Notes about your surroundings.

Zoo News--The Santa Ana Zoo is offering a five-week series of classes for parents and their preschool-aged children to learn about animal life. “Mommy and Me at the Zoo” will be held on five consecutive Wednesdays beginning this Wednesday. The classes will include tours of the zoo and craft projects. Classes are from 10 to 11:30 a.m. and the registration cost is $35 for each child/parent pair. For more information, call (714) 836-4000.

The zoo is also offering a child workshop about birds on Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to noon. Live birds, microscopes, bones and feathers will be used to teach the children. The workshop is for children over 7 years old. The cost is $10 for each child or $15 for each child/parent pair.

The Santa Ana Zoo is at Prentice Park, 1801 E. Chestnut Ave., Santa Ana.

Other Children’s Programs--Several other nature programs geared toward children will begin or be held this week.

Turtle Rock Nature Center in Irvine will host two ongoing after-school programs beginning Tuesday and Thursday. The first program, to be held on five consecutive Tuesdays, will focus on wetland habitats. It is open to children in the second and third grades. Participants will create their own mini-marsh and the program will include a field trip to San Joaquin Marsh in Irvine.

The five-week Thursday program is for first-graders and will focus on wildlife. “Where the Wild Things Roam” will teach children about the animals they may encounter in an urban environment, from raccoons in the trash can to opossums in their own back yard.

Each class will be held from 3 to 4:15 p.m. and registration is $45. The center is at 1 Sunnyhill in Irvine. For more information, call (714) 854-8151.

Oak Canyon Nature Center in Anaheim will host a morning program on Saturday for children ages 6 to 10. “Early Birder and Feathered Friends” is the topic of the program, which begins at 10 a.m. and is free. The center is at 6700 Walnut Canyon Road, Anaheim. Call (714) 998-8380 for more information.