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Calendar: Wild Animal Camp 2010

At the Wild Animal Park

For ages 2–17

Have you ever wanted to see what it’s like to be a zookeeper, veterinarian, or animal trainer? Ever wished you could paint, sketch, sculpt, or photograph wildlife? Want to meet some extremely amazing animals up close and explore the Wild Animal Park with your own private tour guide? Here’s your chance—join us for Summer Camp 2010! With both day and resident camp options, campers will have a summer unlike any other.

Extended-day options are available 7:30–9 a.m. and 4–6 p.m.; $30 for the morning or afternoon extended day or $60 for both. (Price is for the week and reservations must be made ahead of time; there is no member discount on extended day.) Extended-day not available for ages 2–3.

Call now to register: 619-718-3000 or 800-407-9534. Online booking now available!

See Day Camp and Resident Camp options below...

Day Camp options

Animal Babies Pre-Camp–NEW!

A mini-camp for children ages 2–3 with an adult
Wednesday–Friday, 9–11 a.m. OR 1–3 p.m.
$150 for adult/child pair members, $180 for nonmembers

Wish you could come to Summer Camp even though you’re not quite four years old? Now you can! The Wild Animal Park’s Animal Babies Pre-Camp is a mini version of the Summer Camp experience created especially for campers ages 2–3 along with their favorite grownup. Check out where some of your favorite animal babies live, and learn about the adults that take care of them. Animal ambassadors will come to you for up-close encounters with wildlife. Each day includes stories, crafts, songs, and games. Come get your taste of Summer Camp and check out the newest kids on our block at Animal Babies Pre-Camp.

July 7–9

Sensory Safari

For preschool children and those entering kindergarten in the fall of 2010 (children must be at least 4 years old)
Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–noon OR 1–4 p.m.
$150 for members, $180 for nonmembers
Explore animal senses and your own as you embark on a Sensory Safari at the Wild Animal Park. From the owl that can hear a mouse stepping on a twig 75 feet away to the pig that can smell food underneath the ground, animals have some pretty amazing senses! Each day brings a new sense to life as campers head off on mini tours, meet animals up close, enjoy games, songs, and snacks, and make cool crafts to take home and treasure. From “Super Sight” to “Terrific Touch,” your camper will be a sensory scientist by the end of the week.

June 21–25
August 2–6
August 9–13

You Talkin' to Me?

Full-day camp for children entering grades 1–2 in the fall of 2010 (ages 6–7)

Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. each day
$265 for members, $289 for nonmembers

Some animals growl, some animals chatter. Some animals leave scent trails and others communicate with movement. This summer, 1st and 2nd graders will discover the many different ways that animals communicate with one another. You’ll explore the Park, and meet animals up close to find out who’s talking to whom and how. You’ll learn and create animal songs and musical instruments to help you talk like the animals. On the last day of camp, show off your new animal sounds with an animal sounds parade through Nairobi Village. From cat chats to pondering primates, you’ll learn all about how animals talk to one another while playing games, meeting animals, and having an all-around awesome time.

June 28–July 2
July 12–16
August 9–13

Animal Extremes

Full-day camp for children entering grades 3–5 in the fall of 2010 (ages 8–10)
Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. each day
$265 for members, $289 for nonmembers

Animals survive in the hottest, coldest, wettest, and most dangerous of environments. They have to have amazing adaptations to stay alive in these extreme circumstances. From the extremely small to the extremely tall, take a look at what makes the animals at the Wild Animal Park EXTREME. You’ll explore extreme movers that can climb, run, jump, glide, and fly above the rest. You’ll meet the extremely endangered that are quickly approaching extinction, and learn what you can do to make a difference. You’ll even explore the extremely gross, taking a look at the ins and outs of the most extreme eaters. You’ll explore the Park, venture behind the scenes, and meet animals up close in this extreme animal adventure.

July 19–23
July 26–30
August 9–13

Wild about Art

Full-day camp for children entering grades 6–8 in the fall of 2010 (ages 11–13)
Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. each day
$265 for members, $289 for nonmembers

Calling all artists! Be inspired by the amazing animals at the Wild Animal Park and go WILD about art as you use different media to explore and interpret the animal collection. Hop on board a safari truck to immerse yourself right into the herds in the Park’s large field enclosures. Relax as animal ambassadors come to you for up-close observations. Explore new ways to share your artistic eye for animals with others. The week will include sketching, drawing, painting, photography, sculpture, papier-mache, and more. You’ll examine styles from abstract to photorealism with the help of your artist-in-residence camp counselor, and work with your fellow campers to create a 15-foot mural and gallery of your work to be on display for Park guests. Some lucky artists may even see their work in ZOONOOZ later on. Let your creative juices flow, and go wild about art this summer at the Wild Animal Park!

July 19–23

Work on the Wild Side

Full-day camp for children entering grades 9–12 in the fall of 2010 (ages 14–17)
Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. each day
$265 for members, $289 for nonmembers

So you wanna be a keeper? A veterinarian? A trainer? Try those careers on for size with a week working on the wild side. Explore the Wild Animal Park in depth meeting professionals in all areas of animal care and conservation. Find out what it’s really like to be a veterinarian with a trip to our state-of-the-art animal hospital. Hop on board a caravan truck to see if field research is your thing. Explore off-exhibit animal areas to see what it takes to be a zookeeper. Bring your camera to try your hand at wildlife photography. You’ll explore all these careers and more while meeting animals up close in private encounters. There’s no place like the Wild Animal Park and no Summer Camp like this one. Join the team and see if a wildlife career might be right for you!

July 19–23

Resident Camp options

Super Sleuths

Three-day, two-night resident camp for children entering grades 4–6 in the fall of 2010
Day 1, 9 a.m.–Day 3, 4 p.m., including two overnight stays
$469 for members, $499 for nonmembers
The Wild Animal Park is a mysterious place full of exotic creatures from around the world. And you can learn a lot from those animals by investigating the clues they leave behind. This summer, become super sleuths as you investigate animal mysteries throughout the 1,800-acre Park. One day you’re dissecting an owl pellet to see what he ate, the next you’re following a set of tracks to figure out what exactly happened at the watering hole. Your search may lead you behind the scenes to an animal’s bedroom or onto a Photo Caravan Safari truck to investigate the herds in our large field enclosures. An animal ambassador may come to you for an up-close encounter, or you may venture into the dark on a nighttime prowl throughout the Park. One thing’s for sure, it’s a mystery!

June 21–23
July 7–9
August 2–4

Animal Care Boot Camp

Five-day, four-night resident camp for children entering grades 6–8 in the fall of 2010
Monday, 9 a.m.–Friday, 4 p.m., including four overnight stays
$859 for members, $899 for nonmembers
It’s back and better than ever! Get the inside scoop on animal care and conservation straight from the experts. Meet zookeepers and animal trainers to see firsthand what it takes to work with exotic animals. Take a trip to our state-of-the-art hospital to see veterinary medicine in action. Hop on board a Photo Caravan Safari truck to venture deep into the heart of the Wild Animal Park’s enormous field enclosures, and try your hand at wildlife research as you become a field biologist monitoring animal behavior. Plus, enjoy the Wild Animal Park when no one else can—at night! Make yourself at home in our private Summer Camp campsite, and spend an entire week exploring every acre of this incredible place, including behind the scenes as you visit animal bedrooms and barns with your Camp counselors. From pancake breakfast and early morning zookeeping to a late-night Park prowl and s’mores at the campfire, the animal action is nonstop. Get ready to get down and dirty as you go through Animal Care Boot Camp to become an animal care pro!

June 28–July 2
July 12–16
July 26–30

I'm just back from your three-day camp at the Wild Animal Park. It was my nine year old, not me, who was attending. I would like to thank you for the wonderful experience your camp gave him.  It was my son's first sleepover away from home.  I was concerned what his reaction might be. He had a wonderful time. When I picked him up on the third day, I watched as he went around to the counselors and the other kids and thanked them and said, "I'll see you next year." On the way home, he talked about some of the many things that he learned and what a great time he had. Thanks, you do a good job and for kids that's a good thing. Thanks again.--JW