Alligator Attraction: Educational Family Fun in Tampa Bay

Summer learning loss (students losing key skills over the summer) is a serious thing we talk to a lot of parents about. They hear that summer reading loss alone can be around 2-3 months of reading skills.

But it’s really much worse than that.

According to the NWEA (Northwest Education Association), the skill loss is between 20-50 percent and increases with age. In order to make up for the “summer slide” educators must often spend the first part of the year reteaching the skills from the year before. That can make for a very frustrating learning environment.

You can help your student avoid this by merely assisting them in keeping up with their skills. That means, for younger students, practicing their reading and exercising their minds with science concepts.

But most kids don’t want to spend their summers reading and learning. They want to have fun. Consider yourself lucky if you have a child who enjoys reading.

For the rest of us, Alligator Attraction in Madeira Beach has a fun solution everyone can enjoy.

6 Terrific Ways Alligator Attraction Helps Make Learning Fun

If you have to beg and plead to get your children to read, we can help. We make learning fun so that the kids can enjoy their summers and you can feel good about helping them stretch their minds and sharpen their skills. Alligator Attraction offers:

1. Educational seminars. Okay, this sounds really boring but they’re actually a blast, especially for kids who love animals. On June 23rd we’re talking about Oceans and Reefs, what they are, who lives there, and why they’re important. This can give kids a different appreciation for movies like Finding Nemo. Kids who love reptiles will enjoy July 21st’s seminar entitled Things That Slither. Don’t let the title “seminar” throw you. They’re appropriate for all ages. They start at noon and they’re included with the price of admission. Educational and affordable. Winner, winner!
2. Up close observation. Alligator Attraction allows kids to get up close to almost all of our animals. While you can’t touch every one of them, you can see many of them in what resembles a natural habitat. This allows for some really fascinating observation. The intimate setting breeds interest for kids of all ages.
3. Fun names. Who reads plaques, right? People who come to Alligator Attraction, that’s who! All of our animals have cool names. Plaques at their area tell readers what their names are along with interesting facts. We’ve had many hesitant readers come to see our animals and at first they’re more interested in seeing the animals than reading the signs. But as soon as they realize everyone has a name, they quickly race around looking at each of them and then calling them by name. Before you know it, they’ve learned over twenty facts about Florida wildlife and beyond.
4. Special photo ops. In addition to getting some really cute pics with the kids, you can arrange for special individual attention. Your children and our animals can get to know one another through extra interaction. You can purchase special opportunities to fit your children’s individual interests like

• Holding a gator
• Holding a snake
• Petting a tarantula
• Feeding a gator
• Visiting with Sid our sloth

5. Adoption packages. At Alligator Attraction, we are here to educate visitors on the challenges these animals face in the wild. With increased development, communities have encroached on their native habitats and either reduced their number or caused them to move elsewhere where they’re not always wanted (like the alligators on the golf courses and in people’s pools). Many of our animals here were runts or unwanted. Some were found where they shouldn’t have been and might’ve been killed if we didn’t take them in. Our adoption packages help your student learn more about the plight of these animals and can help them develop an interest in conservation and nature education.
6. Shell and beach walks. In partnership with com we offer guided walks with a Florida Coastal Master Naturalist. These special tours combine education and entertainment as you learn more about identifying shells, birds, looking for sea turtle, and exploring the coastal environment. It’s so much fun your kids won’t even realize they’re learning.

At Alligator Attraction we believe education is active, not passive. We want students to explore and ask questions. We encourage observation, which will drives their interest. When children have an interest in the subject matter, they’ll often do things they normally would complain about like learning about science or reading.

Our summer hours are:

Monday -Thursday 10 -7:30

Friday & Saturday 10 -8

Sunday 10 – 6

We are open on the 4th of July from 10- 5.

Alligator Attraction offers group discounts (to five or more) so if you’re affiliated with a summer camp or have a group of children who need a new and fun, active learning environment this summer, please contact us at 727-329-8751.