Looking for some family fun that is both cool (literally and figuratively) as well as educational? Head out to Nashville Zoo for Ice Day this Saturday, July 25 from 9 am – 4 pm! They’re going to have an inflatable water slide, fun water games, and face painting. The day of cool fun will also include ice cream eating contests and complimentary ice treats for guests. Most of the activities will take place on the Zoo’s Festival Field, but be sure to pick up a keeper talk schedule at the front gate. Throughout the day, the zoo’s animals will be eating (animal friendly) popsicles and other frozen treats. Ice sculptures by Specialty Ice Carvings on display throughout the zoo. Zoo admission and membership admissions cover entry to Ice Day, but some activities will have additional fees. For more information, visit the Zoo’s web site.
My daughters and I were treated to a behind the scenes tour of the zoo’s commissary to learn more about the ice treats that will be given to the animals on Ice Day. This year, 77 ice treats will be made for the occasion. (Normally, it would be over 100, but the commissary staff are working with temporary freezers while one of their main walk-in freezers is replaced.)
Especially large ice treats, hanging ice treats, and ice treats including turkey broth or bugs will be made for the siamangs, gibbons, meerkats, clouded leopards, giraffes, elephants, cougars, and lorikeets.
Ice treats are made all summer long as a form of cool relief for the animals, but the planning and preparations for Ice Day begin at least a month in advance.
For some of the treats, layers of colored and flavored water are frozen one layer at a time in order to make a colorful and tasty rainbow treat. Remember when I did something like that here?
We can’t encourage you enough to on over to the Nashville Zoo on Saturday, July 25 for some refreshing and educational fun!
Make Your Own Ice Treat
Inspired by our behind the scenes tour at the zoo, Goldie and I decided to make a treat for my parents’ dog, Aggie. We found a small, round plastic container and filled it with chicken broth. We added pieces of pork that were left over from dinner and placed it in the freezer. After it was frozen solid, we gave it to Aggie. It didn’t look very appetizing to us, but she loved it! You could also do colors and layers like at the zoo if you are so inclined. Cats, birds, and other pets would love a special cool treat as well!
