Around fifty nursery children will hiss with snakes, hoot with owls and creep with spiders at special sessions at the University of Aberdeen later this week.
It is all part of a series of monthly events for the under fives taking place at the University's Natural History Centre.
Spooky Spiders will see the children learning about Halloween animals using the centre's handling collection, which includes snakes, owls, spiders, bats and salamanders. They will also take part in a craft activity and make a clip-on bat to take home.
Mandy Tulloch, the Centre's Development Co-ordinator, said: "Beyond the children having fun and seeing animals associated with Halloween, they'll be finding out about their natural history. We even have some live animals for them to touch which they will just love!"
Spooky Spiders is part of Nature Tots - a monthly series of environmental sessions for children not yet at school. This exciting programme of activities for two to five-year-olds and their parents has been specifically designed to inspire them about the environment and natural history. It aims to allow children to explore subjects not always available to them at home. Caring for and respect towards the environment also feature prominently within each session.
Up to 25 children will be attending each of the two sessions of Spooky Spiders . They will be making bat badges to take home and will also be handling a variety of specimens including snake skins, skulls, live corn snakes and live salamanders. These are all available for photographs.
PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES – Friday, October 29 , 10.30am -11.30am and 2.30pm to 3.30pm
University of Aberdeen Natural History Centre, Tillydrone Avenue , Aberdeen . Tel: Mandy Tulloch (01224) 493288.