A thrilling morning filled with excitement and learning unfolded at Our Lady and St Patrick's Roman Catholic Nursery and Primary School when Animals2USouthwest visited the school, offering children an unforgettable hands-on experience with wildlife. Animals2USouthwest offer animal encounters in the comfort of your own home, at parties, in educational settings or at their premises near Exeter. On Thursday they brought a collection of exotic animals to OLSP's Nursery and Key Stage 1 classrooms. The visit was part of the school’s ongoing efforts to provide students with interactive and engaging educational experiences and was a fantastic opportunity.
Among the stars of the show was "Millie the Milipede", "Skippy the Frog", "Alexis the Snake" and "Faye the Polecat"
Throughout the morning, children were encouraged to ask questions and learn about each animal’s habitat, behavior, and role in the ecosystem. Marie Pulman, the handler, believes it is important that education is kept exciting. She shared interesting facts about each animal and held the children's interest throughout her visit. The morning fostered the need to help children reach a better understanding of the diverse species we share the planet with and the importance of conservation.
One of the highlights of the day was when the children had the opportunity to safely touch and interact with their strange visitors under close supervision. For many, this was their first time getting so close to such unique creatures, and the experience left them both amazed and inspired. The children were incredibly brave and Marie remained incredibly patient throughout, particularly with children who were a little less sure of the snake; the school would like to thank her very much for this and for the entire experience.
Some memorable quotes from the morning were 'I didn't know frogs could climb!', 'I didn't know snakes had teeth!'
"The snake felt like a marshmallow!" thought one of the teaching staff.
When asked to rate the visit out of 5, all of the children put 10 fingers up straight away!
Animals2USouthwest’s visit to Our Lady and St Patrick's School was not just about animals—it was about creating lasting memories and sparking a passion for the natural world. The event undoubtedly left a lasting impression on the children, encouraging them to explore, protect, and appreciate the wonders of wildlife.
The children should feel particularly proud that they funded the entire event themselves by holding a raffle and a cake sale!