Rockin' Field Trip to the Aquarium

Reason #4982-6 why homeschooling my kids this year rocks:  week day field trips with no crowds.

Last year I started squirreling away a little money to pay for our field trips this year.  I didn't want to waste the chance to visit all our local (or not so local) hot spots, but that can get expensive.  My plan was to purchase annual passes so we would have the freedom to visit these places, not once, but as many times as our schedule would allow.

Today was our first trip to the Adventure Aquarium outside of Philadelphia.  Both my girls are fascinated by the ocean and sea creatures; Maddie so much so that she has decided to make her living as a marine biologist some day (specifically, as a dolphin trainer at Sea World).  

We have visited the Aquarium a few times before, but only on weekends when the lines are long and it is so crowded you can barely see the exhibits.  This week, we went at 1pm on a weekday.  It was empty!

After a quick lunch at California Pizza Kitchen, where our waiter, 

Jeff, amused the girls and spoiled them by refilling their Coke glasses far more often than I would have liked, we made our way to the Aquarium.  

We looked at every kind of fish, gazed at the sea turtles, 

shrieked at the scary sharks, pointed at the clown fish,

 touched sting rays, pet the bamboo sharks, poked the star fish, laughed at the sea lions and watched the penguins paint.  Yep, you read that right.  The penguins paint at our Aquarium. 

 The staff concocted an outrageous idea to dip the penguins feet in paint and let them waddle across a canvas.  Then they sell the paintings and proceeds go to fund wildlife rescue operations. 

 We just happened to be there as they were setting up. 

The penguin keeper mentioned that this is something your average penguin at the South Pole would not get a chance to do.  Um, ya think?

We had an incredible time, and didn't even make it to see the hippos or the shark exhibits.  

But guess what?  We are homeschoolers with annual passes, so we'll go see that stuff next week!