Madhouse diaries : Festive fun at the zoo

Yesterday was the first day of the holidays so we headed off to the zoo to join in with their festive activities.

We started off looking for the seals in their underwater viewing area but they wouldn't play game so we had to go back up and see them from outside !

The owls were wide awake and looking festive though.

We always think of owls as having wide eyes but this one could barely keep his open !

Pierre decided that this breed of owl only had one leg !

We marvelled at how bendy the flamingoes' necks were.

Then practised standing on one leg to see if we could do it as well as the flamingoes !

The kids had a treasure hunt to complete, finding answers to riddles about winter-themed animals as we went round the zoo. When they handed in their completed answer sheets on the way out, they got a free activity book. 

We headed into the education centre to join in with the Christmas crafts sessions. It was great to see that they had an activity that appealed to all ages - making and decorating a cardboard Christmas tree.

The first task was colouring in pictures of some of the animals in the zoo. There was some serious concentration going on here !

Then it was time to stick them on the 3d Christms tree and add stickers and sparkly garlands.

The finishing touch was wrapping it in a big sheet of plastic filled with sparkly confetti. All three of the kids were really proud of their finished creations.

We headed back out to see the final animals in the dwindling light. The beavers were being fed and it always amazes us how much they stuff in their jaws before swimming back to their inside lair. One picked up a whole apple then added a stick of celery, while another one stuffed five whole carrots in his mouth !

The donkey had very matted fur but I seem to remember from last year that this is a normal part of moulting.

The other donkey looked like he had dreadlocks ! 

There was bearly (groan!) enough light left to see the zoo's most popular inhabitants !

But we did get to discover the newest addition - an anteater.

As always, the kids wanted to compare their size to the storks' wingspan.

This photo from another visit two years ago shows just how much Juliette has grown !

Pierre's still got some catching up to do though !

We just had time to go and have a hot chocolate and Nutella-filled pancake at the Christmas market and give Santa a cuddle then it was time to head home.