Wildlife Adventures: Reptile Retreat

Another Wildlife Adventure Reptile Retreat has come and gone, and boy was it a blast! We had many boys participate this week as we learned all about the different kinds of reptiles and what makes them so special! They learned about all kinds of reptiles like turtles, tortoises, crocodiles, snakes, lizards, alligators, tuataras, and many more! The kids even got a few special guests to come and show them what being a reptile is all about! P.J. stopped by to show the kids what being a blue-tongued skink really means, and Monte Python came to represent what a live snake looks and acts like. After many games and activities, the kids were introduced to the next topic: dinosaurs! We explained that although dinosaurs are not reptiles, they lived during the same time, had similar ancestors, and shared many characteristics like horns, scales, and beaks. They were then able to go on their own personal dinosaur digs and find some dinosaur skeletons.

When it was time for Thursday’s field trip, the kids slithered up to the Thanksgiving Point Museum of Ancient Life to learn more about dinosaurs and reptiles through the ages! We started out by seeing a modern day reptile (a green iguana), before being transported back into time to the early days of reptiles and dinosaurs. There were many fun dinosaur skeletons and models for the kids to see and touch, and there was even an erosion pit for the kids to play in. They had the opportunity to create flash floods, canyons, meanders, and unearth hidden dinosaurs in the water and sand. However, that wasn’t even the best part of the field trip! The kids had the opportunity to become official junior paleontologists by prepping and cleaning their very own real fish fossil! As soon as they cleaned their fossil, they were able to take it home and show off their hard work. What a wild week! The kids had a roaring, hissing, slithering, good time and we hope to see more kids join us next year for this incredible opportunity!