There is something absolutely fascinating about reptiles. From beautiful to deadly, Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel Hill is celebrating them all with the newest exhibit, Reptiles: The Beautiful and the Deadly.

Several weeks ago our family had the opportunity to stop in to see the newest exhibit at the Academy of Natural Sciences. We always love seeing how they transform the temporary exhibit room and yet again, they’ve impressed. We couldn’t be more pleased with our visit to the reptile exhibit.

I didn’t have as much time as I would have liked to read all the fun (and creepy) facts about the reptiles in this exhibit but that’s the beauty of a family membership – we can go back again and again. From lizards to turtles, there are over 20 live reptiles to observe.

This exhibit runs from September 30, 2015 – January 10, 2016 so make sure you set aside time on the weekend or on fall or winter beak to take your school aged kids. If your kids are younger than school age, you can visit any time, of course.

I love that many of the exhibits are low enough for the littlest members of your family to easily see. They may even have the opportunity to go nose to nose with a snake or alligator… with glass in-between them, of course. How cool is that?!

You will also have the opportunity to meet the Clyde Peeling’s Reptiland keeper who is responsible for taking care of the reptiles in this exhibit three times each week – Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday at 11:45 AM, where you will get to learn even more about these fascinating creatures.

make sure you schedule your trip to The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University to see Reptiles: The Beautiful and The Deadly! Looking for educational projects to pair with your visit? Check out the ideas below.

Learning Opportunities

Preschoolers

• Observe the differences in each reptile
• Note texture differences in interactive displays
• Point out shapes and colors of the different reptiles
• Talk about basic characteristics of the reptiles
• Have them draw their favorite reptile
• Make a reptile craft

Elementary School 

• Have them read about and/or study the reptiles themselves and share 3 observations with you
• Have them take notes and write a paragraph about their favorite reptile in the exhibit in their journal or for a school assignment
• Encourage them to ask an employee or volunteer for more information on a reptile they find fascinating
• Create a scavenger hunt of facts they need to discover through the exhibit
• Create a reptile classification chart
• Compare and Contrast Alligators and Crocodiles
• Write a short research paper on their favorite reptile

Middle School

• Choose one of the reptiles to write a research paper about – start taking notes, then check books out of the library to complete this project at home
• Have them observe the reptile of their choice for a set amount of time and take notes on what they discover (Super cool to observe how a reticulated python moves or frilled leaf-tailed geckos ‘hang out’)
•  Create a book that includes characteristics, habitats, and observations for each reptile on display

What ideas do you have for a reptile enrichment project? Share below!