I was reminded yesterday just why I became a primary school teacher.

I am now a volunteer at the zoo here in town - apparently the best little zoo in the world - in the Learning unit. I guess I am basically a teacher's aide.

Yesterday as part of the school holiday program I was in charge of a group of 10 children ranging in age from 5 to 9. The children come to the zoo for the day and complete a variety of activities around a daily theme. Yesterday's theme was 'Zoo Keepers'.

Our group was on 'poo patrol'. We were taken into the llama exhibit by Kirstin the Keeper and using shovels and rakes we had to collect all the poo! Took us half and hour!

Then we went up to giraffe exhibit for another activity and lo and behold if we didn't have to do poo collection there too! That one involved not only rakes and shovels but brooms too!

Here we also had to put out the food for the giraffes - smearing peanut butter onto walls and plastic containers can be messy! Wiping peanut butter from glasses, coats, faces and fingers proved it!

The unbridled joy and excitement from the children -not to mention from me - was fabulous. There were a few children who had been coming to the zoo every day of these holidays and even they weren't jaded. Just having fun!

We laughed and joked and walked and ran and played and talked to many animals - we especially sang like kookaburras as the group loved my impersonation so much that's what they named the group!

My hand was held, I got many, many hugs and even a massage given with very small hands ;-)

I have missed that fun interaction with a group of children.