Animal Safari Is On!

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Here’s the map of more than 30 creatures just waiting to be found. Check the link below for the latest version.

Here’s the map of more than 30 creatures just waiting to be found. Check the link below for the latest version.

Note: Originally published on April 3, this post has been updated to include the map and instructions.

By Divya Swamy

Stuffed Animal Hunters: Your families can find a scavenger hunt map and instructions here. The three-page printable Google doc contains a map so you can visualize where all 30+ creatures are located; a version with exact addresses for our youngest hunters; and a slightly more challenging version organized by street (no exact addresses are given in this version, just what they will find on each street). Some adventurers have dressed up in safari gear in communities around the country, though this is by no means necessary!

If you feel comfortable doing so, please share a photo as a comment on the BCA Facebook post about the hunt.

Hosts: Thanks to the 30 neighbors participating! You're awesome. If you haven't already, please put your animals out. If you'd like to be added to the list, please shoot me an email. Since it's a Google doc it can be a living document.

this polar bear is waiting on a T street porch. his pals—the giraffe and trench coat teddy—are peering out an upstairs window.

this polar bear is waiting on a T street porch. his pals—the giraffe and trench coat teddy—are peering out an upstairs window.

Hello Burleith neighbors! Hope this finds you safe and sound. It's a difficult time and since our social-distancing days began a few weeks ago, Kishan, Om, and I have enjoyed taking walks each day through the neighborhood—and chatting with some of you along the way (from 6 feet away, of course). Our daily morning and afternoon walks have been a great respite from the chaos of being at home all day with a toddler. Perhaps you've been taking morning or evening strolls, too?

You might have seen that our Georgetown neighbors, the Bunnells, put together a creative stuffed animal scavenger hunt for local kids—and got hundreds of their neighbors to participate in the process! Amazing! 

I thought we could extend this idea to our very own little Burleith village and create an animal safari for our neighborhood kiddos. The concept is based on a kids book called We're Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen. Haven't read it? Here's a cute video of the story. 

Participation is simple:

  •  Pick a stuffed animal or a few to stick in one of your street-facing windows. The bigger the better when it comes to which animals to pick (or if you only have small ones, maybe a few) so that they are visible.

  • By Sunday, April 5, send me (divinedivad@gmail.com) an email with your address for the map and a description of the stuffed animals the kids should look out for (i.e., 3831 T Street NW, Bear and Lion or Trenchcoat Teddy and Raffi the Giraffe, if they have names).

On Monday I will send out instructions for our safari, which you can do anytime...minding social distancing protocols. Don't forget to snap a pic of your kiddos on the hunt. (I'll figure out a good place for the pictures, perhaps here on the website and/or on the Burleith Facebook page. Georgetown is using a Facebook page).

I'm excited to see all your animals, and hope this brings a bright spot at a tough time.