SanDiego Zoo/Safari Park Day
Assignment for San Diego Zoo/Safari Park Clinical Day
Prior to Arrival
Read the Rehm and Bradley Article on Families raising Children with Complex Medical Conditions.
To begin our excursion, investigate public transportation from your house to the Zoo or Safari Park. Outline this, along with fare costs, for a family of 4. How long does it take to use public transportation versus driving your own vehicle?
Select a chronic illness (for example: diabetes, asthma, cystic fibrosis, Crohns) and outline what a trip to the Zoo or Safari Park would require in order to properly care for this child during the trip (consider medications, treatments, food, etc as would be required/recommended for managing this chronic illness).
Research online the admission cost for a family of 4 to visit the Zoo or Safari Park for one day
Pack a nutritious virtual lunch for a child in each age group (age group assigned per last name: A-K = toddler, L-O = preschool, P-S = school age, T-Z = adolescent).
Based off my last name the pack a lunch age group will fall under the preschool age.
Pre-visit
Post all of the above information (written in a scholarly manor utilizing APA and following assignment template given under resources) in the Zoo Pre-Conference drop box two days before your visit to the Zoo or Safari Park.
During Visit
Make observations of children of various age groups (discuss observations for each age group- infant, toddler, preschooler, school age, adolescent). Consider developmental milestones expected/observed for each age group in your discussion.
What are their reactions to the animals?
What are their reactions to parents?
What age group seems most interested in viewing animals?
Do you observe any children on screens (phone, iPad, tablet, etc.)? What age groups? What are they doing?
How many special needs children did you see? Discuss.
As you pass vending machines and snack carts, take note of what is in them. From a nutritional standpoint, evaluate the choices.
You are a parent with a child with a gluten allergy. What lunch choices are available for purchase? What is their nutritional value
How accessible is the Zoo/Safari Park with a wheelchair/stroller? If you had a child that was chair bound, how visible are the animals from their viewpoint?Locate the first aid station(s). Who staffs the first aid station? What types of injuries are they equipped to handle? What do you do in case of an emergency in the park?
Post-visit
What was your biggest “Ah Ha” moment when completing the pre-assignments?
How did the pre-assignments impact your perception of the observations you made while at the Zoo?
What stands out most to you regarding you visit to the Zoo and the observations you were asked to make?
How did this experience help/change your understanding/perception/etc. of the management of children with special needs in the public setting?
Is there anything else you’d like to share about your experience?
