Creatures of the Wild Captivate Preschoolers

Why are animals such a source of wonderment to young children?

Ask Bernice Lieberman, children’s services director at North Valley Jewish Community Center in Granada Hills, she’ll say it’s a child’s natural curiosity and desire to touch furry, feathery, slithery creatures.

When animal trainers at Six Flags Magic Mountain brought with them exotic birds, reptiles and mammals from the Valencia amusement park, the center’s preschool children, ages 2 to 5, gave the guests their undivided attention.

“It’s an opportunity for the children to see exotic animals that they hardly get to see up close,” said Lieberman, adding that Magic Mountain has brought animals to the center every year since 1985.

The children got close to a talking umbrella cockatoo from Australia, a European ferret, a boa constrictor and a blue macaw from South America, and a red-tailed hawk and opossum from North America, presented by animal trainers Holly Mandelkow and Ingrid Russell-Allsbury.

Narrations by animal trainer Jennifer Smith stressed the importance of respecting animals in the wild. Smith also talked about the need for adopting pets from animal shelters.

“Since they’re young children, we try not to drown them with too much information--just little blurbs here and there,” Smith said.

Even with the presence of exotic animals, the show stopper was a mixed-breed dog named Diego, whom Magic Mountain got from the Pasadena Humane Society.

Diego performed tricks, including playing the part of Gotham City crime-fighter Batdog, eliciting laughter and “ooohs” from the young audience.

After the show, the children were allowed to meet Diego and touch Julius Squeezer, a 5-foot boa constrictor.

Despite Julius’ slimy appearance, several of the preschoolers, after petting the snake, remarked, “It felt like an orange.”