Virtual Field Trips Bring the Smithsonian—and Its Animals—to Preschoolers Everywhere

And unlike most television shows, this isn't a one-sided delivery of content, said Emily Porter, manager for early childhood and family learning experiences at the Zoo. The programs are filmed live, so the viewers get a chance to chat and interact with the hosts and Smithsonian experts in real time. After the livestream ends, the entire program is archived on the Zoo’s website, available for anyone to watch for free.

“This program makes high-quality STEAM learning available for every child, no matter where they are and no matter what their background is,” said Porter.

While hands-on learning is always best, digital lessons are a great option when in-person interaction may not be possible, explained Porter. That’s especially important for students from inner city neighborhoods, rural communities, Tribal Nations, and U.S. territories, who might not live near a Zoo or a museum. 

Because the curriculum is targeted to young children, the team takes great care to make each lesson engaging and relevant to their lives. 

“At that age, you’re not just learning facts. You’re learning how to be in the world,” said Porter. “That means we have to think very differently about how we frame content for this age group.”

The animals are usually the stars of the show – which makes sense, since each program is filmed and edited by Zoo staff. But through collaborative partnerships across the Smithsonian’s museums, the animal segments often act as springboards for exploring the institution’s wider collections. 

Each program is built around a core preschool theme — like food, weather, or math — and integrates content from across the Smithsonian’s museums and research centers. A recent program on colors, for example, highlighted a bright green iguana at the Zoo’s Reptile Discovery Center, but it also brought students into the Peacock Room at the National Museum of Asian Art and in the mineral gallery at the National Museum of Natural History. 

Bethany Wells, who films, edits, and coordinates each program, said the technical setup is simple and flexible. A laptop, vlogging camera, and a wired internet connection are usually the only tools required to produce a live show. 

Topics are chosen based on what preschool teachers are likely to cover in class and what children are already curious about. Once a theme is chosen, the Zoo’s education team works with animal keepers and museum experts to develop content, align resources and identify the right animals for each program. Before each live program airs, the team produces a “virtual backpack” for teachers  — filled with activity sheets, supplemental videos, and how-to guides — that reinforce the lesson. 

Of course, the animals have a say in how they want to be included. If a tiger decides she’s not interested in participating (as happened during one pre-recorded segment), the team pivots. Before each film session, keepers take care to slowly introduce Pinky the puppet to the animals during prep sessions, giving them the choice to engage or not, said Porter.

Ensuring the animals are comfortable with Pinky can also lead to some unique animal reactions that visitors would never be able to experience on a regular Zoo day. During one session at the now-under-renovation Africa Trail exhibit, for example, “Lita [the cheetah] was very interested in Pinky,” Porter laughed. “She got up close to Pinky and started purring.”

Growing a National Platform

Like many remote learning programs, Get a Head Start with the Smithsonian can trace its origin to the pandemic. But a timely partnership with the National Head Start Association (NHSA) is what helped the program grow from a temporary offering into something more permanent. 

While the Smithsonian provided a talented core of educational specialists and a film-worthy collection, the NHSA provided veteran leadership, a ready-built distance learning network and the national reach to match the Smithsonian’s ambitious goals. 
Hosted by educators Rachel Hutchison (who brings Pinky to life) and Nick “The Music Man” Young, the virtual programs quickly became a hit with both children and teachers. In just over three years, Get a Head Start with the Smithsonian has reached more than 317,000 students from all 50 states, U.S. territories, and dozens of Tribal Nations. Last year alone, more than 138,000 children tuned into the program.

As the program gained popularity, requests from educators began rolling in — not just for more episodes, but for classroom resources and teaching tools that could be used alongside the lessons. This upcoming school year, the Zoo’s education team is focused on expanding their offerings to include professional development and other resources for early-career educators.

The main objective is always to provide meaningful and inspiring lessons for children, but Zoo educators say they take pride in how much joy the program brings to adults, too.

“It’s been so great to watch [animal keepers] light up as they chat about their animals or dance along with a puppet,” said Wells.  “And that enthusiasm comes through on screen. It’s a big part of what makes the experience so special.”

Get a Head Start with the Smithsonian is funded in part by the Jeff Bezos gift to the National Air and Space Museum.