San Diego Zoo Global Kicks Off Educational Video Series For Kids

SAN DIEGO, CA — San Diego Zoo Global kicked off an online video series for kids Wednesday, allowing children to learn about animals from home. The 16-week educational "Kids Corner" video series is free and suited for children ages 7 to 11.

The video-based learning modules include trivia, arts and crafts and other activities that can be done anywhere. Viewers will visit animals at the San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park, as well as other zoos and aquariums around the world.

"A quarter of a million kids each year visit the San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park," said Victoria Garrison, director of education for both facilities. "With so much disruption to normal routines due to the pandemic, we felt this was a fun way to create continuity and connection with kids in this age group, ignite their curiosity and instill empathy for wildlife."

The first episode in the "Kids Corner" series is available now. In "Animal Builders," viewers will see creatures who design and construct their homes, visit birds making nests at the San Diego Zoo's Conrad Prebys Africa Rocks aviary, travel to Montana to witness a baby beaver's toothy techniques, and gain a leafcutter ant's eye-view of all that's required to construct their colony.

Weekly half-hour installments will become available over the next four months. Each episode offers a new theme, including habitats, animal locomotion, animal communications and animal families.

The new series builds on San Diego Zoo Global's educational resources for elementary school students. The series was produced as part of the organization's "We're Here Together" campaign, which has assembled a collection of resources to help wildlife lovers stay connected to education during the coronavirus pandemic.

"Inspiring the next generation to be great stewards of wildlife in the future is core to our mission," said Paul A. Baribault, San Diego Zoo Global president and CEO.

"We've long provided educational and learning resources for parents, teachers and animal lovers of all ages. Creating these additional offerings to further support the needs of parents and students right now is just one more thing we can do to support our greater community at this time."

For more information, visit https://zoo.sandiegozoo.org/kids-corner.

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