East Anglian Zoos teams up with KidsLoop to bring the magic of the zoo to children stuck at home.
New Collaboration
The Zoological Society of East Anglia (ZSEA), the charity behind Africa Alive in Suffolk and Banham Zoo in Norfolk, has teamed up with KidsLoop, a global EdTech company, to bring the wonders of the zoo into family homes with a ‘first of its kind’ interactive learning club for under 6s.
Created for Early Years Foundation Stage children aged 3 to 6, ‘Bada’s Animal Discovery Academy’ is an online club which aims to kickstart a lifelong interest in conservation and animals through fun, interactive sessions.
An established company already operating in Asia and the Middle East, the zoos’ Bada Club partnership marks KidsLoop’s first European venture.
Interactive Kids Club
Bada club launches on 21 March and will run for an eight-week term. Each weekly 20-minute lesson will include a blend of activities, animated video and recorded footage from the zoo, and will be delivered live by ZSEA’s educational team via the innovative KidsLoop platform.
Developed by qualified teachers, the curriculum-linked club will feature different animals and nature themes each week. Alongside meeting new friends, children will have the opportunity to learn literacy, numeracy and science including habitats, life stages, herbivores and carnivores.
Flexible Solutions
Guardians can choose their preferred time and day when registering, and children will stay in the same group each week. Each child that signs up will also be granted free entry into either Banham Zoo or Africa Alive for a special Bada Club Summer Party, where they will be able to meet their new friends. Up to four family members will also receive 50% entry for the event.
Claudia Roberts, joint managing director at Zoological Society of East Anglia says: “Bada Club is truly a first-of-its-kind and we are delighted to team up with KidsLoop to bring this learning adventure to young children across East Anglia and, in the near future, the rest of the UK.
Conservation is a cause very close to our heart at ZSEA and we hope that, aside from teaching children invaluable numeracy, literacy and science skills, Bada Club will foster a lifelong passion for wildlife and the environment. And, who knows, we could even inspire the next generation’s David Attenborough!”
KidsLoop is a dynamic platform which gives educators the ability to combine live teaching with interactive activities, creating a fully immersive learning experience for children.
Alistair Lloyd, Managing Director at KidsLoop UK, said: “KidsLoop is delighted to be working in partnership with ZSEA to deliver an innovative and engaging digital animal conservation education programme for younger learners. Combining the zoological education input from the ZSEA team with KidsLoop’s Badanamu animation and technology platform, creates a unique learning solution for children and parents. We are very excited and look forward to watching the programme grow over the coming months.”
How to Book
The full Bada Club programme, which will take place over twelve months, will begin in September 2021. Children who complete a full year of Bada Club will become ‘Junior Zookeepers’ and will be granted free entry to either zoo to attend a special Bada Club Graduation Day in 2022. The cost for each course is £39.99. The full Bada Club package is offered at a discount cost of £179.95 until 23rd May 2021. To find out more or try a free introductory lesson, visit https://www.zsea.org/bada-club/ or email [email protected].
