大象传媒

Let's go out鈥 to a zoo

Let's go on a sensory journey to a zoo. What sensory stories are you going to enjoy? What animal are you excited to see?

There are many different animals to see at the zoo.

Make your journey more sensory. Try using any of these items while watching. Don鈥檛 worry if you don鈥檛 have everything or there are things you don鈥檛 want to include. Make your sensory journey one you will enjoy.

  • Say hello: Look at yourself in a mirror
  • Touch: Coloured faux fur or cuddly animal toys
  • Smell: Lay hay to create the smell of the enclosure
  • Taste: Munch on some fruit and vegetables or try opening a banana upside down just like a monkey does!
  • See: Decorated cardboard tubes to make a giraffe
  • Sound: Drum to make elephant footsteps
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An Elephant can be big and loud

ElephantImage source, 大象传媒
Image caption,
Elephants are very strong and move slowly.

A trip to the zoo is exciting and fun. Some animals are tiny and some weigh a tonne! You might spot a giraffe, with its head in the trees or elephants and their long trunks, watch out for their SNEEZE!

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Hear the roar of the lion

African Lion SittingImage source, 大象传媒
Image caption,
Lions may look cuddly but don't get too close to them.

I can see a lion, with is fluffy, mighty mane. It looks a bit like a pussy cat, but no where near as tame. Next to them is a tiger with its stripy body, both orange and black. You may hear an enormous ROAR from them as they find something tasty to attack.

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Birds of paradise can soar about you

Bird of Paradise
Image caption,
Birds of paradise come in many different colours.

The bird of paradise that you鈥檒l see come in all different sizes and shapes. They use their wings to fly around and sit in the trees with the apes. Some birds sing and some birds squawk but soon you will discover that, as the birds fly overhead, they make an explosion of colour.

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Some animals live in water

Walking penguinsImage source, 大象传媒
Image caption,
Penguins are fantastic swimmers

Lots of animals live on land but others live in water; you鈥檒l find fish, turtles, penguins and seals and perhaps you might spot an otter. Turtles snap and fish glimmer, while seals love to lie in the sun. But penguins love the cold you see and think playing on the ice is more fun.

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Go see the chimpanzees

Lone monkeyImage source, 大象传媒
Image caption,
Chimpanzees are fantastic climbers

There are lot lots of monkeys in the zoo that swing off branches and leaves. Their favourite food is banana which grows high up in the trees. You鈥檒l hear the howls of apes and chimps with their bodies strong and furry but when a great gorilla beats his chest, they all get scared and scurry.

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Slithering snakes

Snake in the terrariumImage source, 大象传媒
Image caption,
A snake moves very quietly

There鈥檚 a snake out there hissing and slithering on the ground. This animal has no arms and legs but its scaly body is long and round. Up next we have a lizard with its wandering lizard eyes. It sits up high upon a branch and uses its sticky tongue to catch flies.

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Animals can feel very different

Pink flamingoImage source, 大象传媒
Image caption,
A flamingo has soft pink feathers

Some animals are soft and fluffy and warm and others are cold, tough and sticky. You might like how some of these animals feel but others might make you feel icky. An elephant鈥檚 dry, an otter is slick and flamingos are covered in feathers. So close your eyes, put your hand in the bag and let鈥檚 see which one you like better.

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Animals can have different patterns

giraffeImage source, 大象传媒
Image caption,
A giraffe has a long neck to help it eat leaves at the top of trees.

A zebra鈥檚 an interesting animal with its coat of black and white stripes or maybe the spots of a giraffe are the best on its neck which gives it great height. An elephant is grey from head to toe and reptiles are scaly and green. Some animal coats help them to stand out while other help keep them unseen.

These sensory stories were all created with advice from the National Autistic Society and Autism NI.

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