The Little Light House Family Learning Center (FLC) held class outside the classroom and went on a field trip to the Tulsa Zoo! It has become a goal of the FLC Team to host classes at Tulsa organizations once per semester as an initiative to encourage and assist families to go to local, public spaces with their children.
“It’s always so nice to be surrounded with families that understand the struggles we sometimes face out in public, especially at particularly exciting places.”
Each class traversed the Zoo identifying animals, practicing animal sounds, and socializing with friends. As students took in the sights and sounds of the Zoo, caregivers had the opportunity to bond with one another. Going as a group fostered a supportive atmosphere of connection, respite, and joy.
“It was such a blessing to be able to spend time with our FLC Fam outside of the classroom. It was a fun morning of community, with no judgment, and a lot of extra hands there to help me have a few minutes to relax and decompress if I needed it.”
“Seeing all the kids’ smiles was priceless. My favorite thing was watching staff interact with our babies and having a front-row seat to that genuine love. I just truly appreciate and am grateful for the way Ms. Kaley loves on Kennedy.”
Before going to the Zoo, the FLC Team hosted a “Practice Zoo Day.” Teachers & therapists developed a social story to show their students a visual of what the field trip would consist of. They also discussed with parents some helpful tools to pack in their children’s backpacks, such as fidgets, crunchy snacks, and bubbles. A favorite among both the parents and the students was the scavenger hunt around the LLH building to find Zoo stuffed animals. Turning the Zoo into a small-scale experience allowed students to feel more comfortable for the big field trip; this preparation aimed to help manage behavior, enhance engagement, and foster a sense of security.
Additionally, Speech-Language Pathologist, Riley Horton, created a Zoo communication sheet to help students identify the animals and express their emotions towards them.
“Clark loved the communication sheet! The second he saw a new animal, he immediately stopped to find it on the sheet. The excitement was so sweet.”
For some families, it was their child’s first time at the Zoo. By the end of the day, many families felt more empowered, recognizing the Zoo as a new, exciting destination for future family outings.
“We had been looking forward to taking Teddy to the Zoo for the first time, and this was a great opportunity to do so together with other families and his teachers. I wasn’t sure if he would really notice the animals, but he did! I was happy to discover the things he could do.”
View more photos from Little Light House’s field trip to the Zoo below!