Observe and participate in the magical creation of a shawl from sheep shearing to carding, spinning, dying and weaving the wool at the Sheep to Shawl Festival @ Oatland Island Wildlife Center, Savannah.

Members of The Fiber Guild of the Savannah join Oatland staff and volunteers in making this traditional spring celebration fun for the whole family. Crafts, games, hay rides, pony rides & other children’s activities as well as food concessions will be available. Cost is $7 for adults, $5 for children & $5 for Military/seniors.

10 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Sat. March 23, 2013
$7 per adult, $5 per child (4-17), and $5 for military/seniors.
www.oatlandisland.org
912.395.1509

Be sure to take advantage of the 2013 Georgia History Festival’s Super Museum Sunday.

Various Savannah-area museums will be FREE Sunday, February 10, 2013, 12:00 noon – 4:00 p.m.

Click here for a list of this years participating sites.

Georgians and visitors alike experience our area’s rich history and cultural life as historic sites, house museums, art museums, and other points of interest in Savannah and coastal Georgia open their doors to the public, providing an exceptional opportunity to experience the history in our own backyard. From Statesboro to Darien, over 40 cultural institutions throughout coastal Georgia participate in this popular GHS’s Georgia History Festival annual family event. Free and open to the public.

Among the Super Museum Sunday activities at various museums will be: Dave’s Reptiles featured at “Super Museum Sunday” on Feb. 10, 12-4 at the Savannah-Ogeechee Canal Museum, 681 Ft. Argyle Rd., 2.3 mi. past I-95.  Also Urbanna Farms, Ann & Howard’s Plants, Canal History & Birdwatching Tours, Food & Craft Sales.  Free and open to the public. Dave’s Reptiles” is a kid-friendly program and will appeal to all ages, but older kids will also enjoy the tours.

The popular & educational Toddler Tuesday program @ Oatland Island Wildlife Center is back to two times. The class will be offered from 10-10:45 AM and again from 11-11:45 AM.

Toddler Tuesdays is a fun weekly program that celebrates nature @ Oatland Island Wildlife Center, 711 Sandtown Rd. Savannah, GA, 31410.

At Toddler Tuesday, children & their parents/caretakers experience nature through themed activities including live animal encounters, wildlife nature walks, storytelling, songs, interactive finger-play & crafts.

Oatland’s naturalist Michelle Kelly leads these exciting & educational sessions.

Admission rates & driving directions here.

Pre-registration required. Call 395-1500

Toddler Tuesday Program Fees: General: $5 per child $5 per adult Friends of Oatland Members: $5 per child, up to 2 adults FREE!

Program fee includes program and entrance to Oatland Island Wildlife Center and trails.

TODDLER TUESDAY THEMES
January to March 2013

January 29th, 2013: Alligator
It’s an all-included Alligator gathering! The alligator is my friend. He can be yours too…if you join me for Toddler Tuesday on this day.

February 5th, 2013: Indigo Snake
It is the year of the Snake in Chinese Culture. Come to Toddler Tuesday and celebrate the New Year with our honorary serpentine friend Bella.

February 12th, 2013: Honey Bees
We are sure to have a sweet time learning about these magnificent pollinators. We’ll make a craft and then make a bee line straight to the hives to see the bee dance in action. Warning, you may have to bee-have!

February 19th, 2013: Bovine Birthday Bash
Mooo- ve on over to Oatland for this Toddler Tuesday– It’s Sapphire the cow’s birthday! We’ll sing songs, roll play and stroll over to shower Sapphire with birthday love.

February 26th, 2013: Dolphin Discovery
Did you know that dolphin call each other by name? Come to this program and we’ll make a splash learning amazing facts about these highly intelligent creatures that are so common along the GA coast.

March 5th, 2013: Sing, Sing a Songbird
You don’t want to miss this Toddler Tuesday. We are learning all about nature’s best singers, the songbirds. We’ll sing a few songs ourselves then take the class outside and hear these spring time serenades first hand!

March 12th, 2013: ‘Possum Party!
You are cordially invited to Petunia the ‘Possum’s 2nd birthday party. We’ll lean about Possums and celebrate her birthday Toddler Tuesday style. It’s a birthday bash you won’t want to miss.

March 19th 2013: Sheep to Shawl
Baa baa black sheep gonna’ sheer your wool…for the sheep to shawl festival coming up the weekend after this TT. We’ll get an early start studying these wooly creatures. Bring your strollers because we are heading over to the barn to give our very own Dottie a sheep treat.

March 26th, 2013: Rabbit Rendez-vous
What Oatland animal loves the springtime? You’ll have rabbits on your mind during this holiday time; so why not have one in the classroom? We have a warm and fuzzy time learning about these lovely little lagomorphs, so hop on over to Oatland for this TT event.

More to come in Spring 2013. Stay tuned.

Oatland Island Wildlife Center, Savannah. Details here.

Skidaway Is. State Park, Savannah. Details here.

The Sandbox Interactive Children’s Museum, Hilton Head Is., S.C. Open MLK Jr. Day 2013, 10 AM-5 PM.  Details here.

Lawton Stables, Sea Pines Resort, Hilton Head. Is. S.C. Lawton’s free animal farm includes goats, sheep, pot-bellied pigs, ponies, rabbits, a deer named Callie and a Clydesdale named Harley (who loves visitors bearing carrots and apples). Pony rides and horseback riding available for a fee. Details here.

South Carolina Aquarium, Charleston Harbor , S.C. Details here.

Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry, Charleston, S.C. Details here. Join us to celebrate MLK, Jr. Day from
9am – 5pm! We’ll have a Peace Parade and more!

Museum of Science & History (MOSH) & The Bryan-Gooding Planetarium, Jacksonville, Fla. Details here.

Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens, Jacksonville, Fla.  Details here.

For our weekend daytrips suggestions to kid-friendly places near Savannah that are worth the drive, click here.

If you are new to the Savannah area or are a new parent, then you need to check out Toddler Tuesdays, a fun weekly program that celebrates nature @  Oatland Island Wildlife Center, 711 Sandtown Rd. Savannah, GA, 31410.

At Toddler Tuesday, children & their parents/caretakers experience nature through themed activities including live animal encounters, wildlife nature walks, storytelling, songs, interactive finger-play & crafts.

Oatland’s naturalist Michelle Kelly leads these exciting & educational sessions.

NEW TIME: One session 10:30-11:15 am.

Admission rates & driving directions here.

Toddler Tuesdays Program is at 10:30 AM on Tuesdays each week . Pre-registration required. Call 395-1500

Toddler Tuesday Program Fees: General: $5 per child $5 per adult Friends of Oatland Members: $5 per child, up to 2 adults FREE!

Program fee includes program and entrance to Oatland Island Wildlife Center and trails.

TODDLER TUESDAY THEMES
January to March 2013

January 8th, 2013: Armadillo, The Dirt Digging Dynamo
Has anyone seen a turtle- rabbit before? Well, this is as close as you will get to seeing one. We’ll investigate these little armored ones and find out why we dig them so much.

January 15th, 2013: Toddler Tuesday’s Turtle Time
We’ll discover these prehistoric shelled creatures of water and land; so get out of your shell and head on over to Oatland’s Toddler Tuesday for this day.

January 22nd, 2013: Let’s Get it Right! Georgia’s Right Whales
It is no fluke that we are studying whales this time of year! They are living off the Georgia coast right now! These beautiful beasts give birth and raise their calves just off of Georgia, South Carolina and northern Florida’s coast each winter. We’ll celebrate their life cycle TT style.

January 29th, 2013: Alligator
It’s an all-included Alligator gathering! The alligator is my friend. He can be yours too…if you join me for Toddler Tuesday on this day.

February 5th, 2013: Indigo Snake
It is the year of the Snake in Chinese Culture. Come to Toddler Tuesday and celebrate the New Year with our honorary serpentine friend Bella.

February 12th, 2013: Honey Bees
We are sure to have a sweet time learning about these magnificent pollinators. We’ll make a craft and then make a bee line straight to the hives to see the bee dance in action. Warning, you may have to bee-have!

February 19th, 2013: Bovine Birthday Bash
Mooo- ve on over to Oatland for this Toddler Tuesday– It’s Sapphire the cow’s birthday! We’ll sing songs, roll play and stroll over to shower Sapphire with birthday love.

February 26th, 2013: Dolphin Discovery
Did you know that dolphin call each other by name? Come to this program and we’ll make a splash learning amazing facts about these highly intelligent creatures that are so common along the GA coast.

March 5th, 2013: Sing, Sing a Songbird
You don’t want to miss this Toddler Tuesday. We are learning all about nature’s best singers, the songbirds. We’ll sing a few songs ourselves then take the class outside and hear these spring time serenades first hand!

March 12th, 2013: ‘Possum Party!
You are cordially invited to Petunia the ‘Possum’s 2nd birthday party. We’ll lean about Possums and celebrate her birthday Toddler Tuesday style. It’s a birthday bash you won’t want to miss.

March 19th 2013: Sheep to Shawl
Baa baa black sheep gonna’ sheer your wool…for the sheep to shawl festival coming up the weekend after this TT. We’ll get an early start studying these wooly creatures. Bring your strollers because we are heading over to the barn to give our very own Dottie a sheep treat.

March 26th, 2013: Rabbit Rendez-vous
What Oatland animal loves the springtime? You’ll have rabbits on your mind during this holiday time; so why not have one in the classroom? We have a warm and fuzzy time learning about these lovely little lagomorphs, so hop on over to Oatland for this TT event.

More to come in Spring 2013. Stay tuned.

On Sundays at 1:30 PM, a keeper will be available at the Wolf Wilderness exhibit in Oatland Island Wildlife Center to to tell you more about Oatland’s armadillos, wolves, owls, and flying squirrels. The keeper will cover the natural history of these wonderful critters. Questions are welcome! Details here.

Toddler Tuesday weekly nature program at Oatland Island Wildlife Center in Savannah will be at a new time. Instead of two sessions, there will be one weekly session from 10:30-11:15 starting this Tuesday, September 25. Theme of Sept. 25 is Fabulous Foxes.

At Toddler Tuesday, children & their parents/caretakers experience nature through themed activities including live animal encounters, wildlife nature walks, storytelling, songs, interactive finger-play & crafts.

Oatland’s new naturalist Michelle Kelly leads the sessions. Pre-registration required.

Toddler Tuesday Program Fees for 2011-2012: General: $5 per child $5 per adult Friends of Oatland Members: $5 per child, up to 2 adults FREE!

Program fee includes program and entrance to Oatland Island Wildlife Center and trails.

Oatland Island Wildlife Center Wildlife, 711 Sandtown Rd. Savannah, GA, 31410 (912) 395-1212

Driving directions here.

One of our favorite annual Fall events, the Halloween Hike at Oatland Wildlife Center in Savannah, is set for Oct. 19 & 20 2012.

It’s a fun, safe, not-so-scary event for little trick-or-treaters.

TIME: 5-8:30 PM Oct. 19 & 20 2012

Walk with your trickster down our friendly forest trail to meet and gather goodies from our friendly animal characters.

Let Mother Earth show you the way and sit with Mother Goose as she tells her favorite rhymes. Face painting, spooky crafts, and many more monstrous activities await your arrival. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Details here.

Oatland Island Wildlife Center Wildlife, 711 Sandtown Rd. Savannah, GA, 31410 (912) 395-1212 Driving directions here.

We’re thrilled to learn that the popular Toddler Tuesday weekly nature program at Oatland Island Wildlife Center in Savannah will resume after a summer hiatus. The first Toddler Tuesday of the 2012-13 season will be Tues. Sept. 4. Theme is “School is for Fish”.

At Toddler Tuesday, children & their parents/caretakers experience nature through themed activities including live animal encounters, wildlife nature walks, storytelling, songs, interactive finger-play & crafts.

Oatland’s new naturalist Michelle Kelly will lead the sessions. Pre-registration required.

Programs at 10 AM & 11 AM Tuesdays. Pre-registration required. Call 395-1500

Toddler Tuesday Program Fees for 2011-2012: General: $5 per child $5 per adult Friends of Oatland Members: $5 per child, up to 2 adults FREE!

Program fee includes program and entrance to Oatland Island Wildlife Center and trails.

Oatland Island Wildlife Center Wildlife, 711 Sandtown Rd. Savannah, GA, 31410 (912) 395-1212

Driving directions here.

Riverbanks Zoo and Garden in Columbia S.C. has a new addition — a koala joey that is now on exhibit.

Born last October to parents Jimmie and Lottie, the baby koala spent nearly seven months growing in its mother’s pouch before fully emerging and making its first public appearance at the Zoo.

After a few weeks of confidence-building peek-a-boo, joeys are then ready to venture out completely but will remain very close with mom for several more months, often riding on her back or clinging to her side. At about a year old, joeys are mature enough to be fully weaned from their mothers.

All the more reason to check out Riverbanks Zoo this summer! Another reason: Toucan Tuesdays. Pay Two-for-One Admission with the Return of Toucan Tuesdays at Riverbanks Zoo in Columbia. S.C. during summer 2012

Every Tuesday this summer, two can visit Riverbanks for the price of one with a donation of two cans of non-perishable food to Harvest Hope. Toucan Tuesdays—a partnership with Harvest Hope Food Bank to help feed hungry families in the Midlands.

Riverbanks visitors generated nearly 2,000 pounds of food during last year’s Toucan Tuesdays drive.

Buy-one, get-one admission isn’t the only perk guests will receive for visiting on a Toucan Tuesday. Riverbanks will also offer $2 ICEEs and 2-for-1 specials in the Elephant’s Trunk Gift Shop.

Toucan Tuesdays will run for 12 consecutive Tuesdays throughout the summer, ending on August 28. The promotion applies to general admission rates only (purchase one admission and get the second for equal or lesser value free; Explorer wristbands and memberships are not included). Donation bins will be located at both the Zoo and Garden entrances.

When visiting Riverbanks, be sure to also check out EdVenture Children’s Museum in Columbia, S.C.

Riverbanks Zoo and Garden, 500 Wildlife Parkway, Columbia, SC 29210 Open daily from 9am to 5pm, except on Thanksgiving & Christmas. Admission to both the Zoo and Garden: $11.75 for adults, $9.25 for children ages 3 – 12 and free for children 2 and under. Group rates and other discounts may apply. www.riverbanks.org

In celebration of World Oceans Day, Jacques Cousteau’s birthday and the new “Sea Jellies of the Georgia Coast” exhibit, the UGA Marine Extension Service will host FREE hands-on education programs from 10am-4pm on Saturday, June 9, 2012 at the Marine Education Center on Skidaway Island, Savannah.

Free aquarium admission & educational activities are sponsored by NOAA’s Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary.

The day’s activities will focus on the issue of marine debris and how it affects Georgia’s coastal waters and the ocean. Visitors can learn more about sea jellies and participate in marine debris and sea jelly crafts, a marine debris program, a salt marsh clean-up, an aquarium treasure hunt, and ocean stories.

The new exhibit “Sea Jellies of the Georgia Coast” will open at 10AM with a half hour introduction to the exhibit at 11AM and highlighting the local and global importance of sea jellies and water quality.  More info here.

Activities Schedule
Marine Debris Program and Salt Marsh Clean-up: 8-10AM
Treasure Hunt (on-going): 10AM-4PM
Marine debris and sea jellies crafts (on-going): 10AM-4PM
“Sea Jellies of the Georgia Coast” Exhibit Opening: 11-11:30AM
Ocean Stories (15 minutes long and on the half hour): 10:30, 11:30, 12:30, 1:30, 2:30, 3:30

Sea turtles fascinate kids. Fortunately, we have several sea turtle walks or talks offered by various nearby museums/marine science centers including:

Evening Turtle Talks and Walks by Coastal Discovery Museum, Hilton Head Is.
8 PM Tuesdays and Thursdays starting June 5 2012 through August 2012.
Location given out at time of reservation
An evening lecture and beach walk to educate participants about the threatened loggerhead sea turtle. Presentation given to entire group, then 2 groups of 10 proceed to the beach to examine the nesting habitat and nest sites. No guarantee of turtle sightings. Adult $20/Child $15 (no children younger than 4).
Reservations are required and may be made by calling 843-689-6767 ext 223.

Evening Turtle Walks at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center, Jekyll Is.
TURTLE WALK RESERVATIONS CAN BE MADE BY CALLING (912) 635-4444
Explore the beach at night, and learn about the amazing journey of loggerhead sea turtles nesting along the Georgia Coast. These popular programs begin with a 30-45 minute presentation at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center about the natural history of sea turtles, followed by a guided beach tour in search of a nesting turtle.
May 29 – July 31* (*Except July 4th) with two nightly programs at 8:30 and 9:30 P.M. Reservations are required as group size is limited by DNR permit restrictions (25 per group maximum) and programs fill quickly.
FEES
Walk Only:
$6 per person (Members)
$12 per person (Non-members**)
**Price does not include general admission into the Georgia Sea Turtle Center)
COMBO TICKETS:
$16 per person
Includes 1 day general admission to the Georgia Sea Turtle Center & 1 Turtle Walk. Turtle Walks are based on availability and reservations are required due to space limitations.
Additional Information:
* Children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Due to the time and nature of these walks,  children be at least 4 years of age.
* During the Turtle Walk presentation the Sea Turtle Center’s hospital area will not be accessible. However, you are welcome to visit the Center during its normal visiting hours with a general admission purchase or combo ticket!
* Seeing a nesting turtle on the beach is not guaranteed. More info here.

Morning Nest Walks by Georgia Sea Turtle Center, Jekyll Island
Offered during hatching season 7-9 AM Sundays, Wednesdays, Saturdays
$6 per person (Members); $12 per person (Non-Members**).
**Price does not include general admission to the Georgia Sea Turtle Center
More info here.

Starting Sat. May 5, the South Carolina Aquarium in Charleston will have a special exhibit about Madagascar, the world’s most biodiverse island. Guests can see lemurs, chameleons and colorful fish.

The exhibit, Madagascar Journey, opens for a three-year run on Saturday. It features creatures from Madagascar including ring-tailed lemurs, a Nile crocodile, giant geckos, boa constrictors stingrays and parrots. The island of Madagascar is home to 250,000 species, but today less than 15 percent of the original native forest remains due to burning and cattle grazing.

The aquarium has just completed a 15-year master plan that includes, among other things, moving its sea turtle hospital from behind the scenes to the public galleries.

South Carolina Aquarium, Charleston, 100 Aquarium Wharf, Charleston, SC 29401, (843) 720-1990 Hours
March-August Open Daily 9 AM-5PM (building closes at 6 PM); September-February Open Daily 9 AM-4 PM (building closes at 5 PM) Closed Thanksgiving, Dec. 25 and half day Dec. 24)

Riverbanks Zoo and Garden in nearby Columbia, S.C. will, for the first time in Zoo history, exhibit a pair of juvenile Komodo dragons beginning this Friday, May 4.

Komodo dragons—also known as Komodo monitors—are the world’s largest living lizards. Male dragons have been known to reach lengths of 10 feet and weigh more than 200 pounds. The largest Komodo on record weighed 366 pounds.

Guests visiting the Zoo will find the young Komodos—as well as Riverbanks’ five Galapagos tortoise babies born last October—on display beginning this Friday in the Desert Gallery of the Aquarium-Reptile Complex. The dragons will reside there until they are large enough to live in a spacious outdoor exhibit.

Riverbanks Zoo and Garden, 500 Wildlife Parkway, Columbia, SC 29210, http://www.riverbanks.org/

With a three-day Presidents Day holiday weekend approaching, we are sharing some of our favorite daytrips to kid-friendly places you can visit in a daytrip or over the weekend. Here are our 10 favorite picks for nearby spots outside of Savannah that are well worth the trip:

1. Georgia Sea Turtle Center, Jekyll Is., Ga (closed Mondays including Presidents Day Feb. 20). Hours, admission rates, directions and more details here.

2. South Carolina Aquarium, Charleston Harbor , S.C. Open on Presidents Day Feb. 20. Hours, daily events, admission rates & specials here.

3. Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry, Charleston, S.C. Open on Presidents Day Feb. 20. Hours, exhibits, admission rates & more details here.

4. Museum of Science & History (MOSH) & The Bryan-Gooding Planetarium, Jacksonville, Fla. Open on Presidents Day Feb. 20. Hours, daily Planetarium shows, upcoming special events, admission specials & more details here. .

5. Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens, Jacksonville, Fla. Open on Presidents Day Feb. 20. Hours, Black History Month Discount, admission rates & more details here.

6. The Center for Wildlife Education & the Lamar Q. Ball Raptor Center at Georgia Southern University Campus, Statesboro, GA. A reptile program is held on each Saturday at 2 p.m. in the Lecture Hall & a flighted raptor program is held at 3 p.m. in the Amphitheater. Admission rates, show details, directions here.  OPEN ON Presidents Day Feb. 20.

7. The Sandbox Interactive Children’s Museum, Hilton Head Is., S.C. Open on Presidents Day Feb. 20 Day. Hours, admission rates & more details here.

8. Lawton Stables, Sea Pines Resort, Hilton Head. Is. S.C. OPEN on Presidents Day Feb. 20 (open everyday except Christmas) Lawton’s free animal farm includes goats, sheep, pot-bellied pigs, ponies, rabbits, a deer named Callie and a Clydesdale named Harley (who loves visitors bearing carrots and apples). Pony rides and horseback riding available for a fee. Details here.

9. Riverbanks Zoo and Garden, Columbia, S.C.. Check out the new bald eagle exhibit & safari ropes challenge course. Details here.

10. EdVenture Children’s Museum, Columbia, S.C. OPEN on Presidents Day Feb. 20. Eight exhibits including EDDIE® the World’s Largest Child, plus a library, learning laboratories, resource centers & more. Two additional outdoor gallery spaces are located just outside the museum’s front doors. Within the total 92,000 square feet that is EdVenture Children’s Museum, there are more than 350 individual hands-on exhibits. Details here.

Butterfly Hollow Open March 9 – September 30

Butterfly Hollow at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens will feature a lush tropical forest and meadow, flowering plants that provide the nectar for hundreds of native butterflies that may even land on you.

Enjoy fairy houses, garden art, water features and arbors. Butterfly pupae will be on display inside the exhibit, so guests can see the butterfly’s life cycle. As the season progresses, new species will be added.

Professor Wendy Perrywhistle, an expert on butterflies and the fairy world from Eldonshire, England, has posted her journal entries throughout the exhibit to help guests discover the butterflies and the important role they play in our environment. Visitors will also see evidence of gnomes and trolls that will help tell the story about butterflies and the environment they live in.

Butterfly Hollow is open from 9:30 a.m. until a half hour prior to closing each day.

Fees:
Butterfly Hollow tickets can be purchased at Main Camp ticket booths or on the board walk to the entrance of this exhibit.
•$2.00 per person for non-members
•$1.50 per member

Value Tickets including general Zoo Admission, Butterfly Hollow, Stingray Bay, Train and Carousel may be purchased online or at the Zoo’s main entrance.
•$21.95/adults
•$19.95/seniors
•$14.95/children

For more info on Jacksonville Zoo, click here.

We love Super Museum Sunday when museums & other organizations are FREE. This year, Super Museum Sunday is 12-4 PM Sunday Feb 5. The new SCAD Museum of Art will be among those local museums offering free admission this Sunday! 

From Statesboro to Darien, over 40 cultural institutions throughout coastal Georgia participate in this popular annual family event. Free and open to the public.

Click here for a list of some participating local museums, so you can plan your day and take advantage of free admissions.

Next time you head to Riverbanks Zoo & Gardens in Columbia, S.C. check out EdVenture Children’s Museum, the South’s largest children’s museum.

We haven’t gone yet but a savvy Savannah mom recommended it.

EdVenture’s mission is to create new generations of lifelong learners. Eight exhibits including EDDIE® the World’s Largest Child, plus a library, learning laboratories, resource centers & more. Two additional outdoor gallery spaces are located just outside the museum’s front doors. Within the total 92,000 square feet that is EdVenture Children’s Museum, there are more than 350 individual hands-on exhibits.

Kids can climb inside EDDIE® (Forty-feet tall sitting down) inside his brain, heart, stomach and other body structures. EDDIE® allows children to use their gross motor skills to discover what’s inside their bodies.

EdVenture Children’s Museum, 211 Gervais Street, Columbia, SC 29201, (803) 779-3100, http://www.edventure.org, Hours, Tue – Sat: 9 AM – 5 PM, Sun Noon-5 PM, info@edventure.org On Facebook here.

Ever wonder what it’s like to hang around the trees like a siamang or see the world through the eyes of a giraffe? Brave explorers of all ages can experience the zoo from a much higher point of view with the all-new Sky-High Safari at Riverbanks Zoo, Columbia S.C..

Sky-High Safari is a 3-story (or 44-foot-tall) ropes challenge course that takes climbers along an adrenaline-pumping, heart-pounding adventure as they navigate through a series of more than 30 balance-testing obstacles—including rope ladders, bridges, nets and tight-rope style footlines.

The ropes course is designed to accommodate multiple climbers at one time. All participants are safely secured and tethered with a full-body harness and lanyard to an overhead tracking system. Children must be 48 inches tall to participate without parent supervision.

Sky-High Safari is located near Riverbanks’ African Savanna exhibit—across from Giraffe Overlook. The course will be open daily from 10am-4pm beginning Monday, January 30.

The cost to climb is $5 for Individual and Family-level members, $3 for Explorer, Patron and Gold-level members, and $7 for the general public—with paid regular admission to Riverbanks Zoo and Garden.

For more kids’ & annual activities at Riverbanks Zoo, click here.

Riverbanks Zoo and Garden, 500 Wildlife Parkway, Columbia, SC 29210 Open daily from 9am to 5pm, except on Thanksgiving & Christmas. Admission to both the Zoo and Garden: $11.75 for adults, $9.25 for children ages 3 – 12 and free for children 2 and under. Group rates and other discounts may apply. www.riverbanks.org

Oatland Island Wildlife Center in Savannah has 3 new juvenile bobcats on exhibit. Come check out these active, playful youngsters. Oatland Island is open 362 days a year including MLK Jr. Day Mon. Jan. 16.

Oatland’s popular weekly Toddler Tuesdays programs Jan. 10 returns after holiday break. Details below.

Oatland Island Wildlife Center
Wildlife and education programs
711 Sandtown Rd.
Savannah, GA, 31410
(912) 395-1212

Admission rates & driving directions here.

Toddler Tuesdays return Jan. 10 2012 at Oatland Island Wildlife Center.
Programs at 10 AM & 11 AM Tuesdays. Pre-registration required. Call 395-1500

Toddler Tuesday Program Fees for 2011-2012:
General: $5 per child $5 per adult
Friends of Oatland Members: $5 per child, up to 2 adults FREE!

Program fee includes program and entrance to Oatland Island Wildlife Center and trails.

Toddler Tuesday Topics January 2012

January 10, 2012: Happy “Mew” Year! – Join Oatland as they welcome a new year by learning about Oatland’s feline friends the Bobcats. They may be short on tails but not on personality! During this program, the group will take a walk so be sure to bring your stroller or wagon.

January 17, 2012: Our Bushy-tailed Friends: Squirrels! – Scurry to Oatland Island to learn about those frisky, furry tailed rodents, squirrels, as we celebrate National Squirrel Appreciation Day. We will sing songs, read a book, and do a squirrel painting craft. Be sure to bring your strollers as we will be taking a walk to look for squirrels along the trails.

January 24, 2012: Dragon Lizard – Welcome the Year of the Dragon in the Chinese calendar by meeting Oatland’s resident “dragon” Dyno the broad head skink and making your own lizard dragon to take home.

January 31, 2012: A Different type of Hog – Trot on in to Oatland as we celebrate Ground Hog day learning about another kind of hog, our resident pig, Streaker. We will take her a treat and learn about our porcine friend.

Get into the Halloween spirit at Spooktacular at the Jacksonville Zoo
October 20-23, 2011 & October 27-31, 2011
Come to Jacksonville Zoo for the spooktacular Halloween celebration – safe for children. Pirates cove, Pumpkin Patch, Enchanted Forest and much more. 6:30 pm – 9:00 pm. Zoo closes at 10 pm.
For kids of all ages
• Pumpkin Patch
• The Fairgrounds with bounce houses and a giant inflatable slide
• Dia de los Muertos celebration in Range of the Jaguar
• The Enchanted Forest
• Wonderland Trail
• Pirates Cove
• DJ’s spinning kid-friendly Halloween music
• Special Spooktacular food menus in each of the Zoo’s two restaurants
• Hundreds of jack o’lanterns
• Select animal exhibits
• Candy stations throughout the Zoo
• Back by popular demand: Scare Zones! The Tomb, Ghostly Garden and The Forest of No Return (not recommended for children under 10)
Follow the Jacksonville Zoo on Facebook here to find out how to win free tickets to Spooktacular
Members – $8, Non-Members – $10

More info here.

If you’re planning a trip to Atlanta this fall, be sure to check out the new AT&T Dolphin Show at the Georgia Aquarium.

We took advantage of my son’s delayed pre-K start date & visited Atlanta this week. The highlight was definitely the spectacular 30-minute live dolphin show. Weekdays shows are the best to attend. We were able to sit front & center and even got splashed – happily – by the jumping & twirling dolphins. Show details & ticket info here.

There are dolphin show performances daily. Advanced reservations are recommended.

Dolphin Show tickets are extra and not included in regular aquarium admission. Tickets are on sale now here