I Can’t Remember

We’re lucky to have water and electricity. But there’s no school for the rest of the week!!

So, while I’m brainstorming for myself on ways to keep the kids occupied, I thought I’d share.

–Clean up. What? You don’t have a child-sized rake? Give them yours and supervise out of the corner of your eye as you haul the larger branches.

–Playdate. Someone you know desperately needs their child out from under foot while they fix storm damage. Watch their kid and yours will have a playmate.

–Church. Yours or one near you is open. They may have activities for kids, or need help serving evacuees or packaging supplies.

–Un-pack. Kids can help un-tape the windows, put up the emergency supplies, and un-do whatever you did to get ready for the storm

–’Spring’ cleaning. While your moving stuff around, clean up/out the garage or attic. The stuff you find will amuse them. Besides, that ‘perfectly good’ whatever may be needed soon by those who have lost everything. Box up clothes for shelters and household goods and furniture for Goodwill, et al.

–Go on Vacation. If your place of work is closed or your home is uncomfortable/unlivable, take vacation. You might as well make lemonade. If you’re at the in-laws in another city, don’t sit at home and fret! Instead, play tourist. There are free or inexpensive tourist attractions in every city. Assuming you’re still in Texas, find stuff here: Texas Tourism
or here: Texas Fun
or here: TeXas Travel Guide

Technorati Tags: activities, amuse kids, children, Hurricane Ike

So, there are Zoos with more money, more flash, more pizzaz. Other Zoos have state-of-the-art attractions and million dollar animal habitats.

But the Austrin Zoo is still the best zoo I have ever been too.

Why?
For one reason, because whenever you take your kids to the zoo, the inevitable question pops up: “Mommy, where did all these animals come from?”
Ooops!
If you’re at the Austin Zoo, you can answer: “They were rescued.”

That’s right, the Austin zoo is populated entirely by former exotic pets, smuggled wildlife, ex-circus animals, drug dealers’ decorations, and, in one case, a lion that was used as a guard dog in a junkyard.

The zoo inhabitants have found sanctuary in a lovely, shady, hill country site.

Did I mention the SHADE?
The trees at the zoo’s hill country site were left, some in the animals’ enclosures, and some along the paths meant for people. Paths of crushed gravel, with not a sidewalk in sight! And the paths get really, really, ohmygosh really close to the animals! Even through a double fence, a Bengal tiger only six feet away is not something you’re likely to ever forget.

In addition to the moral highground and shade found at the hilltop zoo, there is loads of fun to be had. Kids just love this zoo! Field trippers and birthday partiers can’t get enough of it. The kids can really get close to the animals, and kids love animals. If your’s are mischeivious, warn them ahead of time not to chase the peacocks that freely roam the zoo.

The Austin Zoo also has a zoo train that runs every hour, and eating facilities. And don’t forget the petting zoo: I’ve never met a friendlier bunch of goats and llamas in my life. They were even gentle with tots barely walking!

When you go to the Austrin Zoo, be careful to follow the signs to the Zoo, not the signs for a place called the “Sanctuary” which offensively enough sells exotic pets!
The “Sanctuary”’s days are hopefully limited, though: on their website, the Austin Zoo states: “Along with a sanctuary in San Antonio, Austin Zoo has gained national acclaim and is working to promote legislation that will make it harder for small, roadside “zoos” with mistreated animals to exist.”