Imagine the Difference: We’re going to the zoo

Story starter for Key Stage 1

David and Paddy are off to the zoo and can't wait to touch the animals in the children's zone. But when they arrive they discover that the area has been closed because a guinea pig has escaped. The boys and their families visit the rest of the zoo and as they get close to the elephants, David hears a strange noise coming from some bushes — the guinea pig! The boys manage to catch the guinea pig and are rewarded with the most amazing treat imaginable — meeting an elephant.

"We’re going to the zoo, zoo, zoo – you can come too, too, too – we’re going to the zoo, zoo, zoo!"

David and his friend Paddy were singing loudly as they sped along in the car to the zoo.

"I can’t wait to see a python," said Paddy, "I love snakes."

"Dad, do you reckon they’ll let us handle the snakes?" asked David.

"I don’t know about that son, but I do know you can touch the animals in the children’s zone."

"Well, that’s where I’d like to go first," said David, "I can really get a good idea of the animals if I can stroke them – and they’ll get a good idea of me too!"

"We’ll get an audio guide and there are lots of models to touch."

"Great," said David. "Hey, I won’t be the only one there who’s blind."

"What do you mean?" asked Paddy.

"Well, there are plenty of animals that don’t see very well, like bats and some of the snakes."

"Snakes!’ said Paddy, "That’s weird; so how do they know where to go?"

"They can pick up on vibrations, you know, all the little movements, and they have a special heat detector so they can tell where the little warm-blooded animals are. Yeah and they’ve got an excellent sense of taste," David grinned, "They love boys called Paddy – yum yum!"

But when they arrived at the zoo they were told that the children’s zone was closed.

"I’m afraid one of our guinea pigs has escaped. We’re checking the area and we can’t open up again until we’ve found it," said the zoo keeper.

"I hope it doesn’t go into the lion’s den," said Paddy.

"Or the snake pit," said David.

The two boys and their families set off around the rest of the zoo. The howler monkeys and the gibbons were making a tremendous noise.

"What a racket!" said Paddy, "I don’t think I like monkeys."

"I think they’re great!" said David, and he pursed his lips and made a noise – just like a gibbon.

A rather sleepy male lion yawned and then let out a long, low roar.

"It must be nearly feeding time," said David. "I hope guinea pig isn’t on the menu."

They walked a little further towards the elephants.

"Oh, brilliant," said Paddy, "I love elephants."

Suddenly, David stood very still. He was listening carefully.

"Weep, weep weeeep…"

"Hey, Paddy, can you hear that?"

"What?" said Paddy, "I can’t hear anything."

"Listen…there it is again," whispered David.

"Weep…weeep."

A high-pitched calling was coming from the bushes at the side of the path.

"It must be the guinea pig," said David.

The two boys held hands and quietly edged their way into the bushes.

"How can we catch it?" asked Paddy.

"Hmm, feeding time," said David. He put his hand in his pocket and carefully unwrapped a rather squashed sandwich, pulling out a lettuce leaf from the centre.

He held out the lettuce and whispered, "We’ll wait quietly."

Sure enough after a minute or so the hungry guinea pig crept towards the lettuce and onto David’s hand.

"Hello, little one," he said, "I think it’s time you went home."

Of course the zoo keeper was delighted to see the guinea pig safe and sound and Paddy and David were the first to be allowed into the children’s zone to meet all the other animals. They had a great time but Paddy said, "It’s a pity that we never did get to see the elephants."

The zoo keeper was listening and said, "Well I think I can fix that for you, come along with me."

She led them right up to the elephants. David was amazed at the roughness of the elephant’s wrinkled skin and delighted when he was nuzzled by its soft and sensitive trunk. But the best thing of all was riding high on the elephant’s back.

David and Paddy just had to break out into song again.

"We’re here at the zoo, zoo, zoo – it’s a great thing to do, do, do – you’d love it too, too, too – so come to the zoo, zoo, zoo!"