Zoo for Two

So, I thought about doing a post about how to make a lil' romance while walking around the zoo....but, I thought that those who actually have a zoo close by have already got it made. What about those who don't have one close by and have to sell an arm and a leg to afford a trip to the zoo...? This post is for those people...and it won't cost you an arm or a leg!

Today's post shows you how to create a zoo in your very own home. Okay, okay...some of you are thinking, "Cher, my home is already a zoo!" Point heard. and ignored. :)

Here are the elements you'll need for your Zoo:

1. A Brochure - Every zoo has a brochure. Yours should be no different. I'd slip this to my hubby and say, "Hey, I thought we ought to go on a fun date to the zoo, tonight. Want to?"

Download Microsoft Word version HERE (you can personalize this, but fonts may not be compatible)Fold in thirds to create brochure.

2. Admission Tickets & Bracelet - Put the tickets in the brochure when you give it your spouse... and then turn in the tickets for an admission bracelet when you get to the zoo. This just helps gets you in the mindset that you're "at the zoo". Silly, but it's all part of the date...

Download HERE

{I found these at JoAnn Fabrics...If you can't find them...make your own out of paper!}

3. Snack Stand - No zoo is complete without a place to dine or get snacks! So, deck out your counter with a sign and some zoo-themed snacks.

{I found these cute giraffe print cups/straws in JoAnne Fabrics $ section}

I've come up with 2 lists to help you create your own:

Food Stand Names:
Safari Snack Shack
Treehouse Cafe
Safari Kitchen
Zooters - be sure to serve fried pickles {Like Hooters}
Garden Grill
Pizzafari
Wilderness Cafe

Zoo-themed snacks
Zebra cakes
Peanuts (to feed those elephants)
Zoo Animal Crackers
Cowtails Candy
Gummy Worms
Any foods you may see at zoos (not necessarily "zoo-themed")

If you want to get your kids in on this "date" here's some fun snacks they may enjoy: http://allrecipes.com/HowTo/Healthy-Snacks-What-a-Zoo/Detail.aspx
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Cream-Cheese-Penguins/Detail.aspx
http://www.sandiegozoo.org/kids/recipes_queenbee.html

4. Zoo Theatre - Since you won't be seeing real animals at this zoo, you're going to have to set up a "theatre" around your computer where you can videos from the internet. My husband loves watching internet videos and always wants me to watch them with him. He'll enjoy this date.

Here are some good video clips I've found:
San Diego Zoo Videos - they update this site frequently with good quality, interesting clips about things going on in that zoo.
YouTube Videos - Sneezing Baby Panda or Sneezing Panda or Disco-Dancing Elephant or Smart Bird
If you're not into video clips, how about watching Madagascar or The Wild?

5. Zoo Exhibits - A zoo just isn't a zoo without some sort of trivia, animal-related experiment, or discovery project. So, here's a couple of options for you.

Exhibit A: Grow-Your-Own Zoo Animal - I bought these for $1 each. Have a competition to see whose gets the biggest.

Exhibit B: Zoo Trivia Quiz - You can download this PDF file I made and compete with your spouse to see who gets the most right (but don't you dare cheat!). Be sure there's a reward.

Download PDF version HERE

Exhibit C: You could have a powerpoint presentation with pictures of various types of animals. Have your spouse try to guess the names of each. Hey, you never know when you may need to know this kind of stuff....you could be the next contestant on Who Wants to be a Millionaire? You'll thank me then.

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And I just wanted to mention one more thing. One. important. thing. Some people may think, this is totally stupid. Completely childish. My spouse won’t enjoy this at all. So, to those people, I say this: This blog is here to provide a variety of ideas…some ideas will suit certain couples, and be totally wrong for others. However, try to open your mind, try different things, be silly, and try activities that may seem dumb…imagine the memories you’ll have of things you’ve done together. My husband and I definitely have our favorites of the activities we’ve done, but if we hadn't done all the less-favorite dates, we’d have none to compare the favorites too! We definately have done lots of different "dates"...and have never regretted for a moment being silly or participating in a seemingly "child-like" activity.

Remember:
"We do not stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing."