Summer Zoo Camp

The Rosamond Gifford Zoo utilizes a camp software system that streamlines and improves the registration process, record keeping, attendance and safety and wellness of your child(ren). All personal, emergency, and medical information entered is kept securely and immediately accessible to camp staff, increasing our ability to perform to the highest quality. You can even sign up for a payment plan with a qualifying deposit at no extra cost! Parents will be able to purchase items such as additional shirts, hats, and extended care as well as meal plans.

Members: Please make sure your membership is up to date prior to February 4th. A membership discount code will be provided to members prior to the registration date. You will need your membership number for verification prior to registration to receive the discount. Please note that the participant must be covered under the membership account number to receive the discount. If non-members utilize the membership discount and membership registration period, you will be refunded and placed on the waitlist to be contacted when non-member registration begins. Call membership at (315) 435-8511 x8537 for any questions or concerns related to your membership account or to sign up for a membership.

Mail-in registrations will no longer be accepted or processed. Please contact the Education department at (315) 435-8511 x8559 for assistance with registering online for the best possible service and experience.

Yes! Registering multiple children for sessions is easy in our new system!

As educators, we feel that campers can maximize their Zoo Camp experience by interacting with peers of their own age level/grade. All sessions are designed to offer hands-on learning that is age appropriate. The registration system will only show you the age/grade appropriate options available for your child. If there is no availability for your child for sessions in their age/grade group, you can be placed on a waitlist through the registration system. Admission is on a first-come, first-served basis as space becomes available. Exemptions to the age/grade requirement can be made only if space becomes available closer to the start of the camp week and the waitlist for that session has been exhausted.

Please contact the Zoo Camp director with any questions or concerns.

There will be circumstances that require us to split up age/grade groups. We are committed to giving your child the best possible experience and will make every accommodation when possible. Requests need to be made in advance during the registration process and must be age appropriate. Please note that we cannot make group changes after camp has begun.

Yes! One-to-one aides are allowed to attend. Before registering for camp, please contact the zoo camp director if your camper requires services. Please contact Zoo camp Director, Noelle at [email protected] for more information
and to schedule a meeting in person to mutually determine if zoo camp aligns with their needs.

You will have the opportunity to be added to the wait list during the registration process. If space becomes available during the waiting period, we will notify all parties on the wait list in the order received. You can opt to be removed from a wait list at any time.

Before and After Care may include games or quiet reading and is not part of the normal zoo curriculum. Before Care runs 8 - 9 a.m. and After Care runs 4–5 p.m. You may register your camper for one or both sessions. Cost is $50 per week per camper for either session. Before and After Care is not offered per diem; you must register and pay for the full week. Pre-registration is required - no drop-ins. If you are late picking up your camper from the regular camp day or Before and After Care, late fees will apply.

Our youngest campers can join us for an exclusive week of half-day camp to learn the stories of all the different animals we have here at the zoo! We will focus on some of our very own inspiring care stories and how the hard work of the animal care team makes a big difference in the lives of all the animals here and beyond.

Half Day AM Ages 4-5: $200

Kick off summer with a golden glow! Campers will explore some of the zoo’s most majestic “golden” animals, such as our Golden Conure and Panamanian Golden Frogs. Discover how we can help protect these endangered species and their habitats.

Full Days Grades 1-6: $260

Animal Care and Conservation Camp Ages 12-17: $400

Get ready to swing into fun! Did you know that there are over 300 species of primates? We will leap into how the zoo supports primates and other animals' well-being through enrichment and training that keeps them active, curious, and able to express natural behaviors.

Full Day Grades 1-6: $320

Counselor in Training (2 week program (will continue in week 3): $800

Attention all animal detectives come uncover the truth behind wild myths, amazing artifacts, and sensational creatures! We’ll also explore why knowing the truth about animals is so important for protecting them. Campers will feel empowered, inspired, and ready to be heroes for animals and the natural world!

Full Day Grades 1-6: $320

Counselor in Training continues for ages 12-17.

Get ready to stretch your paws, flap your wings, and race into camp! Kids will discover the incredible adaptations that make wildlife “Olympians” flourish in their own habitats. Campers will create challenges for our animals here at the zoo in the form of enrichment; which keeps animals active, curious, and healthy. Your young adventurers will be cheering for wildlife—and inspired to be champions for conservation!

Half Day AM Ages 4-5: $200

Full Day Grades 1-6: $320

Gear up super sleuths! This week, campers will dive into how creativity and science work together to protect our planet. Through hands-on experiments, basic robotics, and fun art projects, kids will discover how wildlife inspires amazing inventions and how STEAM helps solve real conservation challenges.

Half Day AM Ages 4-5: $200

Full Day Grades 1-6: $320

Campers will dig into the mysteries of fossils, skeletons, and clones! They’ll get to know the stories of the zoo’s most fascinating animals and discover how real-life scientific discoveries impact the animals at the zoo and beyond. They’ll learn how animals and humans can work together to protect the future by discovering clues from the past.

Full Day Grades 1-6: $260

Animal Care and Conservation Camp Ages 12-17: $400

Get ready to giggle and gasp as we get the scoop on poop and explore the surprising clues animals leave behind. Campers will discover how these gross treasures help zookeepers understand animal health and protect ecosystems. From backyard sleuthing to silly science surprises, kids will turn “eww!” into “ooh!” as they uncover the amazing secrets hidden in the mess.

Half Day AM Ages 4-5: $200

Full Day Grades 1-6: $320

Welcome, adventurers. Let's explore from land to sea. Throughout the week, campers will learn simple, sustainable habits that help protect wildlife and see just how connected we are to life from under the sea to right in our backyards. They’ll discover how our oceans and lands are changing, why it’s important to keep them clean, and how our choices affect the animals that live in all habitats.

Half Day AM Ages 4-5 $200

Full Day Grades 1-6: $320

When the sun goes down, the wild wakes up! Campers will uncover the “superpowers” of nocturnal animals—like amazing hearing, night vision, and stealthy skills that help them survive in the dark! Along the way, they’ll discover how different animals are specially adapted to their habitats and why protecting wildlife matters.

Full Day Ages 6-12: $320

Come put your skills to the test while learning some new ones too! Explore the world of conservation education and discover what it takes to be a true conservation educator. Gain real classroom experience by creating activities supporting young campers and developing transferable skills like collaboration, leadership, curriculum design, sustainability, and community building all while building your resume and growing the qualities of a future conservationist.

Week 2 and 3 Ages 12-17: $800

Campers will experience many of the different aspects that it takes to become a zookeeper such as general animal husbandry, training, safety, creating enrichment, preparing diets, maintaining habitats, healthcare, and research; along with learning about different opportunities and careers the zoo offers. They will get the true experience of what keepers and zoo employees really do.

This camp is specially designed for the camper with an animal-related career in mind and requires a negative TB test result within 1 year of the start of the camp session.

Weeks 1 and 6 Ages 12-17: $400 Campers will experience many of the different aspects that it takes to become a zookeeper such as general animal husbandry, training, safety, creating enrichment, preparing diets, maintaining habitats, healthcare, and research; along with learning about different opportunities and careers the zoo offers. They will get the true experience of what keepers and zoo employees really do.

This camp is specially designed for the camper with an animal-related career in mind and requires a negative TB test result within 1 year of the start of the camp session.

Weeks 1 and 6 Ages 12-17: $400

Your child will participate in fun, hands-on learning that explores every aspect of our zoo. Please refer to the camp schedule above to see what a typical day of camp looks like! We provide every child with a camp T-shirt. Each camper is required to wear the camp T-shirt daily to identify them as a zoo camper to the public and zoo staff. If you would like to purchase additional T-shirts, please order online during the registration process.

All staff members have experience working with children. Camp staff pass a criminal background check and receive extensive training before camp starts. The camp director and other zoo staff are trained in CPR and first aid.

Please contact the camp director at [email protected] prior to registration to discuss your child’s needs.

We have a variety of outreach animals that your child may encounter such as snakes, insects and small mammals, and older campers may have the opportunity to go behind the scenes with keepers. For the safety of your children and our animals, contact with animals is prohibited.

Zoo camp is about making new friends and memories, and parents at camp can inhibit a child’s experience. Additionally, room capacities limit the number of people that can be in each room. Therefore, we ask that parents refrain from staying with children during camp.

Zoo Camp instructors are prohibited by law from administering any medication to children at Zoo Camp except for Epi-pens in an emergency; however, the camp health director can assist in self-administration. All medication and Epi-Pens must be received in the original container and be accompanied by written authorization by their doctor. Camp staff can assist with the application of sunscreen and insect repellant with written permission.

Yes. We require that all children be potty trained to attend camp.

For your child’s safety, we require that every person picking your child up from Zoo Camp be registered with our instructors. Before your child can leave zoo grounds, the designated person picking him/her up must provide a photo ID and check out your child.

If your child is enrolled and you must cancel for any reason, your registration fee is non-refundable unless a child on the waiting list can fill your space. In the event the cancelled space is filled, a $25 processing fee will be deducted from your refund.

Catering at the Zoo will offer a weekly meal plan that can be purchased during registration or added later. Please note that last-minute and day-of requests may not be honored based on availability.

Meal Plan Pricing:

5 Day Weekly Meal Plan: $55
4 Day Weekly Meal Plan: $44

Camp Menu: