Nothing sparks a child’s curiosity quite like going to a zoo to visit the animals, so why not bring them into the classroom? Mobile animal encounter companies specialise in school visits, combining interactive, hands-on experiences with educational activities, helping pupils learn all about wildlife, habits and conservation in a fun and very memorable way. It provides an exciting way to enrich the curriculum whilst making learning much more engaging. Below are some of the best mobile animal encounter providers for you to consider for your school.
1. Wild Science – The Best Pick Overall
Wild Science has worked with the BBC, Amazon Prime, IKEA, the National Trust and even the NHS. It’s one of the absolute best mobile zoos out there, giving a hands-on experience for kids in the primary school age range. With licensed handlers and inspectors, you get mobile animal encounters that are designed to be safe for everyone and will focus on bringing kids closer to cool and exotic animals that they’ve never seen before.
You can also tailor the experience to specific topics, and they’ll even throw in some science experiments if you want them. The range of animals here is top-notch; there are lizards, snakes, frogs, spiders, and all sorts of other interesting species. It’s all designed for kids, and the fact that you can book them anywhere in the UK makes it super accessible as a learning experience.
2. ZooLab
As one of the largest and well-known mobile zoo providers, ZooLab features highly on our list. Being one of the most established UK mobile animal encounter companies, you can expect a high-quality service providing excellent curriculum-led educational content, highly experienced and knowledgeable staff and massive nationwide availability.
ZooLab has a large focus on animal welfare specifically, and a lot of their educational content surrounds that – informing kids of the importance. What we loved is that as such an established brand, their eye for detail is extraordinary, offering worthwhile educational packs for the kids and good quality resources for teachers to use during and after the visit. Because of the size of the company, lessons and visits can feel a little less personalised and more rigid in structure, but it guarantees at minimum a good experience.
3. Animal Club
Animal Club has a great reputation amongst different schools and classrooms across the nation, with its multi-award-winning workshops. With a strong focus on inclusivity and curriculum delivery, it’s easy to see why they’re a favourite with teachers. Their lessons are highly interactive, and the teaching style focuses on getting everyone involved, helping to keep everyone engaged and curious.
We especially loved their commitment to the wellbeing of their animals, ensuring they uphold high ethical standards for the care and wellbeing of their animals and that both kids and animals alike have a good experience. Their only real downside is that, as a smaller company, they are unable to cover some areas of the country when compared to their competitors.
4. Creature Teachers
Specialist wildlife education company, Creature Teachers is a great option if you want a company that combines live animal encounters with a really strong emphasis on science education. Their handlers have extensive knowledge bases from which to teach not just about the animals they demonstrate but also about science, nature and biology too.
With more of a focus on educating over entertainment, they make a great option for schools, even those with older students. They provide excellent interactive experiences which go hand in hand with engaging informational presentations about the animals themselves and conservational messaging. The coverage they offer is more regional rather than nationwide and might not be suitable for everyone.
5. Exotic Explorers
If you’re wanting a more unusual interactive experience for your student, then look no further than Exotic Explorers. They offer a wide selection of different exotic species for an even more memorable hands-on learning experience. With one of the biggest selections of animals to choose to interact with, they have everything from a variety of geckos, snakes and salamanders to tortoises, skunks and even sugar gliders.
The variety on offer is what we absolutely love, meaning you can tailor their visit to complement your class’s curriculum. They do offer educational talks and presentations, but visits are mainly focused on the animals themselves, with fewer teaching resources than other providers.
6. Animal Workshops
For a more flexible experience, Animal Workshops is great for balancing the need for educational content with entertainment. They understand that they’re there to teach but want to make it as enjoyable an experience for youngsters as possible. Their workshops are some of the most adaptable, making it more suitable depending on the age group.
From full-day activity workshops to short morning or afternoon encounter sessions, they offer so much flexibility to suit you and your class’s needs. They even have a sensory session which they suggest is great for those with special educational needs – an extremely inclusive service. They’re not the most well-known company and the animal selection may vary depending on the presenter’s location, which may be important to bear in mind.
7. Teaching Talons
If you want to support a small, family-run business with excellent welfare standards, have a look at Teaching Talons. Founded by professional zoo keepers, they aim to provide engaging entertainment with strong educational messages surrounding the importance of conservation and the importance of being a responsible pet owner – something a lot of us want to become when we grow up.
Most of the animals they have to demonstrate are rescued or have been rehomed, and a lot of their content is centred around their rescue stories. Their services are highly personal, being able to tailor your experience with a large variety of workshop topics, each adapted to every age group. Unfortunately, they’re only a small team, which might make them tricky to book during busy periods, as well as being unable to cater for everyone across the UK.
A visit from a mobile animal encounter provider can turn an ordinary school day into a memorable learning experience the kids will never forget. With so many excellent providers available across the nation, it shouldn’t be a challenge to find one that creates the perfect experience for your school.
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