Zoo Camp

 

 
 

Zoo Camp is the perfect opportunity for your child to connect with animals and nature in a variety of fun and exciting ways. Children ages 4-14 will explore the zoo through play and learning with our skilled camp counselors. There's so much to see and do with weekly sessions that offer many unique experiences. Our Zoo Camp is an inclusive camp program where ALL children come together to learn, play, and explore together. They make new friends, explore the world around them, and learn that “I can” is much more powerful than “I can’t.” At Zoo Camp, children are creating memories that will last a lifetime.

Campers explore animals and the natural world in a fun, engaging, age-appropriate setting. Activities include nature hikes, animal observations and encounters, games, and crafts. We have thousands of animals and 235 acres to explore all summer long, which means that campers may attend more than one week and still be able to discover all that Brookfield Zoo Chicago has to offer in many different ways.

2024 Weekly Zoo Camp Pricing:

Full Day Zoo Camp: Nonmember $500 / Member $400

Half Day Zoo Camp: Nonmember $325/ Member $275


For aspiring Zoo Campers who aren't quite 4 years old yet, check out our popular Seedlings programs where you and your tot can sing, dance, explore, and play along with the staff and animals at the Hamill Family Play Zoo. And for those in high school who are interested in exploring new ways to get involved with Brookfield Zoo Chicago, check out our King Conservation Science Scholars program where workshops, immersive research expeditions, and hands-on career exploration enables teens to grow as conservation leaders as they explore the zoo in the ways that matter the most to them.

Registration for Zoo Camp opened February 6, 2024 and quickly sold out.
Our waitlist is still open for all sessions and will close on June 1
, 2024.
Waitlist registrants will be notified by email and have 48 hours to accept or decline.

 

           

Registration

Zoo Camp registration opens promptly at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, February 6, 2024.

Be Prepared
You will need a credit card and an email address to register. Please have all contact information, your membership number, and each camper’s medical information on hand before you begin registration. Upon making a reservation, we reserve a space for your child. In doing so, we are barring others from signing up as we have limited space available. A nonrefundable and nontransferable 25% deposit is applied at the time of reservation.

Pricing and Zoo Member Discount
PreZoo and Discovery half-day Zoo Camp: $325 per week, per camper ($275 for members)
All other full day Zoo Camp: $500 per week, per camper ($400 for members)

Members always save big on Zoo Camp registrations! To renew your membership, click here.
We are unable to apply membership discounts on camp registration retroactively.

 

Parent Packet

Your resource for all things Zoo Camp! This comprehensive packet includes everything you need to know to prepare for Zoo Camp: what to bring, how to dress, where to go, who to contact, and more! You will also receive this packet via e-mail about one week before the start of your camp session. Make sure to add AdventuresInLearning@BrookfieldZoo.org to your trusted e-mail contacts so this and other important communications are not inadvertently blocked by spam filters.

  Download Parent PackeT  

 

American Camp Association 

Zoo Camp is proudly accredited!

We are proud to be accredited by the American Camp Association® (ACA). ACA accreditation means that the camp you are sending your child to undergoes a thorough (up to 300 standards) review of its operation—from staff qualifications and training to emergency management. ACA collaborates with experts from the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Red Cross, and other youth-serving agencies to assure that current practices at the camp reflect the most up-to-date, research-based standards in camp operation. Camps and ACA form a partnership that promotes summers of growth and fun in an environment committed to safety.

 

2024 Schedule

Zoo Camp runs weekly from June 10 - August 9, with the exception of the week of July 4. Not all levels of Zoo Camp are offered every week, so make sure to refer to the 2024 schedule which can be viewed and downloaded below for detailed offerings. 

PreZoo - Half Days (9 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.) for children ages 4 and 5 who have not yet completed Kindergarten by the end of the '23-'24 school year.
Discovery - Half Days or Full Days for children who have completed Kindergarten or 1st Grade by the end of the '23-'24 school year.
Explorer - Full Days for children who have completed 2nd or 3rd Grade by the end of the '23-'24 school year.
Adventure - Full Days for children who have completed 4th or 5th Grade by the end of the '23-'24 school year.
ZooLab - Full Days for children who have completed 6th, 7th, or 8th Grade by the end of the '23-'24 school year.

  Download Parent PackeT  

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Your resource for all things Zoo Camp! This Parent Packet includes everything you need to know to prepare for Zoo Camp: what to bring, how to dress, where to go, who to contact, and more! View and download a copy today. 

  Download Parent PackeT  

 

Inclusion

Zoo Camp is proudly accredited by the National Inclusion Project!

At Zoo Camp, we believe all children can participate, regardless of ability. This means that children with and without disabilities and special needs are participating together in all camp activities.  We are pleased to have an inclusion specialist dedicated to our Zoo Camp team who supports our staff in providing inclusive experiences and making sure the zoo is for all campers. 

If your child has a disability or special need, we encourage you to complete the Disability/Special Needs Questionnaire after camp registration which helps us individualize the supports or accommodations your child may need while at Zoo Camp.

 

Drop off & PIck UP Map

Parent Packet

2024 cALENDAR

2024 Zoo Camp Scholarship