POLOKWANE – A classroom is not necessarily a physical room with desks, chairs and a blackboard. Sometimes it is a park with a big swimming pool and a green lawn that invites you to take off your shoes and play.

For the learners at Elica Primary School, Pets and Hobbies (Wildthingz) Bird and Reptile Park became not only an excursion, but also a classroom, teaching them about birds, reptiles, snakes, monkeys and all things wild.

A lesson in the wild

One of the themes in life orientation is wild animals, and what better place to visit for a fun, educational lesson than Pets and Hobbies at Wildthingz?

With wide eyes, the learners met the pink flamingos, which showcased their one-leg standing skills, curious ring-tailed lemurs that stared back at them with big eyes, and the sassy Mandarin ducks.

Meeting reptiles and snakes

Without realising it, the learners gradually entered the reptile and snake area and gasped at the closeness of these animals, especially the crocodiles.

They also had the opportunity to take a photo with a snake around their necks.

Laughs with the macaw and monkeys

The learners laughed when they realised that the big, red-and-green-winged macaw understood their different greetings and responded in just the right way. The variety of monkeys also had them laughing at their silly tricks.

Going back to the classroom was not easy, but the Elica learners are already looking forward to their next outing.