The hattinator may be all the rage among Illawarra fashionistas this race season, but the most popular among the crowd at KU Bulli Preschool yesterday wore fur, scales or a beard.

The preschool's regular crowd was joined by a menagerie of animals from the St George Foundation Zoomobile, including a bandicoot, galah, python, possum and bearded dragon.

Youngsters had the chance to touch the unusual outfits, including that modelled by Baru, the baby crocodile.

"If he had a race against Ian Thorpe he'd probably win - he's very fast," Taronga Zoo presenter Matt Dea told the children.

"But if you had a running race you'd probably win."

Preschool director Jeanette Davidson said the animal experience would be used in literacy and numeracy lessons.