Plants and Animals
This summer’s Learning Challenge is all about the outdoors, and what’s more outdoorsy than plants and animals?
Little Critters Petting Zoo started their visits this week on Tuesday at Buchanan and Fincastle. If you missed them, no worries. On Monday, June 13, they’ll be at the Eagle Rock Library at 10:30 a.m. and the Blue Ridge Library at 4 p.m. Pet an alpaca, miniature horse and donkey, goats, chickens, sheep, rabbits, and even a potbellied pig! Little Critters visits us every year, and they’re always popular with kids and adults alike.
Looking for something a little less domestic? Mill Mountain Zoo will bring animals to the library later this month. The zoo’s education manager will teach kids (and grown-ups) about wildlife that is native to our area. Learn what they eat, how they live, how interactions with us humans impact their habitat, and what to do if you encounter one of these critters in the wild. You’ll come away with a new appreciation for the secret life of animals surrounding us!
Come meet the zoo animals on Thursday, June 16, 10:30 a.m. at the Blue Ridge Library or 1 p.m. at the Buchanan Town Park, or Friday, June 17, 10:30 a.m. at the Fincastle Library or 1 p.m. at the Eagle Rock Library.
We also invite you to dive into our “Animals & Plants of Botetourt” series of children’s activities. First, learn the art of fish printing (or gyotaku), a form of Japanese art that began over 100 years ago as a way for fishermen to preserve and record the size of their catches. Learn the anatomy of a fish and create artwork using a plastic fish (they’re less smelly than real ones!). Sessions will be on: Tuesday, June 14 (11 a.m. at the Eagle Rock Library and 2 p.m. at the Buchanan Library) and Wednesday, June 15 (11 a.m. at the Blue Ridge Library and 2 p.m. at the Fincastle Library).
Next, learn about the different animals that live in Botetourt and how to identify their tracks. Who knows, you may find these tracks in your own backyard! Kids will make animal track stamps and create their own unique artwork. Sessions will be on: Monday, June 27 (11 a.m. at the Buchanan Library and 2 p.m. at the Blue Ridge Library) and Thursday, June 30 (11 a.m. at the Eagle Rock Library and 2 p.m. at the Fincastle Library).
What about the trees? As with the animals, learn about many different plants and trees you can find in Botetourt. Kids will create their own guide to these plants as they collect leaves outside the libraries. They’ll also identify key leaf characteristics using leaf-printing methods. Sessions will be on: Monday, July 11 (11 a.m. at the Fincastle Library and 2 p.m. at the Blue Ridge Library) and Tuesday, July 12 (11 a.m. at the Buchanan Library and 2 p.m. at the Eagle Rock Library).
Let’s not forget the weird creature sightings in Botetourt. Celebrate “Bigfoot Day” with us at the Eagle Rock Library on Saturday, July 16, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Botetourt is full of interesting critters!