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For 18-36 months olds
Can you crawl like a Very Hungry Caterpillar? Do you want to join in on a Barnyard Dance? Have you ever asked, "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?" This series will explore nature and movement through the eyes of authors such as Eric Carle and Sandra Boynton. Our Zoo Troopers move and explore our world like the animals in our featured books.

Dates: Come every Saturday for 4 weeks.

Note: Plan for one adult to stay with your child during these classes. Only one adult may accompany each child.

For 18-36 months olds
Do you smell the flowers? Can you feel the moss on the tree? Our world is full of sights, sounds, smells, and textures. We will explore our senses in nature, encouraging free play and fun, while creating nature art projects! Each week we will discover animals through live animal encounters, Zoo hikes, and dramatic play.

Dates: Ccome every Saturday for 4 weeks.

Note: Plan for one adult to stay with your child during these classes. Only one adult may accompany each child.

For 3, 4 and 5 years old not in kindergarten
Have you heard that Giraffes Can't Dance? Could YOU have a tea party while a Bear Snores On? How many animals do you think can fit in The Mitten lost by a little boy? Dramatic play, meeting animals in the classroom, and an exploratory hike through the Zoo will help bring these and other books to life and encourage observation, imagination, and exploration in nature.

Dates: Come every Saturday for 4 weeks.

Note: Plan for one adult to stay with your child during these classes. Only one adult may accompany each child.

For 3, 4 and 5 years old not in kindergarten
Have you ever created a self-portrait using items from nature? We will be creating nature themed works of art and exploring the world around us through our senses. The smells of the elephant house, a prickle of a pinecone, the shiny smooth scales of a snake - let's get closer to the world around us and explore! Each week we will meet animals face-to-face in the classroom and out in the Zoo as we learn how to sense the world around us.

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

Note: Plan for one adult to stay with your child during these classes. Only one adult may accompany each child.

Many animals (including humans) have close relationships with their mothers.  From the gentle jaws of an alligator to the comfy pouch of an opossum, come learn about our Zoo moms as we prepare to celebrate all mother figures on tomorrow's holiday just for them.

Note: All attendees 3 years + must register. One adult required per group. Children under 3 years free. Price is per person.
 

Being the second oldest zoo in the nation means there is no shortage of history and wild stories! Step back in time with former zookeeper and bird trainer, Gary Denzler, as he brings the past to life through a fun, informative and story-driven tour of our Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden. With more than 50 years experience, Gary shares unbelievable tales of the aimals, people and moments that shaped the Zoo into what it is today.  Hear stories of alligators accidentally in Swam Lake on opening day, donkeys vs lions, animals arriving on zepplins and A LOT MORE! 

If the weather is nice, be ready to be on foot! This experience includes a short 30-minute indoor introduction to start, then the rest of the time is spent walking through the Zoo, so comfortable walking shoes are encouraged.  In the case of rain or inclement weather, the program moves fully indoors, where you'll enjoy a unique and equally incredible experience featureing fascinating historical photos that bring the Zoo's past to life.

Whether indoors or out, you're in for an unforgettable journey through our Zoo's history.

This program is geared towards participants 13 years and older.

Zoo lovers of all ages can join us each season for a special night hike around the Zoo.

June, July, & August: Hot Weathered Wildlife Different animals (including humans) have different strategies for staying cool in the summertime. Pigs wallow, goats get rid of heat through their ears and horns, snakes and lizards seek the shade and African penguins swim to keep cool! There are many ways to beat the heat in the summer! Join us as we learn about which animals enjoy the heat, and how they find ways to cool down.

Note: All attendees 3 years and above must register. At least one adult must register per group. Children under 3 years are free. Price is per person.

A truly one-of-a-kind experience, these overnights make a great date night, friend group outing, or (adult) family adventure!

An interactive social hour will start the night with two drink tickets, light bites, strange zoo games, and a visit from a unique animal. Then, we will break out into small tour groups led by Zoo Educators to traverse through Africa. On our Zoo safari, we will go behind the scenes of Hippo Cove and uncover the secrets of our world-famous bloat. We'll finish up our night at our Twiga Tents, gathered around a roaring campfire roasting s'mores. Then, this unique adventure ends with a relaxing night in our safari tents on cozy cots and waking up to breakfast overlooking Giraffe Ridge. And it doesn’t end there! One last special animal guest will join us in the morning to say goodbye.

Spend the Night at the Zoo!

Florida is full of diverse habitats that are bursting with thousands of animal species, from walking-on-water basilisks to slow-and-steady manatees. We’ll dive headfirst into the astonishing biodiversity of these habitats, centering around the lives of our resident manatees who are a part of a rehabilitation program. Throughout the night we’ll explore a few places in the Zoo, participate in fun, educational activities, get a behind-the-scenes sneak peek, including our amazing science and research center CREW, and meet some of our animal ambassadors up-close and personal! When the night ends, you’ll doze off at our Manatee Springs building in the big open-spaced exhibit area.

 

Note: All program attendees must be 5 years and older and be registered. Children under 18 must be accompanied by a registered adult. 

This program sleeps in the Manatee Springs building. This is a beautiful open-spaced room that will be shared with other families/groups. So you will be combined with other groups for the program and sleeping.

 

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.

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.

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.

Full Day Camp

All aboard! Summer campers will take a journey from the North to South Pole, visiting every habitat in between! Along the way they’ll experience live classroom animal encounters, Zoo hikes to animals from every continent, and games and activities that take them around the globe! It’s sure to be an adventure they won't forget!

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 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.

Full Day Camp
Campers will become naturalists as they choose their own adventure with 5 daily expeditions. Each expedition will traverse through the world's different biomes. As campers complete each adventure, 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.

Full Day Camp
What do boomer balls, spices, braided butcher paper, and fishsicles 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 through animal encounters, keeper interactions, games, and other activities. We will even create animal enrichment items and brainstorm some new ideas.

This full-day camp is for children entering 5th or 6th grade in the fall.

Full Day Camp
for children entering 5th,6th,7th,or 8th grade in the fall. Groups will be subdivided based on grade.

Become a backyard biologist exploring fields, forests, and wetlands at our 700-acre Bowyer property! Participants will learn to protect wild spaces through activities such as bird watching, butterfly tagging, and animal tracking. Our camp will encourage your child to get back in touch with their wild side and build 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. 

Note: Before and After Care is not available for camps hosted at Bowyer Farm.  Campers will spend all their time outside and immersed in nature. Please dress accordingly and plan to get dirty or wet!

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. We will have hands-on animal encounters, meet a variety of speakers, and go on instructor-led hikes to explore 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 that come with a wildlife-related career! Participants will get the opportunity to write and record an animal-related video.

This full-day camp is for children entering 7th or 8th grade in the fall.