Central Park Zoo Adventures!

Early in January, the children set off for a journey by PATH train and subway to the Central Park Zoo. The day was pleasant, but chilly–the perfect atmosphere for an adventure.

Before we arrived at the zoo, we found an amazing playground on which to eat snacks, climb, run, and hunt for worms. The children took risks, encouraged each other, and surpassed their own expectations!

Once the classes arrived at the zoo, the teacher taught us about penguins!

The children compared a dove, one of the zoo animals, to the penguins–and even got to touch the dove’s feathers.

Many of the children, when given the opportunity to touch penguin feathers, were astonished by how oily and spiky they were, especially compared to the dove’s soft feathers. The children learned about counter-shading and discussed how it helps many ocean animals, like killer whales and penguins, camouflage in the sea.

Finally it was time to see the penguins!

The Polar Circle at the zoo is home to King penguins, Chinstrap penguins, Rockhopper penguins, and Gentoo penguins. The children observed the four types of penguins and even interacted with them. It was a delight to watch the children watching the penguins, and they would have stayed all day if they could have!

After visiting the penguins and puffins, we divided into groups for lunch and exploring the animals in the other parts of the zoo.

We ended by interacting with the sea lions and watching their feeding time. The keepers gave them fish as they checked their eyes, teeth, and bodies.

Finally, we walked to the subway and traveled back to Hoboken. It was a long day! We hope you enjoy the photographs above, taken by teachers and chaperones throughout the day.