Experience the WILDEST camps in town!
Denver Zoo Mini-Camps offer a fun and educational way to spend those days off of school, offered during school breaks October-February. Spring Safari and Summer Safari are week-long camps during spring break and summer vacation.
To jump to info on a specific camp, click the link below:
Denver Zoo Mini-Camps
A great alternative to sitting at home during those days out of school, Denver Zoo Mini-Camps provide FUN and learning at the WILDEST spot in town! Participate in hands-on activities, animal encounters, crafts, games, stories and zoo tours.
2009-2010 Mini-Camp Sessions
December 2009: Snow Safari, Winter in the Tropics
WHO: Camp sessions are available for kids in grades K-5.
Contact us at edsupport@ denverzoo.org if you are interested in a grades 6-8 option.
WHEN: 9am-4pm on December 28, 29, 30.
Register for one day or all three!
 Enter the Rainforst – Monday December 28
Sure, there’s a lot of rain in the rainforest, but what else makes these jungle homes so unique?
Jungle Connections – Tuesday December 29
Animals in the rainforest rely on each other for survival. Explore the jungle circle of life!
Jungle to Jungle –Wednesday December 30
Trek with us around the globe as we explore the many faraway places that are home to jungle animals.
January and February 2010 1-Day Mini Camps
WHO: Camp sessions are available for kids in grades K-5.
WHEN: 9am-4pm on January 18 and February 15.
 Friends and Enemies – Monday January 18
Explore the bond between animal friends and the relationship of predators and their prey.
Arctic Adventures – Monday February 15
Explore life at the poles where temperatures can be 100 degrees below zero! Brrr!
Mini-Camp Fees:
$45 per day for Zoo Members
$48 per day for Non-members
Camp fees include morning and afternoon snacks. Lunches are not available – please send a sack lunch with your camper.
EARLY DROP-OFF SUPERVISION 8-9 a.m. $10 per day
LATE PICK-UP SUPERVISION 4-5 p.m. $10 per day
Scholarships are available. If you are interested in applying for a scholarship, do not register online. Download the Red Apple Scholarship Fund application from our website, email edsupport@denverzoo.org or call us at 303-376-4888, option 8 to have an application sent to you.
IMPORTANT REGISTRATION GUIDELINES
- Denver Zoo Members MUST login in under their 6-digit Member ID number to receive discounted member rates for mini-camp. Your password is your zip code, unless you have previously changed your password information in the online system.
- After registration is confirmed, the Denver Zoo adheres to a NO-REFUND, NO-CREDIT, NO-SUBSTITUTION policy. If you are unable to attend, please consider your payment a tax-deductible donation.
If I have questions regarding Mini-Camps, whom can I contact?
The easiest option is to email us at edsupport@denverzoo.org. You may also call 303.376.4894 for assistance.
Spring Safari
New this year! Have the best Spring Break ever – spend it at Denver Zoo camp! Get out of the classroom and into the wild as you explore your connection to nature. Pre-registration is required.
WHO: Camp sessions are available for kids in grades K-5.
WHEN: 9am-4pm March 29-April 2 (registration is for all 5 days)
 Habitat Heroes – Grades K-1
Join Captain Habitat on his quest to learn what things every animal needs to survive, and how we can make sure their habitats stay safe. Explore the urban wildlife that shares your neighborhood!
Water Warriors – Grades 2-3
Become a Water Warrior, on a mission to preserve clean water for animals, plants and people! Perform water quality experiments, search for water insects, and join the crusade for clean water!
Eco Action Team – Grades 4-5
Connect and Protect, Eco-Action Team! Learn about zoo animals that are facing environmental challenges in the wild, and spring into action by participating in conservation projects.
Spring Safari Camp Fees:
Camp cost, for the entire week: $235 members / $260 nonmembers
Early drop-off supervision (7:30-9am) $50/week/camper
Late pick-up supervision (4-5:30pm) $50/week/camper
Lunch $35/week/camper
Camp fees include morning and afternoon snacks. Participants must either bring a sack lunch from home every day or purchase zoo lunch for the entire week. Zoo lunches will vary daily but may include tacos, hot dogs, macaroni and cheese, chicken fingers or pizza, and servings of fruit and vegetables daily.
Scholarships are available. If you are interested in applying for a scholarship, do not register online. Download the Red Apple Scholarship Fund application from our website, email edsupport@denverzoo.org or call us at 303-376-4888, option 8 to have an application sent to you.
IMPORTANT REGISTRATION GUIDELINES
- Denver Zoo Members MUST login in under their 6-digit Member ID number to receive discounted member rates for camp. Your password is your zip code, unless you have previously changed your password information in the online system.
- After registration is confirmed, the Denver Zoo adheres to a NO-REFUND, NO-CREDIT, NO-SUBSTITUTION policy. If you are unable to attend, please consider your payment a tax-deductible donation.
If I have questions regarding Spring Safari, whom can I contact?
The easiest option is to email us at edsupport@denverzoo.org. You may also call 303.376.4894 for assistance.
 Summer Safari
SUMMER SAFARI 2010: Animal Tales
Come spend a week with Denver's wildest residents! Summer Safari is a fun-filled educational experience for animal lovers from Pre-K through 8th grades. Campers participate in hands-on activities, animal visits and observations, crafts, games, stories, projects, and zoo tours.
This summer we will get outside and active as we explore the zoo to connect animals here with animals in children’s literature and cultural stories. Each class features a reading or listening component, with plenty of dynamic activities, inquiry, animal encounters and FUN!
Class Dates
Please note that you will see some classes labeled “Session A” and “Session B”. This means that there are two identical classes running in the same week – an “A” class and a “B” class. There is no difference in the class curriculum or activities, so if one session is full, check the other for availability.
Click the schedule below to see a
large version
Class Descriptions
PRE-K (4-year olds)
 Ziggy, Zany, Zoo
What would the zoo look like if kids were in charge? Create a zany zoo of your own as we have fun with zoo-themed children’s books, Seuss-like animals and oodles of imagination!
Rhyme Time
Shake a leg and tickle your funny bone as we sing songs, hear silly poems and recite rhymes about zoo animals. Lots of wiggles, giggles and jiggles in this active class!
GRADES K-1
Weird, True & Freaky
Have you read a story about a strange or scary animal? Uncover the weird and freaky at the zoo and discover what these animals are really like outside of stories...and why!
Twisted Tails
We all know classic fairy tales that feature creatures, but would the tale be the same from the animal’s point of view? Explore zoo critters from classic tales, compare similar stories from different cultures…and hear some just plain funny versions, too!
GRADES 2-3
 Animal Inspirations
Many animals inspire us to write, paint, sing or teach others about them. Focus in on zoo animals that need our help, hear conservation success stories and learn what you can do to give other animal tales a happy ending.
Fantastical Beasts
Even magical creatures like unicorns and dragons have things in common with real animals. Compare fantastical beasts with those at the zoo, and discover why animals – real and imaginary - look the way they do.
GRADES 4-5
Going Global
Pack your passport and prepare to travel as we explore animals ‘round the globe. Investigate their meanings to different cultures, and how people worldwide share their stories.
 GRADES 6-8
Please note Grade 6-8 camps run from 9am-4pm Tuesday through Thursday, with an optional but recommended overnight experience built into the program on Thursday night, and a final half-day of camp from 9am-noon on Friday.
Natural Inquirer
Get the inside scoop on wildlife conservation – first hand! Piece together each animal tale through “press conferences” with keepers, researchers, and wildlife experts, and then share what you’ve learned in your own “zoo-cumentary”. Be a part of writing the survival story of a species!
You Belong at the Zoo
Explore the story of Denver Zoo, from 1896 to today…and beyond! Uncover the plan behind the zoo, try your hand at what exhibit designers do, and leave your mark on Denver Zoo with hands-on service projects that help us create a more sustainable future.
SUMMER SAFARI CAMP FEES & ADD-ON OPTIONS
Class Fees
Preschool (age 4) and half-day K–1 $135 members / $145 nonmembers
Full-day K–1 and Grades 2-3, 4-5, 6-8 $235 members / $260 nonmembers
Add-On Options
Early drop-off supervision (7:30-9am) $50/week/camper
Late pick-up supervision (4-5:30pm) $50/week/camper
Additional camp t-shirts (1 included w/fee) $6 per shirt
Lunch $35/week/camper
Lunches
Participants in full-day programs must either bring a sack lunch from home every day or purchase zoo lunch for the entire week. Lunch is not included in the camp cost. Zoo lunches will vary daily but may include tacos, hot dogs, macaroni and cheese, chicken fingers or pizza, and servings of fruit and vegetables daily.
Camp Tees
One Denver Zoo Summer Safari t-shirt per child is included in the camp cost. For identification and safety, children are encouraged to wear the Summer Safari tee each day of camp. You may purchase additional shirts in advance, when you register.
SUMMER SAFARI REGISTRATION
Registration Dates Roll-Out
All Summer Safari registration will be online. To meet the registration challenges resulting from high demand, we will be rolling out registration over the course of 4 days according to the following schedule:
- Monday February 1st: registration is open at 6am for the weeks of May 31-June 4 and June 7-11
- Tuesday February 2nd: registration continues for the above weeks, and is open at 6am for the weeks of June 14-18 and June 21-25
- Wednesday February 3rd: registration continues for the above weeks, and is open at 6am for the weeks of June 28-July 2, July 5-9 and July 12-16
- Thursday February 4th: registration continues for the above weeks, and is open at 6am for the weeks of July 19-23, July 26-30, August 2-6 and August 9-13
- Registration will continue for all remaining spots until sold out
If you do not have access to a computer at home, consider visiting your public library, or visit our online registration area in the Guest Services building at the zoo (available Monday through Saturday, 10am to 4pm, during the month of February).
How Do I Register?
Before you Register, please review the following:
- Denver Zoo Members MUST login in under their 6-digit Member ID number to receive discounted member rates for camp. Your password is your zip code, unless you have previously changed your password information in the online system. Please login before February 1st to ensure your password and email address are up to date, in order to speed up registration once it is open.
- Children can only be registered by their own parent/guardian.
- Children should be registered for the grade level class they will be in for the next school year, not the grade they are currently in. This will allow us to provide the best experience with children of similar ages and education levels. (For the 4-year old classes, children must be four by the date their camp class begins). We reserve the right to cancel registrations for children registered in classes that do not match their age/grade.
- All grades except 4th-5th have two class options. You may register for up to one week in each class option. Grade 4-5 has one class option, so maximum registration per child is one week.
- During registration you will be asked to enter information about any allergies or special needs your child may have, as well as their birth date, grade entering in the next school year, emergency contact numbers, and people other than yourself who are authorized to pick them up. Having this information ready ahead of time will speed up your registration.
- After registration is confirmed, the Denver Zoo adheres to a NO-REFUND, NO-CREDIT, NO-SUBSTITUTION policy. If you are unable to attend, please consider your payment a tax-deductible donation.
On the day of Registration:
- Please refer to the list of rolling registration dates above to choose the corresponding registration day for the camp period in which you wish to enroll. Registration opens at 6am on each of the rolling registration dates.
- Members, don’t forget to login under your member number to activate member pricing.
- After registration opens, you will begin selecting class choices and holding spots in the system. You will have 20 minutes to complete registration before your spots are released. Being prepared with credit card information, alternate class choices and add-on options (like lunches, early/late care or extra t-shirts) will help you complete registration efficiently.
- Once your online registration is complete, you will receive all camp confirmation and information documents via email, with PDF attachments. You will not receive camp documents in the mail. Please review all confirmation documents carefully, and print your camp parking pass.
If I have questions regarding Summer Safari, whom can I contact?
Call 303-376-4888 option 8 or email safari@denverzoo.org. Our phone lines are very busy once registration opens, so if you reach our voicemail please leave a detailed message; we will return your call as quickly as we possibly can. Thank you!
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