Kids Cooped Up? Get a Little Wild at the Zoo this Winter

The Detroit Zoo is home to three Arctic fox sisters – Alex, Roxanne and Moxie – who were born at the Assiniboine Park Zoo in Canada. Arctic species will be explored in the session of the zoo’s Wild Winter series. (Photo courtesy of Detroit Zoo)

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After you’ve had a chance to recuperate from the holidays, the Detroit Zoo has a few Wild Winter experiences in store for January, February and March.

The annual family-friendly events feature children’s music, zookeeper talks, games and crafts. Wild Winter activities take place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and are free with Zoo admission.

Wild Winter Arctic Adventure – Jan. 17 and 18

Embrace the Arctic chill of winter with arts and crafts and live performances. Watch ice carving demonstrations and learn about the Zoo’s Arctic animals with enrichment and zookeeper talks.

Wild Winter African Adventure – Feb. 7 and 8

Celebrate African American history with an African drum lesson and hear stories by Kenyan naturalist and Detroit Zoo education specialist David Gakure. Enjoy live entertainment, arts and crafts, games and educational experiences.

Wild Winter Safari Social – March 7 and 8

Escape the winter “blahs” with hot drinks and cool treats. Ice cream and hot cocoa will be available for purchase at a discount. Animal arts and crafts, enrichment, zookeeper talks and a winter safari scavenger hunt add to the fun.

The Detroit Zoological Society is a nonprofit organization that operates the Detroit Zoo and Belle Isle Nature Zoo. Situated on 125 acres of naturalistic habitats, the Detroit Zoo is located at 10 Mile Road and Woodward Avenue off I-696 in Royal Oak.

The Detroit Zoo is open 362 days a year, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. November through March; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. April through Labor Day; and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. the day after Labor Day through October.

Admission is $14 for adults 15 to 61 and $10 for children 2 to 14, senior citizens 62 and older and active military with ID; children under 2 are admitted free.

The Belle Isle Nature Zoo is open Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., November through March; and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. April through October; closed Mondays and Tuesdays. Admission to the Nature Zoo is free; however, a State of Michigan Recreation Passport is required for all personal vehicles to enter Belle Isle State Park. For more information, call (248) 541-5717 or visit www.detroitzoo.org.