Registration for ZooCamp at Roger Williams Park Zoo is currently open on the zoo’s website, www.rwpzoo.org. 

ZooCamp is an environmental day camp that’s a unique option for parents who want to have a “happy camper” during spring and summer school breaks.

ZooCamps run during Rhode Island’s public school vacations. In the spring, camps are available for children ages 4-10 from April 21-25; and in the summer camps are available for children ages 4-10 from June 16-Aug. 22, and ages 11-13 from June 23-Aug. 22. The camps offer environmentally themed activities, crafts, animal encounters and zoo tours. Each ZooCamp is comprised of three different themed camps, each tailored to a specific age range.

Tadpole Academy is a half-day camp – morning sessions from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., and afternoon sessions from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. – where four and five year olds can have fun exploring our wild world through age appropriate stories, crafts, games and zoo exploration, in a small group of only 10 campers per session. Five-year-old campers may register for both a morning and afternoon session for a full day of Tadpole Academy.

Kids age 6 to 10 can enroll in Spring and Summer Adventures, a full-day camp that offers a variety of activities and adventures at the zoo that are just right for “big kids.” Each ZooCamp has a special theme for campers to learn something new about our animals each time they visit.

During summer school vacation, there is a special ZooCamp specifically for older kids ages 11-13 called Conservation Heroes. Another full day-camp at the zoo, Conservation Heroes empowers campers to become leaders in conservation through teambuilding and leadership activities, learning about other leaders in conservation, engagement in inquiry activities, games, program animal encounters, visits to animal exhibits and more.

“ZooCamp has typically been one of our most popular programs, probably because parents appreciate the fact that it has incredible educational value for their children while also being a lot of fun,” said Shareen Knowlton, director of education for the zoo. “It’s also a great value for the money; ZooCamp programs are more affordable than many other comparable vacation options.”

ZooCamp fees vary depending on the particular camp program, but range from $115 to $215 for zoo members and $140 to $240 for non-members. The deadline to register is two weeks prior to the desired week of camp, but there are a limited number of spots available per week, and enrollment is on a first come, first serve basis. Registration for ZooCamps can be easily completed on the zoo’s website.

For more information and to register, visit www.rwpzoo.org and click on “ZooCamp” under the “Education” tab. For further questions, or to have a printed registration form mailed to you, call 785-3510, ext. 352.