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Kids & Families

Camp Zoofari

Camp Zoofari is an immersive experience for children ages 6-12. Campers explore the Zoo, meet our animals, and make new friends while learning about wildlife and how to protect them in the wild.

Camp Dates & Hours

Drop Off: 8:45 – 9:15 am
Pick Up: 3:45 – 4:15 pm

Fall and Winter Camps are available to be purchased on a daily basis for the following dates:

November 25, 26, 27
December 23 & 27
January 2 & 3

Important Information

Cost: Starting at $90/Day. Please see individual topics for prices.

Activities and interactions are tailored to your camper’s age. Every topic includes opportunities to interact directly with a variety of Zoo staff, meet animals up close and personal, feed giraffes or ride the carousel, and more!

 

Registration Information

Registrations for Fall and Winter camps are now open!

Available Dates

November 25,26,27

December 23 & 27

January 2 & 3

Space is Limited

Register Now

 

November

Some animals need to eat multiple times a day, while others can go for months at a time without a snack. Some animals love fruits and vegetables, while others prefer bark and roots. Carnivores may chow down on large pieces of meat, or crunchy insects. Each day, campers will explore a little more into the nutritional needs of animals and how they go about getting a meal!

Price: $90

November 25, 26, 27 

Register Now

Our camp spaces are available on a daily basis, allowing you the flexibility to join us for as many days as you wish. Please note that our activities vary each day to ensure a unique and exciting experience for all campers.

Strikeouts indicate a sold-out session.

 

Who can eat the most? Who can go without food the longest? Each day will explore a different set of amazing eaters, looking at the mechanisms and processes that allow each animal to survive and thrive.

Price: $90

November 25, 26, 27 Space is Limited

Register Now

Our camp spaces are available on a daily basis, allowing you the flexibility to join us for as many days as you wish. Please note that our activities vary each day to ensure a unique and exciting experience for all campers.

Strikeouts indicate a sold-out session.

Why are the world’s largest animals herbivores? Why do carnivores sleep all day? How can animals like giraffes and tortoises chew through thorns? This camp is all about learning nature’s secrets to survival by exploring the zoo and diving into the relationships between animals and their food, whether they eat plants, animals, bugs, or something weirder!

Price: $90

November 25, 26, 27 

Register Now

Our camp spaces are available on a daily basis, allowing you the flexibility to join us for as many days as you wish. Please note that our activities vary each day to ensure a unique and exciting experience for all campers.

Strikeouts indicate a sold-out session.

 

December & January

We keep our animals healthy and happy year-round with gifts they love.  Some animals like food, others love toys, and some love both! Come explore the Zoo and help us prepare some gifts to give to our animals for the holidays.

Price: $90

December 23 & 27

January 2 & 3

Register Now

Our camp spaces are available on a daily basis, allowing you the flexibility to join us for as many days as you wish. Please note that our activities vary each day to ensure a unique and exciting experience for all campers.

Strikeouts indicate a sold-out session.

What do animals want for the holidays? Maybe a new toy, or a huge feast? Some animals might prefer to sleep through the holidays. Explore the Zoo and learn which animals love playing with toys, their food, or their animal friends. You might be surprised which animals love receiving gifts!

Price: $90

December 23 & 27 Space is Limited

January 2 & 3 Space is Limited

Register Now

Our camp spaces are available on a daily basis, allowing you the flexibility to join us for as many days as you wish. Please note that our activities vary each day to ensure a unique and exciting experience for all campers.

Strikeouts indicate a sold-out session.

Providing enrichment, like favorite foods, interesting puzzles, or new plants, can keep animals happy, healthy, and active. During this week at the Zoo, we will find out how many ways the Zoo enriches the animals that live here and learn what enrichment we can gift them for the holidays!

Price: $90

December 23 & 27

January 2 & 3

Register Now

Our camp spaces are available on a daily basis, allowing you the flexibility to join us for as many days as you wish. Please note that our activities vary each day to ensure a unique and exciting experience for all campers.

Strikeouts indicate a sold-out session.

 

Accommodations & Accessibility

We believe there should be no boundaries to the Camp Zoofari experience. Campers of all abilities are welcome to join. Trained staff and teen mentors supervise campers at all times.

The Camp Zoofari experience includes:

  1. Exploring Zoo grounds, which has varying smells, light, noise, and temperature levels
  2. Maneuvering on uneven terrain
  3. Spending up to 2 hours at a time outdoors, covering anywhere from 1-3 miles per day
  4. Participating in both group and individual activities
  5. Moving to and from the floor or ground
  6. Utilizing public restrooms
  7. Maintaining a positive attitude and following staff instructions

Our goal is to set up all campers and staff for success. To help us provide the best possible experience, please inform us of all special considerations prior to participation. This may include information on allergies, accessibility concerns, behavioral, psychological or emotional conditions as well as any other special needs. If your child needs to attend with a full-time care provider, special arrangements can be made. Please contact us prior to registration at education@houstonzoo.org or 713-533-6739 to make an accommodation request. We are happy to work with households to make Camp Zoofari accessible to campers with varying needs. We are, however, unable to provide one-on-one support or supplementary services.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are there extended camp hours?

We do not offer drop off or pick up outside of camp hours, 8:45 am-4:15 pm. If you are looking to drop off a camper late or pick up early, please see the question below.

Can I drop off late or pickup early?

We plan our days to make full use of our time. As such, late drop-offs or early pick-ups may lead to missed activities for your camper.

We can accommodate late drop-offs or early pickups from 10 AM – 3 PM. Please contact our camp team at 713-533-6739 to arrange late drop-offs and early pick-ups. We cannot accommodate these between 3:00 – 3:45 PM as it is too close to the end of the normal camp day.

How will drop-off and pick-up work?

A lane on Hermann Park Dr. will be designated for drop-off and pick-up. At drop-off, each car will follow the line past the camp gate to be met by camp staff, who will screen each vehicle and escort campers into our Education Center. At pick-up, we will call your camper out once you have pulled though the line past the camp gate and they will not load into the car until we have screened your vehicle and you’ve signed them out. For the safety of our staff and campers, we are asking all caregivers to remain in their vehicle during this process.

Additionally, families are invited to park in Lot G and walk up to our camp gate. Caregivers will not be admitted beyond the camp gate to maintain the integrity of the camp space. In advance of each camp week, a welcome video will be sent with additional camp information and a map showing where to go upon arrival.

Please do not illegally pull over or park in the accessible parking or fire lane by the camp gate for pick-up or drop off. HPD assists us with pick-up and drop-off and has expressed this is a both a large safety/accessibility hazard and clogs traffic flow.

 

What will a regular day look like for my camper?

A regular camp day varies by theme but will include tours throughout the Zoo. Information and stories will be shared that relate to each camp’s theme. Games and activities will further support each theme. Throughout the week, campers will have visits from our Animal Ambassadors, as well as opportunities to feed the giraffes or ride the carousel.  The days for these activities vary based on camper age.

Typical Daily Schedule

 8:45 – 9:15  Check-In at the Brown Education Center (BEC)
 9:15-9:30  Icebreaker activities
 9:30-11:15  Morning Zoo tour, themed lesson and activity, and snack on Zoo grounds, giraffe feeding one day of the camp week
 11:15-11:30  Return to BEC and prep for Lunch
 11:30-12:00  Lunch inside BEC
 12:00-12:30  After-lunch programming in BEC auditorium including ambassador animals, Camp Zoofari TV, and fun conservation skits
 12:30-3:00 Afternoon Zoo tour, themed lesson, carousel one day of the camp week
 3:00-3:45  Return for snack in BEC and prepare to check out, recap and debrief the day
3:45-4:15 Check out from BEC

Who will be supervising my camper?

Our camp staff, or Camp Guides, come from a variety of backgrounds, but all are experienced in working with kids in science and nature exploration. We select our camp staff based on their educational experience and scientific background. Many of our camp educators are full-time teachers during the year. They are supported each season with our teenage program participants, the Zoo Crew.

Both Guides and Zoo Crew undergo training ahead of each camp season on topics including animal information, positive behavior management techniques, critical and scientific thinking, and Zoo procedures.

Camp Zoofari operates under a Single Skill Exemption from the Texas Department of Health and Human Services. Camp Zoofari is not a child-care facility, day care center, or licensed before- or after-school program. Risks associated with participating in Camp Zoofari may include, but are not limited to, trips and falls, insect bites, heat exposure, splinters, and minor first aid injuries resulting from supervised outdoor play.

Can I register my camper for a topic/group outside of their age group?

Age requirements are not negotiable and are strictly enforced. Campers must fall within the specified age category on the first day of the camp session they are attending.  Each topic is developed with age-appropriate techniques and measures. We divide the campers by their birthdate into smaller groups for Zoo tours and activities.

Is there a cancellation policy?

Due to the high demand for camp spaces, all sales are considered final. Patrons who provide a written notice of cancellation to education@houstonzoo.org two weeks before the camp date will receive a 50% refund of their camp registration fees. No refunds will be issued after this date, including participants who miss all or partial programs due to illness. T-shirt purchases are not refundable. The Houston Zoo reserves the right to cancel any program due to minimum enrollment, inclement weather or unforeseen circumstances, in which case a full refund will be issued. Cancellations are official upon receipt of confirmation from the Houston Zoo.

What should my camper bring each day?

Camp Zoofari Packing List:

  • Camp shirt (provided per week of registration)
  • Closed-toes shoes
  • Reusable water bottle
  • Lunch (fridges & microwaves are not available)

Additional items campers are welcome to bring:

  • Weather-appropriate gear like hats, coats, rain coats, sunglasses, etc.
  • Sunscreen or bug spray; Please apply before dropping off your camper, we are not able to apply these once they’ve been checked in.
  • Cameras

Camp Zoofari asks that campers do not bring the following items:

  • Anything you or your camper would be upset to lose
  • Stuffed Animals
  • Personal Electronics
  • Smart Watches
  • Food or snacks for other Campers

A secure space is made available for each camp group to store their belongings throughout the day, but items can be lost if left on Zoo grounds. We recommend labeling belongings like water bottles and cameras with a camper name and/or camp group in the event they are misplaced, especially on Zoo grounds, as these items will be sent to the general Zoo-wide lost-and-found if turned in. Ultimately, we recommend leaving valuables and unnecessary belongings at home.

What should my camper bring for lunch?

Camp Zoofari is a high energy experience! You can help us make it a successful experience by providing your camper a solid breakfast before camp and sending a solid lunch that you know they will eat. Camp Zoofari is not an ideal place to expose campers to new foods or test out new lunch options. Additionally, we do not have the facilities to microwave or reheat camper lunches.

Does my camper need to wear their camp shirt each day?

Yes, a camp t-shirt must be worn each day of Camp Zoofari. One shirt is included in the registration fee per week.  You may purchase additional shirts at the time of registration for $20 apiece. Sizes are Youth XS (2-4), S (6-8), M (10-12), L (14-16), and Adult S, M, and L. If you are unsure of what size to order, please order a size larger to allow room for your camper to grow.

What do you do in the event of severe weather?

If Houston Zoo is open, Camp Zoofari is operating. To determine if camp is in session, please visit the Houston Zoo main page. Any closings will be announced on the homepage of our website and through Bloomz, our communication platform. Closings will also be communicated via the Houston Zoo Facebook page. Please send campers in appropriate weather gear each day.

In the event of severe weather while campers are on grounds, they will be escorted into our indoor camp spaces. Activity times will shift to allow campers to continue to enjoy their day while waiting for the worst of the weather to pass.

What have previous campers shared about the Camp Zoofari experience?

“He said that it was his favorite camp. He said, “Zoo camp makes everything better!” Wow! Quite a statement from him”

“This was her first Camp Zoofari – and she loved every minute, couldn’t wait to go back each day. She feels like she is a “zoo expert” now, which is fantastic!”

“My daughter LOVES Zoo Camp!! She chatters non stop about everything she learns each day. She is never this talkative and excited about other things. She is a walking, talking animal referencer book. We are recycling now and doing outside projects based on her interest from what she has learned.”

How can I get in contact with you?

To contact any members of our Camp Zoofari team, please email education@houstonzoo.org or call us at 713-533-6739.

Although a member of our camp leadership team is typically available at the gate during drop-off and pick-up for quick questions, it is preferable to call or email us for longer conversations or concerns so we can give you our undivided attention– if you call or email after camp, we will be able to get back to you that afternoon or the next morning well before drop-off.