ZooLab at Pippa’s House Nursery: Hands-On Animal Encounters

There’s nothing quite like seeing a child’s eyes widen with curiosity when they meet a creature up close for the very first time. Recently, our nurseries enjoyed a wonderfully exciting visit from ZooLab, and the experience was truly unforgettable. From snakes and giant snails to millipedes and other fascinating mini beasts, the children were completely captivated, and the learning that took place was incredible.

At Pippa’s House, we believe in bringing the world to our children in meaningful, hands-on ways, and ZooLab gives us the perfect opportunity to do exactly that.

A Day of Discovery: Snakes, Snails & So Much More

During the visit, children had the chance to meet an amazing selection of animals, including:

• A friendly snake, with beautifully patterned scales

• A giant African land snail, slow-moving but impressively large

• A millipede or centipede, full of wiggly legs and wonderful textures

• Other small creatures perfect for sensory exploration

The practitioner leading the session shared fascinating facts about each animal, where they live, what they eat, how they move, and encouraged the children to gently touch or hold the animals if they wished. These encounters ignited so many questions, conversations, and moments of wonder.

EYFS: Learning Through Experience

ZooLab visits are fun, but they’re also a powerful way to deepen learning across the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS).

Here’s how the experience supports key areas of development:

Understanding the World

Children learn about habitats, life cycles, textures, and animal behaviour. Seeing the animals up close helps them make connections that books and pictures alone can’t achieve. They begin to understand similarities and differences between living things,  a key EYFS goal.

Communication and Language

Children ask questions, describe how the animals feel, share thoughts with their friends, and listen to new vocabulary from the ZooLab leader. Words like slimy, smooth, scaly, gentle, heavy, and tiny become part of their growing language toolkit.

Expressive Arts and Design

After the visit, children love to recreate their favourite animals through drawing, painting, and imaginative play. The experience sparks creativity long after the animals have left.

Personal, Social and Emotional Development

Animal encounters help children build:

• confidence (especially when they touch or hold something new)

• empathy (learning to care gently for living things)

• self-regulation (managing excitement and using calm hands and voices)

Many children surprise themselves with their bravery, and the pride they feel is beautiful to see.

Confidence, Curiosity & Care: What the Children Gained

The ZooLab visit offered so much more than an exciting morning. It helped build skills that stay with children for life. We watched them:

• show kindness and respect to each creature

• ask thoughtful questions

• overcome initial worries

• share discoveries with their friends

• explore new textures and sensations

• develop a genuine curiosity for the natural world

Moments like these open the door to deeper learning, stronger relationships, and growing confidence.

A Perfect Experience for Little Explorers

ZooLab brings science to life in the most magical way. For many children, it’s the very first time they’ve seen or touched these animals, and that sense of awe is something we treasure.

At Pippa’s House, we’re passionate about offering experiences that broaden children’s understanding, encourage bravery, and create joyful memories. ZooLab ticks every box, and we’re already looking forward to their next visit!

Would you like to see more of the exciting things happening at our nurseries? We’d love to welcome you for a tour.