It’s all about dinosaurs this Saturday, Aug. 5, at the Phoenix Zoo’s Prowl and Play, where guests can enjoy interactive dinosaur encounters, a fossil dig, reptilian animal discoveries, crafts, squirt-gun art and music and games with DJ Rockin’ Rob.

According to Kerri Baumann, zoo communications strategist, Prowl and Play is a kick-off to the Dinosaurs in the Desert exhibit that opens at the zoo this October with 23 animatronic dinosaurs placed throughout the property.

The folks from Dino Crew Entertainment will be at the zoo in their T. Rex costumes to meet and greet guests. There also will be a smaller, animated puppet of a baby velociraptor. 

A mobile sand pit with buried bones lets kids unearth treasures either by digging or brushing the sand away.

Some of the zoo’s ambassador animals will be brought on stage so guests can see them up-close and learn a little more about them. Keeping with the dinosaur theme, the animals most likely to make an appearance at the event will be lizards, snakes or birds.

The art project will be decorating a cardstock dinosaur with materials such as ribbons, fabrics and buttons. And in a separate area large sheets of paper will be set up and water guns will be loaded with acrylic watercolors. Children can create colorful art with the squirt guns.

Members of the Plasma Robotics group from Red Mountain High School in Mesa will have a couple of their larger robots at the event to interact with guests and will be performing demonstrations with their table Lego robot.

“(As a group) we mostly compete in (tournaments), but we like to get out in the community and show kids what robotics is all about,” says Plasma Robotics coach Daja Harris.

The larger robots that they will be bringing to the event are from past competitions. The robots are able to move around and shoot wiffle balls, Frisbees and dodgeballs at targets. Guests can control the robots and try and get them to hit the targets by using an Xbox remote.

Prowl and Play will also feature face-painting and a caricature artist along with games and prizes at the Dino Arcade.

Guests can cool things down by visiting the zoo’s water slides and foam pit at Lakeside Lawn. Yakulla Caverns and Leapin’ Lagoon water areas will also be open.

Adults can swing by the Thunder Lizard Lounge for a cold beer or glass of wine (identification required), and select eateries and the Desert Marketplace Gift Shop will be open all evening.

“I hope everyone has fun along with learning about dinosaurs,” Baumann says.

Prowl and Play: Dinosaurs

When: 5:30-8:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 5.

Where: Phoenix Zoo, 455 N. Galvin Parkwaty, Phoenix.

Admission: $8 per person.

Details: phoenixzoo.org.

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