There are a multitude of experiences in Southern California you can embark on to get your kids up close and personal with animals. Here are seven great ones.
When I was 12, I visited the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C., with my family. Inside the insect zoo, a naturalist pulled a massive brown bug out of a tank and held it in front of the curious but wary group.“A hissing cockroach from Madagascar,” the naturalist replied. He then turned to me and asked, “Do you want to hold it?”
“Sure,” I said with a voice that was surprisingly calm. And before I could consider changing my mind, the cockroach was sitting on my arm, just above my elbow. “Hold still,” I was instructed. I did. My father snapped a photo. For weeks, I carried it around with me to show people a snapshot of my travel adventures — and my bravery. I began to learn that when children meet animals up close and understand how to care for them safely, what they come away with is self-confidence, empathy and respect for the natural world around them .
Now, as a parent myself, I’ve visited many animal habitats with my daughters over the years. We’ve tiptoed through tide pools and watched birds in Griffith Park. We’ve kayaked in Marina del Rey, looking for sea lions among the boat docks in the harbor. We’ve visited natural history museums to see butterflies and aquariums to watch the sea otters swim and play.
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