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Early Childhood and Family Programs
The Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute believes that meaningful learning about animals, the natural world and conservation science can, and should, happen at every age. The Zoo's dedicated team of early childhood educators design fun, age-appropriate experiences and resources for children from birth to 8 years old and their learning partners.
Whether you are visiting the Zoo in person, joining a virtual program or looking for activities to do at home with your little animal lover, the Zoo has a variety of ways to support your child's learning and growth.
Virtual Children's Programs
Panda-Versary!
Celebrate 50 years of giant pandas at the Zoo with music, movement, and a playful conversation with giant panda keepers designed to inspire the next generation of panda scientists. Find out what a panda's fur really feels like and watch as the pandas enjoy an ice cake designed by Head Start classrooms nationwide.
This program was offered in collaboration with the National Head Start Association.
Fun at the Farm
Zoo educators celebrated the Lunar New Year with music, movement and some amazing animal guests! Explore the "playgrounds" of the animals on the Kid's Farm and help us solve the mystery of the 2022 lunar new year animal.
This program was offered in collaboration with the National Head Start Association.
Stamp Stories: Giant Pandas
Join educators from the Zoo and the National Postal Museum for a virtual story time celebrating 50 years of pandas at the Zoo with photos, videos, postage stamps, and a reading of "Xander's Panda Party" by Linda Sue Park.
Activities for Caregivers
Look, Talk, Play!
Looking for "screen-free" options for your preschooler? Smithsonian educators paired some of their favorite objects, animals and artworks with fun activities in these five printable cards.
Inspiring Engineering Through Empathy: California Sea Lion
Inspire your child's early explorations of engineering and design with this curated collection of activities about California sea lions. Play sea lion dress-up, create a sea lion dinner plate, and design a sea lion shade structure to strengthen socio-emotional and academic skills.
Animal Webcams
Check in with lions, elephants, giant pandas and naked mole-rats. To build observation and language skills, encourage children to ask questions and describe what they see the animals doing. Downloadable bingo cards help kids learn about animal behavior and habitats.
