZooZoom in Land Park last Sunday, and it was tons of fun! Thanks to Fleet Feet for all their hard work. The final numbers are still coming in, but we know there were at least 2,400 people registered before Sunday.

Here is a look at some pictures from ZooZoom.

Working as a team!

2009-04-22T08:00:00.000-07:00

By Ann Geiger, Education Director

First we had IKEA donate furniture for our education classroom...Way to go IKEA! Then we needed to assemble the furniture and move out the old stuff from the classroom. This is tricky because the zoo is a busy place so finding the time and help to do such a large project is difficult.

Enter William Buhler... William was looking for an Eagle Scout project and we were in need of his help. Not only did Troop 325 from Ranch Cordova make over our classroom, William designed and will install a new bulletin board for our Docent volunteers!

The team of people who came out to help was fantastic! Family and friends worked together to make out classroom more functional, and in my eyes "beautiful"!

Thanks to you all for your hard work!

Giraffe Exhibit Renovation Update

2009-04-20T08:00:00.000-07:00

By Jaime Wilson, Zoo Blog Keeper

After the official ground breaking in February for the Tall Wonders giraffe exhibit renovation and expansion, it has been full steam ahead with construction! The most exciting part was the demolition of the old cement buildings, the hippo pool and huge amounts of earth moving!

Now when you come by that area, you will see a raised area to the side of the Vet Hospital which will be the new giraffe barn. On the other side they were pouring concrete all last week for the base of the viewing platform. It's not much to look at, but we are so excited about this element of the design, that Zoo Director Mary Healy and Zoo Curator Jim Schnormeier put on their hard hats and took a moment out of their busy day to have a picture taken!

When the project is done, visitors will be able to see the giraffes at eye level. Talk about getting up close and personal! Visit our Tall Wonders page if you would like to donate to the project.

Little Peeps: Be a Tortoise Craft

2009-04-16T10:50:00.000-07:00

By Amanda Castenada, Education Manager

We’re trying something new out this year and offering a series of pre-school classes during the offseason (not summer camp!) called Little Peeps, and they are going fabulously! I have been having so much fun on Wednesday mornings with this enthusiastic group of 3-5 year olds and their parents and grandparents. It does take a lot of prep work to get everything ready, but the kids and their parents really appreciate it and have a great time. The kids are so excited and interested in the animals at the Zoo that it makes my job very easy!

We are half way through this spring’s sold-out series. So far, our class themes have been “Tricky Animals,” “Bird Beaks,” and “Wild Colors.” Coming up we will be learning about “Animal Homes,” “Wild Sounds,” and “Wild Moves.” In each class we sing songs, visit animals, and make crafts.

So far, my favorite crafts have been those they can use for pretend play, like the tortoise shells they made the first day. Want to make this craft for your children? It is very easy!

Supplies
¾ yard of shell-colored Ecospun felt (We used dark green)
½ yard of scute-colored Ecospun felt (We used light green)
Sharp Scissors
Tacky Glue or other felt glue
A yard stick or measuring tape to draw your pattern
This will make 3 shells

Step 1: Draw a 20 inch diameter circle on main shell-color felt, and cut out as many as you can fit on your felt. You should be able to get 3.

Step 2: Draw a 16 inch diameter circle on scute-color felt, and cut out as many as you can fit.

Step 3: Cut out plate felt circle into a center circle cut into 4ths and 6 outer circle pieces or any other shapes you would like. You can be more technical than I was and cut it into accurate scute shapes if you would like. The figure below shows how.

Step 4: Children can arrange the scutes on the shell in any order they like and glue them on with little dabs of tacky glue. They will dry enough to hold the scutes on fairly quickly.

Step 5: Because it’s made from felt, the shell stays on well when you just drape it over your child’s back. Put on your shell and pretend to be a tortoise! What do you do when a predator comes by? How do you find your food? We played the Hokey Pokey, and it was really fun. My favorite part was “Put your head in . . .”

Take a look at the Little Peeps video to see the craft in action.