Animal Encounters – Witchcraft & Wizardry

Meet a variety of awesome animals, some slimy, some with fangs and pinchers, and some that like to scuttle around in the dark! Come face to face with these exciting creatures.

‘Eye of newt, and wing of bat, I will feed you to my cat!!!!’…

Witches and Wizards were famous for their animal companions, both in their spells and their potions. Step back in time for this animal encounter show as we explore some of ‘ye olde’ remedies and superstitions for these creatures in Medieval times. Like swallowing a Frog and a Spider to clear a sore throat and those pesky Rats that spread the plague! This encounter with creatures sheds light on our horrible history, and will make you glad that times have changed!

What you need to know..

What does it involve?: A fun and interactive session with real animals delivered by ZooLab. Includes live mini beasts and exotic pets.

Duration – 45mins

Location: Queen Victoria’s House, Floors Castle Walled Garden TD5 7RN. Please make your way to the Gardens Ticket Kiosk on arrival. We do ask that you arrive 10 minutes before hand to allow time to get to location of Workshop. All children must be accompanied by an adult at all times.

What to bring: Yourselves and your ticket

About Zoo Lab: For over 20 years, ZooLab has amazed, educated and inspired through their ethical and engaging animal encounters. They believe that working with young people is a great way to unlock a child’s desire to discover and explore the natural world around them. They create and deliver workshops to motivate children and all ages through active learning and storytelling around animals.

Additional Support Needs (ASN) Sessions.

Additional Support Needs (ASN) are welcomed to participate in the Zoolab experience this Summer in a specially designed session specifically for them. In these workshops, our ranger will work to meet the needs of groups with SEN.

We will typically bring along an excellent range of animals which the learners can look at, touch and interact with. The kinds of animals we bring along vary from session to session. A typical group might include a cuddly mammal, giant or unusual invertebrates like snails, cockroaches and tarantulas, reptiles such as lizards and snakes and amphibians such as frogs.

All the children are encouraged to experience the animals as much as possible. However, some children may well choose to look from a distance! The very experienced ranger will aim to reduce anxieties that children have around individual animals. We have found that by creating a calm and purposeful environment, this can often be achieved.

Ticket information:

Ticket price – £12 per child (Includes 1 accompanying adult. Additional adults £10). Your ticket also includes entry to our Walled Garden and Grounds for the day.

Tickets must be booked in advance. You may be able to purchase on the day if tickets are available, but this cannot be guaranteed.