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Talk With The Animals

Go ape this season learning about animals. Central New York abounds with animal venues, whether your kids like farm critters or would rather take a walk on the wild side. Try any or all of these animal adventure ideas.

In Alton, Cracker Box Palace at Alasa Farms (www.crackerboxpalace.org; 315-483-2493) is one of the area’s few farm animal-only shelters located on a historic Shaker farm. Rooted in a philosophy of helping kids get in touch with the unwanted farm animals they harbor, the no-kill shelter gives a temporary and, in some cases, permanent home to nearly 200 animals from chicks to horses to pigs to goats. Cracker Box also hosts tours and special events such as Jammin’ in the Pasture and a fall festival.

Syracuse’s Rosamond Gifford Zoo (www.rosamondgiffordzoo.org; 315- (315) 435-8511) is about more than just looking at the animals. The zoo also offers special events all year long. Check its online calendar to learn about the special days at the zoo that will pique your kids’ interests, including animal demonstrations.

Fort Rickey Game Farm (www.fortricky.com; 315-336-1930) in Rome offers a short day trip if you bring along a picnic or visit the concession stand and plan to look at all of the exhibits of atypical zoo animals: raccoons, wolves, alpacas, and lemurs. The zoo management seeks to get kids involved with the animals, not just view the critters in cages. The Fall Fun Festival in late September represents just one of the events all season long that is sure to please kids and parents alike: pumpkin painting, wagon rides, hay bale maze, weaving demonstrations, pony rides, a petting corral, wolf shows and Mrs. Lumpkin, the Talking Pumpkin.

R and J’s Good Old Days Petting Zoo (randjsgoodolddays.com; 315-963-3317) in Mexico is open fall weekends (call in advance) for hay rides, face painting, deer feeding, pony rides and more autumn fun. The 145-acre farm is home to more than 200 animals, including elk, goats, rabbits and sheep.

The New York State Fairgrounds (www.nysfair.org) in Syracuse hosts numerous animal events all year round. Check the “Event Schedules” tab on the site to learn what’s coming up next, including shows for horses, goats, poultry, and more. The Great New York State Fair tops them all with nearly more animals than you’ll have time to see. You’ll surely find something to catch your kids’ interest.

When visiting a facility that houses animals, go over the following rules with your kids:

do not make any loud sounds or sudden movements around animals; this may frighten them and they may harm you in fear.
do not feed or touch animals unless the facility management has explicitly stated you may do so.
after touching animals, wash your hands or use hand sanitizer if no hand washing area is available.
do not touch your face, drink or eat after touching animals until you have cleaned your hands.
if you’re not sure what to do, ask the animal handlers first.

Want to make your animal outing more fun? Research the types of animals you will be visiting in advance so your children will know what to expect. If you don’t know the answers to their questions, have them write down their query so they can ask the experts during your visit. Take photos of your children standing near their favorite critters. Pick up a few educational books or videos at the gift shop before you go home.