Abu Dhabi's first nursery inside a zoo

Going to school doesn’t get more exciting than this! Kids in Abu Dhabi can now choose to go to a nursery that’s inside the zoo.

Yes, you heard it right. Barney Home Nursery, which is already functional at Khalifa City, will start its second campus at the Emirates Park Zoo.

Talking to Emirates24|7, the admission officer for the nursery said that the nursery will open its doors on August 31.

“The registrations have started, and we have got a great response so far,” she said.

The children will be divided into groups based on their age. “Kids aged between 12 and 30 months will form one group, while those between 30 and 36 months will form another. Kids between 36 and 48 months will form another group.”

Based on the British curriculum, the main language of communication will be English, she stated. “The school will function from 7am-2pm, five days a week.”

Children will also be taken on monthly theme-based trips.

“The campus will be monitored through CCTV, and kids will move classes according to the subject they learn. They will also have exclusive time on the iPad. Parents will also get weekly updates on their children’s performance via e-mail,” she added.

According to the official, the fees for one year is Dh17,000, and can be paid either monthly or term-wise. “The registration fee is Dh1,500.”

Located at Al Shahama in Abu Dhabi, the school will also provide transport for an extra charge.

The Barney Home Nursery, which is touted to be first-of-its-kind in the region, was inaugurated by Major General Nasser Lakhrebani Al Nuaimi, chairman of the Emirates Park Zoo.

At the inauguration, Nuaimi emphasised that the project contributes efficiently to nurturing children's character by providing them with the opportunity to get close and interact with animals beyond books and magazines.

“This would promote the educational methods aimed at inculcating the values acquired through interaction with animals in the youth, such as compassion and responsibility, as feeding and caring for a pet encourages childhood responsibility,” he said.

He also noted that the nursery has agreed to allocate places for children with special needs and children of widows.

The nursery also includes play areas, science and language skills labs and a medical clinic.

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