Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens

When schools out, Zoo Camp is IN!  Nowhere else on the First Coast can your child spend all day or all week nose-to-nose with an elephant, toe-to-toe with a flamingo, neck-to-neck with a giraffe, eye-to-eye with an anaconda or shoulder-to-shoulder with a gorilla!  All of our programs include behind the scenes tours, activities & games, crafts and hands-on encounters with animals everyday.

Spend an entire week at the Zoo this summer exploring the animal kingdom, conservation, zoo careers and the great outdoors.  All programs include instruction, behind the scene tours, animal encounters, train ride, hands-on activities, crafts, visits to Play Park and our new penguin exhibit. One afternoon will include a trip to the Splash Ground to cool off, so bring your bathing suit and a towel.

Special – a souvenir Zoo Camp T-shirt is included with each registration!

All of the following programs are designed to be challenging, fun and developmentally appropriate for children in the age group specified.  Students visit different areas of the Zoo each day.  Classroom activities and crafts revolve around the theme for the day.  Everyday features up-close and hands on opportunities with a variety of animals in the Education animal collection. For your child’s enjoyment, please comply with the age guidelines.

Class size is limited to 20 children per camp. Camps meet Monday – Friday from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Extended Care is available from 8:00 - 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 - 5:30 p.m. daily. Children will be in a supervised environment with games, puzzles and quiet activities available.  Fees are based on one student per week.

Thursday Night Sleepovers
Each week 8 to 14 year olds have the option of spending the night at the Zoo!  This unique overnight experience includes dinner, snacks, continental breakfast, and night tours. It is not recommended that this be your child’s first experience sleeping away from home. Campers must bring sleeping bag, pillow, toothbrush, tooth paste, personal items, sleepwear, a change of clothes and lunch for the next day in camp.

Campers must be signed up for the camp week in order to participate in the Thursday Night Sleepover.

Fees:
Members - $175/student/week
Non-members - $200/student/week
Thursday Night Sleepover: $30/student (optional and in addition to the weekly camp fee)

Extended Care Fees:
Before Care: $20/week beginning at 8 a.m.
After Care: $40/week with last pick-up at 5:30 p.m.
Before & After Care: $50/week (8 a.m. drop-off & 5:30 p.m. pick-up)

Summer Camp Flyer.pdf
Summer Camp Registration.pdf

Members of the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens receive discounts on Education Programs and FREE admission every time they visit. Become a Member today!

Registering for two weeks of Camp: Children may be enrolled for more than one week of camp.  However, the program, animals and activities do not change from week to week. The same registration form may be used when registering for two or more weeks of camp.

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Not everyone goes away for the 4th of July. Send your child to one or all of our Independence Week Workshops. No two days are alike. Workshops meet from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. with before and after care available to accommodate working parent schedules.

Need some flex time around Fourth of July?  Our one day workshops this week ideally fit around your schedule. Come one day, come all five days, it is entirely up to you! Each workshop will include hands-on activities with animals, behind-the-scenes tours, a train ride, and a visit to our newest exhibit – Tuxedo Coast Penguin Exhibit.

Class size is limited to 25 children per workshop.  Workshops are designed for children who have completed Kindergarten through 5th Grades

Special – One souvenir Zoo Camp T-shirt is included for each child registered!

Independence Week Flyer
Independence Week Registration

Fees:
Members: $40/day for 1 or 2 days, $35/day for 3 or more days
Non-members: $45/day for 1or 2 days, $40/day for 3 or more days

Before/After Care Fees:
$4/day for Before Care; $8/day for After Care, or $10/day for both Before & After Care.
Extended Care is available from 8:00 - 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 - 5:30 p.m. Children will be in a supervised environment with games, puzzles and quiet activities available.

Too old for camp and not too old to have fun at the zoo?  Here are programs for the 12-17 year old crowd. Special – One souvenir Zoo Camp T-shirt is included for each child registered!

PHOTO SAFARI (12 years and up)
‘Tween-agers and teenagers out of school?  Send them on safari with their digital cameras without leaving town!  Led by our graphic artist, students will gain valuable how to lessons in wildlife photography. Digital cameras, memory cards and extra batteries or charger required.

Independence Week Manga & Photo Flyer
Independence Manga & Photo Registration Form

MANGA (12 years and up)
Are you familiar with Bakugan, Naruto, or Bleach?  Then, you are familiar with Manga, the art of Japanese cartooning.  Join Manga artist, Stevee Jay, as we continue our exploration of this creative medium.

Independence Week Manga & Photo Flyer
Independence Manga & Photo Registration Form

Fees:
Members: $40/day for 1 or 2 days, $35/day for 3 or more days
Non-members: $45/day for 1 or 2 days, $40/day for 3 or more days
Before/After Care Fees: $4/day for Before Care; $8/day for After Care, or $10/day for both Before & After Care.

Members of the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens receive discounts on Education Programs and FREE admission every time they visit. Become a Member today!

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Policies

Registration:
Registration for all camps and workshops will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis. If you are registering two or more children for the same camp, please register all of them at the same time to ensure that they will be able to attend the same camp.

Payment:
Full payment must accompany your registration form. We accept checks, Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover cards. A service fee of $3 is added when charging your registration. Checks should be made payable to the Jacksonville Zoo.

If you are mailing in your Registration Form, send to:
Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens
Education Department
370 Zoo Parkway
Jacksonville, FL   32218

You may hand deliver the Registration Form to the PepsiCo Foundation Education Campus at the south end of the zoo’s main parking lot Monday – Sunday 9 am – 5 pm.  If you have more than one child wanting to attend the same program, please deliver all registrations together.

Or, FAX the Registration Form to 904-757-2444 24-hours a day. Do not forget to complete all the requested credit card information and sign the registration form.  If you have more than one child wanting to attend the same program, please fax all registrations together.

Confirmation:
You will receive mailed confirmation within 10 to 14 business days of receiving the registration form either via regular mail or e-mail (if an e-mail address is provided). Please do not call to check on your registration before that time. If there is a problem with your registration, e.g., the camp is already full, you will be notified immediately.

Behavior:
To ensure an enjoyable and safe experience for all children, the zoo’s staff manages child behavior. All children are expected to behave appropriately, and in the event of disruptive behavior, a child may be timed-out and removed from the group. If the disruptive behavior continues, the child-care provider (parent, guardian or chaperone) will be called to help find a solution. If improvement is not realized immediately, the child-care provider may be asked to pick up the child early from camp and the child may be asked not to return. In this situation, there will be no refunds for any days missed.

Behind the Scenes:
The unique and special part of zoo camp is the opportunity to go behind the scenes, meet keepers, get up-close and learn more about the exotic animals in the collection. To be able to offer this experience, it is imperative that children comply with all safety directions when behind the scenes and wear the prescribed footwear – shoes must completely cover the feet; sandals, heelies, crocs and all other shoes that expose the bare skin of feet to the environment or interfere with walking are never permitted behind the scenes. Children who do not follow the behavior policies and safety directions or wear the prescribed shoes will not be permitted in behind the scene areas.

Drop-off & Pick-up:
To ensure your child’s safety, we request identification from every adult signing in and signing out a child from camp.  Children will only be released to those adults identified by the registering caregiver on the car pool permission slip.  WHEN DROPPING OFF AND PICKING UP YOUR CHILDREN PLEASE OBEY ALL TRAFFIC AND SPEED LIMIT SIGNS IN THE PARKING LOT. DUE TO OUR QUARANTINE PROCEDURES TO ENSURE THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF OUR ANIMAL COLLECTION, PETS ARE NEVER ALLOWED ON ZOO PROPERTY.

Lost & Found:
Items left behind are placed in a box in the lobby of the Administration Building at the PepsiCo Foundation Education Campus. To check on lost items after your child’s week of camp, please contact the Education department at (904) 757-4463, ext. 122. Two weeks after the close of camp, all remaining items will be donated to charity.

Medication:
Staff cannot administer or dispense medication to children. Campers must be able to take their own medication. Staff can carry medications and help children to remember to take their medication. Every camp is staffed with educators trained in basic first aid and CPR and the zoo’s Security staff is first aid, CPR and automatic emergency defibrillator trained.

Special Needs:
Please indicate on the registration form any special needs our staff must be made aware of prior to your first day. Special needs such as physical, academic, social and/or dietary will be accommodated to the best of our ability. Please note that the zoo does not employ specific individuals certified and trained to handle special needs.

Children Attending Together:
If your child wants to attend a specific camp with a friend, please fax both registrations together, put both registrations in the same envelope when mailing, register both children at the same time on-line, or hand deliver both registrations to the PepsiCo Foundation Education Campus. This is the only way to ensure that they will be in the same program. Due to the popularity of our programs, we cannot save spaces.

Waiting Lists:
Due to the overwhelming popularity of our Zoo Camps, we do compile waiting lists if preferred programs fill. If an opening becomes available, we will contact you by telephone. Please make sure the registration form includes daytime, evening and cell contact numbers.

REFUNDS & CANCELLATION:
Cancellations received 10 business days or more prior to the first scheduled day of a program/camp will receive a full refund less a 10% administrative fee.  Cancellations made 9 to 5 business days prior to the first day of a program/camp will receive a 75% refund of fees.  No partial refunds will be given for missed days of camp or workshops except in extraordinary circumstances.  Exceptions to the refund policy will be made on a case by case basis and at the sole discretion of the Director of Education.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Staff:
All staff educators are screened for excellence in children’s programming. All have had previous experience with children and have cleared nationwide, state and FBI Level 2 background checks as prescribed by the State of Florida’s Jessica Lunsford Act.

Supervision and Safety:
At no time is any child left unsupervised. The number of staff and volunteers ensures thorough supervision and monitoring. The zoo’s full time security staff responds immediately to any emergency situation. Security staff is first aid, CPR and automatic emergency defibrillator trained. The Jacksonville Fire Department will also respond within minutes of being contacted.

May parents stay with their children?
Our programs are designed for children who are able to be successful in group oriented programs without parent involvement.

Where is Camp?
All camps are held at the PepsiCo Foundation Education Campus located at the south end of the zoo’s main parking lot. Paying Zoo admission is not necessary to participating in class.

My child has a younger friend.  Can they attend the same class?
We have been conducting Zoo Camps for more than ten years. Our camps are designed for the ages specified after experimenting with a variety of age combinations. We would rather an older child feel like he or she is at the top of the class than a younger child made to feel at the bottom of the class. If they must attend together, we strongly advise that you register the older child for the younger class to make the experience a positive one.

When the fee includes lunch and snacks, what foods do you provide?
Campers have a choice of a hamburger, hotdog or peanut butter and jelly uncrustable sandwich and get a bag of chips, animal crackers and a juice box.  Additional choices include carrot and celery sticks, apples and grapes. Assorted healthy snacks are served in the afternoon.