Barn Hill Preserve! (Or, A Kangaroo Came to School!)

From Barn Hill Preserve's website, "Barn Hill Preserve's FREE mobile program consists of one 45-minute oral presentation on our LIVE animal ambassadors. Our program offers students the unique experience to get up close and personal with animals they may have never seen before!  Students participate by asking questions, getting involved in demonstrations, and responding to the speaker, making our program both educational and entertaining!  Our enthusiastic public speakers tailor the presentation to the age of their audience and regularly present to students in preK-12th grade. 

Barn Hill Preserve's exotic animal education program is 100% FREE to both your students and school. We fund our free program by providing students the opportunity to purchase pictures with our live animal ambassadors. These 6x4 photos are $10 each and are taken on our jungle themed backdrop." For more information, please click HERE!

To sum up this experience, I would say it was the COOLEST DAY EVER! But really. The presenters were very knowledgeable about the animals (Thanks, Melissa and Olivia!), friendly to the kids and teachers, and very caring for the animals.  They gave a great presentation and allowed those that paid to take photos with the animals of their choice.  After all the photos were taken, they were printed and delivered to classrooms on the very same day!

Most kiddos chose to take their photo with Charlotte. 

I just love that Sarah couldn't resist; she had to give the kangaroo a hug!!

After the presentation, we wrote about one thing we learned from the program.  Greyden and Yuto did such a great job on their writing, I wanted to let them share it with Melissa and Olivia.  Melissa was so excited about the writing and pictures that she took a picture with them both and let Yuto and Greyden pet the kangaroo and the bearded dragon!

Yuto wrote: "The bearded dragon is a lizard that is a fast runner and can climb things and it can dig well."  Greyden wrote: "Parrots can break your fingers. Make sure they don't bite you!"  He drew Einstein, the parrot from the presentation.

Melissa and Olivia let the teachers check out and hold all the animals!  AMAZING!!!

Just look at that hedgehog! He had such a soft, squishy belly considering his backside is covered with quills.

You guys MUST look into this program for your school. Barn Hill Preserve has two locations - one in Louisiana and one in Delaware - and they travel all over the east coast to share their educational program!