Interactive bird exhibit gets children close to nature
A boy wears costumes to play a giant bird.
Children learn what worms feed what birds through games.
A girl looks at new-born chicks.
An interactive exhibit allowing toddlers to explore the birds’ world opened on Saturday at the Bailian Shiji shopping mall in the Pudong New Area.
The exhibit, held in cooperation with Shanghai Natural History Museum, was designed to promote birds’ knowledge to children aged between three and eight.
The 200-square-meter place on the first floor was turned into a "wild camp," where children can see how eggs hatch and the chicks mature, wear costumes to play giant birds and take part in Q&A, among other activities.
Paradoxornis heudei, commonly known as reed parrotbill, was the "host of the camp," with its cartoon figures talking to children from the screens. The birds are called aboriginal Shanghainese as they don’t migrate. But now they are under threat due to the increasing human destruction of wetland areas.
"We hope to get children close to the nature and realize the importance of the protection of the birds," said Gu Jieyan from the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum that administers the Shanghai Natural History Museum.
She added, "It is also part of our efforts to better promote science education to the public."
The exhibit will last to January 20. Admission is free.
