For 18-36 months old
Can you see the brilliant colors of nature? Join us in this four-week series as we take a closer look at the Zoo’s colorful creatures. We will meet animals up close and learn to identify the beautiful colors of their scales, fur and feathers!  

Dates: Choose to come every Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday or Saturday for 4 weeks  

Note: Masks are highly recommended for ages 3 years +. Masks may be required for some animal encounters. The instructor will communicate when it is necessary to wear masks. Plan for one adult to stay with your child during these classes.

For 18-36 months old
Does your child like to jump, hop, crawl, or climb? Learn how animals are movers and shakers just like them! This is our time to discover how animals get from place to place, using their bodies to maneuver about their homes. Join us to learn about animal locomotion while we move around the Zoo, meet animals, and act like animals with our friends.

Dates: Choose to come every Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday or Saturday for 4 weeks  

Note: Masks are highly recommended for ages 3 years +. Masks may be required for some animal encounters. The instructor will communicate when it is necessary to wear masks. Plan for one adult to stay with your child during these classes.

For 3, 4, and 5 year olds not yet in Kindergarten

What would you do to get your hands on your favorite food?! Let’s discover what it takes for an animal to find their next delicious meal. Join us on a journey around the Zoo while we find animals that are really good at finding food! Animals find food by using their hands, ears, eyes, nose and mouth, just like we do! 
 

Note: Masks are highly recommended for ages 3 years +. Masks may be required for some animal encounters. The instructor will communicate when it is necessary to wear masks. Plan for one adult to stay with your child during these classes.
 

For 3, 4, and 5 year olds not yet in Kindergarten
Have you ever watched a caterpillar inch across a leaf? Or a rabbit hop through the grass? From crawling like a caterpillar to hopping like a bunny, we will mimic the movement our animal friends make and learn about what makes them special. Join us in this four-week series as we discover how animals can fly, jump, hop, swing 
and dive! 

Note: Masks are highly recommended for ages 3 years +. Masks may be required for some animal encounters. The instructor will communicate when it is necessary to wear masks. Plan for one adult to stay with your child during these classes.

Do you think you have ever been as hungry as a hippo?  Do you have a favorite food? So do some of the Zoo animals! During this four-week series, we’ll take hikes in the Zoo, meet some special animal friends, and play games that will help us learn about the crazy variety of animal diets and what is on the menu for our Zoo animals. 

Note: Masks are highly recommended. Masks may be required for some animal encounters. The instructor will communicate when it is necessary to wear masks. Kindergarten Zoo Troopers attend Zoo Troop without an adult.
 

Do you scurry like a squirrel or swing like a siamang? Do you run like a rhino or paddle like a penguin? During this four-week series, we’ll play games, hike through the Zoo, and meet some new animal friends as we discover (and try out) all of the amazing ways the animals move through their world. 

Note: Masks are highly recommended. Masks may be required for some animal encounters. The instructor will communicate when it is necessary to wear masks. Kindergarten Zoo Troopers attend Zoo Troop without an adult.

Every living thing needs energy to survive. Animals get energy from the food they eat! Some animals eat plants, while some eat other animals! Join us on our journey to  study the food chain and figure out what some of our Zoo animals like to eat. 

Note: Masks are highly recommended. Masks may be required for some animal encounters. The instructor will communicate when it is necessary to wear masks.

Creep with eight legs, crawl with six legs, sprint with four legs or walk with just two...join us on this journey as we investigate how animals move! In each class, we will explore animal movers around the Zoo, challenge ourselves with activities and experience up close animal encounters.

Note: Masks are highly recommended. Masks may be required for some animal encounters. The instructor will communicate when it is necessary to wear masks.
 

From teeth to talons, animals have a lot of adaptations that help them to find and eat their food. Join us for this four-week series as we investigate what animals eat and how they find their food with zoo hikes and animal visitors.

Note: Masks are highly recommended. Masks may be required for some animal encounters. The instructor will communicate when it is necessary to wear masks.

 

From gibbon brachiation to penguin paddling, animals are adapted to move through all kinds of places in all sorts of ways! During this four-week series, we will take an up-close look at animal locomotion and learn about the adaptations that allow animals to move in different ways. We will also test some of our locomotion skills and see how we measure up when compared to some wild moves around the Zoo. 

Note: Masks are highly recommended. Masks may be required for some animal encounters. The instructor will communicate when it is necessary to wear masks.

When it comes to finding food, the rules of the wild are eat or be eaten. Learn about the adaptations animals have to find and eat their food, their role in the food chain, and how our eating habits compare to theirs. We will also learn about how our Zoo nutritionist makes sure that our Zoo animals eat a diet that mimics that of their wild counterparts. Of course, animal visitors, Zoo hikes, and other activities will play a big role in this 4-week series as we learn and explore what it means to eat like an animal. 

Note: Masks are highly recommended. Masks may be required for some animal encounters. The instructor will communicate when it is necessary to wear masks.

Whether you hunt with talons or teeth, stealth or speed, you have to be fierce to be at the top of the food chain. During this four-week class, we will explore meat-eaters of the mountains, carnivores of the canopy, savanna stalkers, and more to learn how predators in different habitats are specially adapted to find and/or catch their food in the place they call home. 

Note: Masks are highly recommended. Masks may be required for some animal encounters. The instructor will communicate when it is necessary to wear masks.

In the wild, it is all about survival when you are either the hunter or the hunted. During this four week series, we will learn about the adaptations that animals and plants utilize to survive and thrive in a wild and unpredictable world. We will also learn about the role that humans play in forming and changing the rules and the roles of wildlife in their habitat. 

Note: Masks are highly recommended. Masks may be required for some animal encounters. The instructor will communicate when it is necessary to wear masks.

We often focus on who is the strongest or fastest human or who can jump the highest or the farthest. This series will focus on how those Olympian talents can apply to the animal kingdom and how these athletic skills translate into survival skills for wildlife. We will even test our own skills and, the final week, those of our visitors against those of our animal Olympians to see who would bring home the gold. 

Note: Please bring a mask, as masks may be required for some animal encounters.

Full Day Camp
Do you think you can catch these critters? Discover what it means to be a predator or prey animal and how they use their adaptations to try to outwit, outrun, and hide from each other! Come and explore their wild worlds and help uncover their sneaky, stealthy secrets through interactive games, hikes through the zoo, and close encounters with Animal Ambassadors.

This full-day camp is for 4 year olds and children entering kindergarten in the fall.
NOTE: Campers and adults are required to wear a mask while indoors.

Half Day Camp
Can you talk like an elephant or taste with your feet like a butterfly? Explore what sensory adaptations animals have and how these adaptations help them survive. We'll spend the week looking at our five senses and seeing how they compare to other animals' through close encounters with animal friends, interactive games, crafts, and hikes in the Zoo.

This half-day camp is for 4 year olds and children entering kindergarten in the fall
NOTE: Campers and adults are required to wear a mask while indoors.

Half Day Camp
Do other animals live in families like humans? Are all babies raised by their moms? During this camp, we'll experience up-close animal encounters, make crafts, and, of course, hike around the Zoo to learn about why it can take a mom, dad, pack, or no one at all to raise a baby animal.

This half-day camp is for 4 year olds and children entering kindergarten in the fall.
NOTE: Campers and adults are required to wear a mask while indoors.

Full Day Camp
A bird that can fly at speeds of 200mph? A cat that can leap 12 feet into the air? Animals can be out of this world when it comes to their super adaptations. Come to summer camp and discover these animals and their incredible super-powers. Each day, we will look at a superhero with amazing superpowers, and then see if our Zoo animals can measure up to their spectacular abilities. The camp will include Zoo hikes, games, and up-close live animal encounters.

This full day camp is for children entering 1st or 2nd grade in the fall.
NOTE: Campers and adults are required to wear a mask while indoors.

Half Day Camp
What do polliwogs, cubs, and owlets have in common? They're all babies! Spend a week learning how animals change and grow from the time they're born until they reach adulthood. Each day is packed with activities to help discover how insects, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals grow.

This half day camp is for children entering 1st or 2nd grade in the fall.
NOTE: Campers and adults are required to wear a mask while indoors.s.

Half Day Camp
Have you ever wondered what a lion was roaring about or a bird chirping about? This camp will explore animals and how they "talk" to each other. Join us for a fun-filled week, where campers will discover what animals are communicating, through smell, facial expressions and sound.

This half day camp is for children entering 1st or 2nd grade in the fall.
NOTE: Campers and adults are required to wear a mask while indoors.

Full Day Camp
Campers will get a chance to become Naturalists as they choose their destiny through different expeditions. These expeditions will traverse through the world's different biomes. As they complete each expedition they will become equipped with the knowledge and the tools it takes to become a real naturalist.

This full-day camp is for children entering 3rd or 4th grade in the fall.
NOTE: Campers and adults are required to wear a mask while indoors.

Full Day Camp
What do boomer balls, spices, braided butcher paper, and fish-sicles all have in common? They are different forms of animal enrichment! Enrichment provides stimulation to our Zoo animals keeping their minds and bodies healthy. In this camp, we will learn about the different forms of animal enrichment, who and what they are good for, and the role of the Zoo's enrichment committee in all of this through animal encounters, keeper interactions, games, and other activities. We will even get a chance to participate in the creation of some animal enrichment items and brainstorm some new enrichment ideas.

This full-day camp is for children entering 5th or 6th grade in the fall.
NOTE: Campers and adults are required to wear a mask while indoors.

Full Day Camp
Become a backyard biologist while exploring our fields, forests, and wetlands out at our 600 acre Bowyer Farm! Campers will spend time learning what it takes to protect our wild spaces through hands-on activities such as bird watching, plant identification, and animal tracking. Our adventure filled camp will encourage campers to get back in touch with their wild side, while building confidence as they hone their naturalist skills. On Friday, your camper will lead you on a nature hike to show off their new skills.

This camp takes place at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden's Bowyer Farm, 2210 Mason Montgomery Road, Mason, OH 45040.

This full-day camp is for children entering 5th,6th,7th,or 8th grade in the fall. Groups will be subdivided based on grade.
NOTE: Campers and adults are required to wear a mask while indoors.

Full Day Camp
Animal keepers, field researchers, forensic zoologists, animal trainers…the list goes on and on when it comes to jobs that work with wildlife. Throughout the week we will have hands on animal encounters, meet a variety of speakers who have careers working with wildlife, and go on instructor led hikes to explore the habitats around the Zoo. This is a hands-on class, so be prepared to get knee or elbow-deep in exploration of some of the jobs and tools of the trade that come with a wildlife-related career! Participants will even get the opportunity to write and record an animal-related 90-second naturalist video that might be selected to be on the Zoo’s website!

This full-day camp is for children entering 7th or 8th grade in the fall.
NOTE: Campers and adults are required to wear a mask while indoors.

Join us out at the farm to hike, hear, pluck, and taste our way through the history and folklore of the largest native fruit in America - the pawpaw!  Ohio's state fruit is smooth like as mango, with a tropical taste.  From hikes in the pawpaw patch to tasting home-made pawpaw ice cream, bring the family out for a fun morning full of activity and storytelling!  Then, we will help you prepare seeds for winter, so that you can grow your own pawpaw tree next spring!

Perfect for families with children of all ages, or the pawpaw enthusiast. One adult must register per group. Children under 2 years are free. Price is per person.

NOTE: This program takes place at our Bowyer Farm in Lebanon, located at 2210 Mason Montgomery Road, Mason, OH 45040.

Join us as we say “goodnight” to some daytime animals and “good morning” to some of our nighttime friends. You and your family will experience live animal encounters, an evening hike, and even a behind-the-scenes sneak peek into what it’s like caring for some of our magnificent animals.

IMPORTANT: All program participants must be 5 years and older. Children under 18 must be accompanied by a registered adult. Please bring a mask. Masks are required for everyone during certain animal experiences and behind-the-scenes. Please note that mask policies may change at any time and may vary by program/location and general admission. Price is per person.

Join us for a two-part adventure! An interactive social hour with drinks and light bites and a visit from a unique animal is just the beginning. Then, small tour groups led by Zoo Educators will explore the Zoo after hours. Discover our amazing African wildlife and conservation stories through a night hike and get up-close with live animal encounters. This experience also includes behind-the-scenes sneak peeks into what it’s like to care for these African animals.

IMPORTANT: All program participants must be 21 years and older. Please bring a mask. Masks are required for everyone during certain animal experiences and behind-the-scenes. Please note that mask policies may change at any time and may vary by program/location and general admission. Price is per person.

Get your vintage camp tshirt! Summer Camp 2019 (pollinators), Spring Break 2020 (wildebeest), Summer Camp 2021 (kangaroo) all available now. Youth and Adult sizes for the whole family!

All t-shirts are for pickup only, at the Harold C Schott Education Building at 56 Erkenbrecher Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45249 Monday-Friday 9am-5pm, or Saturday 9am-12pm. Call 513-559-7730 when you arrive. All orders will be held for 4 business days, and then returned to inventory if not picked up. 

Gildan Brand 100% Cotton. See size chart.

How well do YOU know your Cincinnati Zoo? The honor of "second oldest Zoo in the nation" comes with a lot of history and some pretty epic tales. Step back in time with Zoo animal care and trainer veteran of 50 years, Gary Denzler, as he leads you on a fun and factual story-based historical tour of the Cincinnati Zoo, sharing tales of the people and animals that have made this zoo what it is today.

This program is geared towards participants 16 years and older.

Perfect for Full Day Camp 2022 at the member price!
Spring Break or Summer full day camps for 4yr-6th grade.

​Gift Certificates only redeemable for Zoo Education Programs.

Perfect for Full Day Camp 2022 at the non-member price!
Spring Break or Summer full day camps for 4yr-6th grade.

​Gift Certificates only redeemable for Zoo Education Programs.

Perfect for Full Day Camp 2022 at the member price!
Spring Break or Summer full day camps for 7th-8th grade.

​Gift Certificates only redeemable for Zoo Education Programs.

Perfect for Full Day Camp 2022 at the non-member price!
Spring Break or Summer full day camps for 7th-8th grade, or 5th-8th Eco-Explorers at Bowyer Farm.

Gift Certificates only redeemable for Zoo Education Programs.

Perfect for Half Day Camp 2022 at the member price!
Summer half day camps for 4 year - 2nd grade.

​Gift Certificates only redeemable for Zoo Education Programs.

Perfect for Half Day Camp 2022 at the non-member price!
Summer half day camps for 4 year - 2nd grade.

​Gift Certificates only redeemable for Zoo Education Programs.

Perfect amount for a Zoo Troop series.

Gift Certificates only redeemable for Zoo Education Programs.

Great for Family Day Programs or single Family Sunset Safari program.

Gift Certificates only redeemable for Zoo Education Programs.

Gift Certificates only redeemable for Zoo Education Programs.

Gift Certificates only redeemable for Zoo Education Programs.