Outreach

Enhance student learning and invite the Zoo’s ambassador animals into your classroom for an up close and personal animal encounter. Our Animal Handler/Educator will come to your classroom accompanied by three to five of our ambassador animals to deliver a one-of-a-kind experience. Each hour-long workshop is broken up into short segments that have participants using all their senses to explore the topic of the day. All programs include hands-on animal contact and complementary activities.

Ambassador animals include, but are not limited to: leopard and gargoyle geckos, boa constrictor, box turtle, pancake tortoise, and giant African land snail. Availability is subject to animal care schedules and is subject to change. We will review your options at time of booking.

Animal Essentials (Gr. 1)

Learn the basics of animal care for pets at home and animals at the Zoo. Meet a few of our animal ambassador and discover what our zookeepers do to take care of them and meet their needs. Your students will also learn the value of teamwork as they work together to design their own animal exhibits.

Animal Lifecycles (Gr. 2)

Learn about the lifecycles of reptiles and invertebrates and how this compares to our own. This experience is brought to life through encounters with ambassador animals of various ages, biofacts, and a guided lifecycle activity.

Homes and Habitats (Gr. 3 & 4)

Learn about different habitats (including soil) and the animals found within them. Students learn about the different habitats, and the animals found within them, as well as what people can do to save these homes.  This learning experience is brought to life with some of our ambassador animals and an interactive habitat modelling activity.

Creature Climates (Gr. 5 & 6)

Learn how habitats and climate influence the everyday lives of reptiles and invertebrates. From the Arctic to the Sahara Desert, animals have adapted to survive in a variety of habitats and weather conditions. Students will learn how habitats and climate influence the everyday lives of reptiles and invertebrates. This learning experience is brought to life with some of our ambassador animals and an interactive guided activity.

Each hour-long workshop is broken up into short segments that have students using all their senses to explore the topic of the day. Our enthusiastic instructors arrive equipped with all the necessary materials to guide your children through an energy packed workshop.

P is for Polar Bear

This program is perfect for little ones to get to know polar bears through play: learn how to talk like a polar bear, build arctic lands with toys and tactile items, feel real fur and bones, and play a musical game to see what it is like for our polar friends living on icy lands.

W is for Worm

Wiggle your way into layers of fun in this program. Cozy up with real worms that live in our traveling compost bin, learn about their cool job as soil farmers, and why we couldn’t live without WORMS!

S is for Seeds

Dance and act like a seed; it’s the coolest thing to be! Play with real seeds to see how they move around to get what they need to grow. Afterwards, students pot their own plant to take home.

No bus to book! Our experienced educators bring some of Assiniboine Park’s most popular programs to you. These programs are also great for Guide and Scout groups.

Each hour-long workshop is broken up into short segments that have students using all their senses to explore the topic of the day. Our enthusiastic instructors arrive equipped with all the necessary materials to guide your children through an energy packed workshop.

North American Animal Stories (Grades 1 to 6)

Through storytelling, our educators will introduce our indigenous animals at the Zoo and their importance to Aboriginal beliefs, values, and stories. First Nations and Inuit peoples use storytelling not only as means of entertaining but as a way of passing on information.

Polar Bears (Grades 1 to 2)

Learn about life on the tundra through the eyes of the largest land carnivore. By participating in games and tactile play, students will learn about the polar bear’s amazing adaptations and why ice is so important to this sea bear.

Plant Lifecycles (Grade 3)

Why do flowers have different shapes and colours? How do seeds get from here to there? Why do some animals love visiting flowers? Find out the answers through group activities and plant part experiments to piece together the amazing lives of plants.

The Dirt on Soil (Grades 3 and 4)

This program delves into the nitty-gritty of dirt, its environmental value, and the conservation and preservation of one of the earth’s most precious resources – our soil. Learn the relationships between plants, animals, and soil through role play and hands-on activities.

Aromatherapy with Herbs (Grades 1 to 6)

Celebrate the power of scent with this program geared towards learning how plants help us feel better by simply smelling and being around them. Students scratch and sniff plants that are commonly found in gardens to faraway places. Afterwards everyone makes a lotion with plant essential oils to get a whiff of the benefits of plants.

Chocolate’s Sweet History (Grades 3 to 5)

In this engaging program, students dip into a mixture of stories, activities, history, fair trade and culture, centred on the wonderful Mayan discovery – chocolate! (Allergy Alert)

Assiniboine Park offers interactive programs for seniors and adults of all abilities. We use plants to engage the senses and deepen learning experiences that benefit daily living. All programs include hands-on activities that create a meaningful way for people to express their creativity, share life experiences, increase self-esteem, and interact socially.

Maximum number of participants is 25. Programs are 60 minutes in length.

Aromatherapy with Herbs

From the beginning of time scented plants have had many beneficial uses. Participants will warm up with living potpourri aimed at increasing health and well-being. Highly scented program; may bother some people. (Holiday theme available in November and December upon request.)

Culinary Herbs

Learn to identify your herbs and find out which ones make tasty treats. Participants will be engaged with some hand-on activities and have the option of making their own creation.

Chocolate’s Sweet History

Colourful visual aids and stories will reintroduce you to the lost origins of chocolate, the culture of the Cacao plant, and the role of chocolate in ancient and modern cultures. Chocolate treats are provided to participants to sample.

Birding 101

Bird watching is one of the fastest growing past times in Canada. Discover the species that could be found in your own backyard and learn some techniques to identify them. Learn about the seeds, feeders and even plants that will help attract them to your yard throughout the year.

A Virtual Journey to Churchill

"Journey to Churchill" with the Assiniboine Park Zoo, as we tour the animals and cultures of the North virtually and discover what makes this new exhibit space so innovative. Get a glimpse of how the Zoo keepers keep the animals engaged in the world around them, and the role our zoo is playing in conservation.

Make the most of your break with Assiniboine Park! We're taking our programming on the road and visiting offices around the city. Three workshop themes to choose from: Herbal Aromatherapy, Herbal Cheeses and Teas, and Herbal Scrubs.

Get away from the everyday. Book a session today.
CALL 204 927 6070 or email education@assiniboinepark.ca