Franklin Park Zoo

Before everybody went back to school this year, we wanted to be sure we fit in a trip to the zoo.  This year, we went to Franklin Park Zoo in Boston and we had such a great day!  The zoo is a good size, has tons of great animals and things for the kids to see and do, and is clean and friendly.  The kids loved it.  Jack and Ben, Jack in particular, spent a great deal of the day consulting his map of the zoo to see where we needed to go next. "Hold on.  I just look at my map."  It was pretty cute- to the point where other people walking by were commenting on how cute he was with his map.  One man pointed him out and said to his wife, "Check out this guy with his map- he's all serious!"

In the center of the zoo, they have what is probably the most amazing playground I have ever seen.  It seriously is unbelievable.  So many fun things for the kids to do, such beautiful colors, quality equipment, accessible to all... it was beautiful.  It was also INSANE.  There were hundreds of kids running everywhere and was impossible to keep track of all the kids.  I am usually pretty laid back at playgrounds, etc, but it was nerve wracking- we kept losing kids! We went on a weekend so maybe it's better during the day.  Just a heads up to moms, especially to MoMs, that if you have more than one kid, you definitely need reinforcements.  I don't really even have pictures of the playground because I was busy looking for kids!

The gorilla exhibit was incredible.  They are amazing animals.  It was almost a little unsettling to watch them- they look so much like people that it felt like we were spying on them, or that they were prisoners.  But watching them was absolutely fascinating.

Aaaannnd, we're back to the maps...

There is a super cool thing to do in the bird aviary.  You can purchase these little sticks with food on them and them go in to an enclosure in which you can feed the budgees (parakeets).  I would not have known about it except that a friend of mine and her husband are zookeepers, and she told me this was a 'must do.'  She was right- it was awesome!  Mairead was as happy as I have ever seen her.  The birds lit on the stick, her hand, and even her head.  Even though it was loud and chaotic in there, she didn't care.  She absolutely loved seeing them and having them come so close.  The boys loved it, too.  I thought they would freak out a little since they don't always like close quarters and noise, but they had so much fun feeding the little guys.  Definitely check this out if you go!  Thanks for the tip, Jackie!