Family Reunion at the Zoo

Going to the zoo for a family reunion is a great idea, especially for families with lots of younger children. The younger ones will be entertained by the animals and the adults will have plenty of time to talk and catch up on family news.

Group Packages

Many zoos have group packages and tours. So call the zoo and find out what you can arrange. Often zoos have a package that requires very little planning and that are a lot cheaper than you would think.

Planning the Trip

You will probably want to plan for going in the morning before it gets too warm. Also be sure to remember the less mobile family members and find out if there are tram tours they can take and other activities that don't involve too much walking. You may want to put together itineraries for family members to let them know what is available at the zoo.

Survival Packs

Before the reunion you could put together a "survival pack" for each of the families. Give them a sack with water bottles, animal crackers and information about the zoo.

Lunch

Most zoos have parks nearby that you could go to for lunch. You could even pack your own picnic baskets and transform the lunch affair into a picnic on the park grounds. Or if your family is willing to splurge a little many larger parks have banquet rooms and catering services.

Decorations & Activities

Decorate the tables with jungle prints and play animal sounds in the background. During lunch you can provide some water games like water balloon toss. You can also give the kids paper plates and construction paper to make animal masks. Another idea is to set up a questionnaire for the kids based on the animals they see in the zoo.