FOUR FABULOUS ZOOS

April 8 is Zoo Lover’s Day. This spring, enjoy the variety of these fabulous zoos and aquariums in the Midwest:

Explore the KANSAS CITY ZOO. With more than 1,700 animals on 202 acres, it’s the most affordable family fun for kids of all ages. Travel all over the world without ever leaving the Kansas City Zoo. Take a spin on the Endangered Species Carousel, ride the train, then continue your journey on the tram to the award-winning Africa exhibit and Elephant Expedition. Fly overhead to get a bird’seye view of giraffes, hippos, zebras and more on the Sky Safari and land at “one of America’s best chimpanzee exhibits,” as proclaimed by renowned primatologist Jane Goodall. Visit Helzberg Penguin Plaza, the Discovery Barn and Stingray Bay. Stroll down Tiger Trail and get nose to nose with primates, orangutans and tigers—and be sure to explore Australia too.

TANGANYIKA WILDLIFE PARK (1000 S. Hawkins Ln., Goddard, Kansas) is an incredible facility where families can experience wildlife like never before. Tanganyika features more than 40 exhibits featuring 10 interactive stations, more than 400 animals and 37 successful breeding programs. Choose one of their Wildly Different Experiences where you can get up close with a variety of zoo animals and learn more about them.

SEA LIFE KANSAS CITY in the Crown Center district is a favorite indoor attraction. This aquarium experience will get you up close and face-to-face with amazing underwater creatures such as sharks, octopus, a green sea turtle named Gertrude, stingrays, sea stars, seahorses, jellyfish and thousands of colorful fish! A favorite attraction is the Interactive Rockpool Experience, where you are able to touch animals like sea stars and sea urchins with the help of a Sea Life educator.

Spend an entire day at WONDERS OF WILDLIFE (500 W. Sunshine St., Springfield, Missouri). This fantastic natural history museum and aquarium bills itself as the “largest, most immersive fish and wildlife attraction in the world!” The 1.5-million-gallon aquarium adventure features 35,000 live fish, mammals, reptiles, amphibians and birds. Kids love seeing sloths, bears, alligators, flamingoes, otters and countless sea creatures including octopus, sharks, jellyfish and fish from around the world.

It’s raining, it’s pouring … life feels very boring! Sighs can be in steady supply, as we have just come out of winter in the Midwest only to head straight into our rainy season. If your family is like our family, we are tired of being indoors! But though you may have reached the bottom of the idea barrel for coming up with fun, rainy days don’t have to be boring. With a smidge of creativity and determination to dig deep, you can keep your sanity and keep your children entertained!

Sensory play

Sensory play is so beneficial for kids, as it promotes free exploration, sparks creativity and piques curiosity. These are some of our family’s favorites:

Baking soda and vinegar. Use eye droppers to drip vinegar tinted with food coloring onto a thick layer of baking soda in a pan. Watch it bubble up over and over again. Make little