Oakland Zoo invites kids from all around the Bay Area to come hang out with us for an exciting week of outdoor nature discovery, animal adventures, and fun! Summer Camp activities include interactive stories, puppet play, games, craft projects, science activities and of course, animals! Oakland Zoo takes great pride in creating age-appropriate programs for campers in Pre-K, Kindergarten, First Grade, Grades 2-3, Grades 4-5, Grades 6-8, and High School. We also offer a multi-grade nature exploration class and a family camp program. Campers should register based on their grade in Fall 2013.

Carefully review the sections below regarding registration, before and after care options, medical/publicity waiver, camper behavior policy, scholarship availability, and our cancellation policy.

Campers should register for classes based on their grade in Fall 2013.

Summer ZooCamp 2013 registration is now open. Register Here. Reservations are made through Thriva, a secure online registration service. If you are a returning camper you can confirm your Thriva email and password or make a payment. Registration closes at noon the Wednesday before each session so that camp staff can prepare rosters and materials for the upcoming week.

Multiple Session Discount: Kids can spend a multiple weeks at ZooCamp without repeating the same activities. For campers preK through 5th grade, we are offering two classes on alternating weeks at each grade level. Register for Class A, Class B, or both in any order to have an enriching summer at Oakland Zoo. Campers in grades 1-5 can add a third week of ZooCamp by attending our Nature Play program! Campers signing up for multiple weeks of ZooCamp will receive a 10% discount on their second and third weeks of camp.

Partial Payment Option: We understand that summer camps can get expensive. In order to help families budget for summer enrichment experiences, we are happy to offer a two payment plan. The first payment of 50% is due at the time of registration, the remaining 50% is due one month before your scheduled session. You will be reminded via email at least one week before your account balance is due. If you do not log in and manually make a payment, the credit card on file will be charged automatically on the payment due date.

Special Friends: Each camper may request one friend to attend camp with during the registration process. Special friends must register for the same session dates and the same program (Mini Mammals, Furry Friends, Nature Play, etc.), and both children must request each other. We will do our best to place special friends in the same class, but please know we will split up groups larger than three in order to encourage participants to make new friends and to ensure campers who come without a special friend feel included.

ZooCamp Holiday Closings: We will not have camp on the 4th of July. Registration fees will be pro-rated for this session. This week is noted with an asterisk in the session information below.

Registration Packet: Already registered for ZooCamp? Learn more about what to bring and where to go.

Still have questions? Please read the ZooCamp FAQs sheet, call the ZooCamp Hotline (510) 632-9525 x280, or email the Summer Camp Registrar.
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The exact class curriculum and activities are developed during staff training in June. Each class will include zoo tours, animal close-ups, crafts, games, science projects, and behind-the-scenes experiences as appropriate. Each Monday you will receive an outline of what your camper will be doing during the week.

Wondering about our odd dollar amounts? ZooCamp is committed to conservation! The odd extra $1.00 of your registration fee will be donated to a conservation project affiliated with the Oakland Zoo. The ZooCamp conservation partner for 2013 is ARCAS, an NGO in Guatemala that rescues and rehabilitates exotic animals confiscated from the illegal pet trade.
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Times: 9:00am-4:00pm.
Fees: $291.00 for members, $311.00 for non-members.

What can you find under a rock in the creek? How many ladybugs can you find? Camp days will fly by as kids find tadpoles, build forts, look for bugs, and come nose to nose with nature. Campers in grades 1-5 will play together in this class.
Sessions: June 17-21, June 24-28, July 1-5*, July 8-12, July 15-19, July 22-26, July 29-August 2, August 5-9, August 12-16. *See registration section.
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Times: 9:30am-12:300pm.
Fees: $196.00 for members, $216.00 for non-members.

For all those adults who have dreamed of joining your child at ZooCamp, your wish has been granted! Celebrate the wild child in all of us and nurture your families' passion for nature, as the zoo welcomes the entire family for a week of nature walks, Zoo tours, animal close-ups, stories, crafts, science activities and special projects. We will explore themes such as: wildlife in your backyard, composting and recycling, your green home, zoo species and how to help them, smart pet choices, connecting to nature through play and more. Invite your family to be more in touch with the world around them and each other! Children must be entering Kindergarten or older. Adults can be any adult member of the family over 18 years. One adult can accompany multiple children for an additional fee per child.
Sessions: July 29-August 2
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Note: Children must be at least 4 years old on the first day of camp to attend our PreK class.
Once your camper is registered for Mini Mammals you must provide documentation of your camper's birth date (birth certificate or medical record) to the Oakland Zoo within 2 weeks in order to confirm your registration. Submit your document by fax (510) 729-7324, as an email attachment or by mail (The Oakland Zoo Attn: ZooCamp, PO Box 5238 Oakland CA 94605.) Failure to provide proof of age within two weeks of completing your online registration will result in the cancellation of your registration.

Times: 9:00am-12:00pm.
Fees: $196.00 for members, $216.00 for non-members.

Class A: Do you have two eyes, two legs, and thumbs on your feet? Animals are like us, except when theyre not! Join us to explore the idea of same and different in the animal kingdom.
Sessions: June 17-21, July 1-5*, July 15-19, July 29-August 2, August 12-16. *See registration section.

Class B: Animals move in weird and wonderful ways! Slither, slide, creep crawl, waddle, and walk around to discover who in the zoo runs, rambles, climbs, swims, and romps!
Sessions: June 24-28, July 8-12, July 22-26, August 5-9.
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Times: 9:00am-12:00pm.
Fees: $196.00 for members, $216.00 for non-members.

Class A: If you were an animal, would the world seem the same? Animals see, hear, smell, touch, and taste the world in extraordinary ways.
Sessions: June 17-21, July 1-5*, July 15-19, July 29-August 2, August 12-16. *See registration section.

Class B: Do you live in a house? Apartment? Nest? Animals build and protect homes for their families, just like people.
Sessions: June 24-28, July 8-12, July 22-26, August 5-9.
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Times: 9:00am - 4:00pm.
Fees: $291.00 for members, $311.00 for non-members.

Class A: What makes a bird a bird? Or an ant an ant? The animal kingdom encompasses a vast variety of unique groups of incredible creatures!
Sessions: June 17-21, July 1-5*, July 15-19, July 29-August 2, August 12-16. *See registration section.

Class B: Who keeps you safe? Who gives you good food? Who tucks you in at night? Many animals help and care for their families in all kinds of ways.
Sessions: June 24-28, July 8-12, July 22-26, August 5-9.
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Times: 9:00am - 4:00pm.
Fees: $291.00 for members, $311.00 for non-members.

Class A: Would you rather eat or be eaten? Predators need to hunt to survive, but prey work to avoid being eaten in every way possible! Learn more about what makes animals good predators, wily prey, and who fit into both categories.
Sessions: June 17-21, July 1-5*, July 15-19, July 29-August 2, August 12-16. *See registration section.

Class B: What habitat houses over half the world's animals and plants? The tropical rainforest! Beautiful at first glance, the tropical rainforest becomes even more extraordinary when you uncover its secrets.
Sessions: June 24-28, July 8-12, July 22-26, August 5-9.
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Times: 9:00am - 4:00pm.
Fees: $291.00 for members, $311.00 for non-members.

Class A: What would it be like to spend a day in the life of an animal... or zookeeper... or scientist? Come explore all the different perspectives that encompass the zoo!
Sessions: June 17-21, July 1-5*, July 15-19, July 29-August 2, August 12-16. *See registration section.

Class B: Want to save the world? Conservationists are real life superheroes. Wild things and wild places are in trouble and you can help!
Sessions: June 24-28, July 8-12, July 22-26, August 5-9.
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Times: 9:00am - 4:00pm.
Fees for Curious Cachers: $291.00 for members, $316.00 for non-members.
Fees for Wild Survivor: $316.00 for members, $336.00 for non-members.

Wild Survivor: Imagine you are on a hike, and suddenly you find yourself lost in the woods-what should you do? Each day, campers will learn about and practice important survival skills like building a fire, finding food, collecting water, or making a shelter. At the end of the week you'll have the knowledge to help you survive and you'll receive your very own emergency survival kit.
Sessions: June 17-21, July 1-5*, July 15-19, July 29-August 2, August 5-9, August 12-16

Curious Cachers I: Did you know a box turtle weighing less than a pound can navigate through a mile of forest to find their home pond? Animals have extraordinary, almost unbelievable navigation skills. Campers will improve their own navigation skills by using a handheld GPS navigation device and get an introduction to the treasure-hunting hobby known as "geocaching".
Sessions: June 24-28, July 8-12, July 22-26
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Times: 8:30am - 4:30pm.
Fees: $60.00 for members, $80.00 for non-members.

Teen Assistants (T.A.): Love animals and kids? We need your help! Come to camp as a Teen Assistant and spend two weeks playing with kids and helping to lead activities while earning community service hours.
Sessions: June 17-21, June 24-28, July 1-5 (excluding July 4), July 8-12, July 15-19, July 22-26, July 29-August 2, August 5-9, August 12-16

To become a Teen Assistant, please complete the TA application, and return it by May 1st. The application includes sections for general information, essay questions, and a letter of reference. After all applications have been received, we will score each application and accept the highest scoring teens. The final number of TAs accepted will be determined by camp classes and enrollment.

All applicants will receive a letter via postal mail on or before May 14th, notifying them of their application status. If accepted, the letter will also let you know your assigned sessions of camp. TAs are scheduled to volunteer two sessions, which may or may not be consecutive. Schedule preferences are included on the application.

Still have questions? Please read over our ZooCamp Teen Assistant FAQs sheet.
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We are pleased to offer before and after care options to help accommodate busy family schedules. Extended Care participants will spend their time supervised in our camp classrooms and picnic area with choices of crafts, stories, or games to keep them busy. Registration is per week only, we are not able to offer a per day option or accommodate drop-ins.

You can sign up for extended care during the registration process. If you are already registered for camp and would like to add extended care, please contact us by email the Summer Camp Registrar or call the ZooCamp Hotline at (510) 632-9525 x280.

Before Camp: $40.00 for 8:00am-9:00am.
After Camp: $60.00 for 4:00pm-5:30pm.
Before and After Camp: $90.00 for 8:00am-9:00am and 4:00pm-5:30pm.
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ZooCamp scholarships are awarded based upon availability of funds and each family's financial need. Scholarship awards cover up to 80% of the standard registration fee. Our scholarship funds for 2013 are exhausted, but you are welcome to submit an application in case we receive additional donations. Applications will be held on file and processed in order of receipt.

Download a ZooCamp 2013 scholarship application now.

If you have questions about how to apply for a scholarship, please call the ZooCamp Hotline: (510) 632-9525 x280.

If you are interested in giving to the Vickie Kay Memorial ZooCamp Scholarship Fund, please contact Emma Lee Twitchell, Director of Development, at (510) 632-9525 x153.
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Membership fees are non-refundable.
Cancellations more than 2 weeks before your scheduled camp session = a 90% refund.
Cancellations less than 2 weeks but more than 1 week from your scheduled camp session = a 50% refund.
Cancellations less than 1 week before your scheduled camp session = 0% refund.
*If you take advantage of our two-payment plan, the percentages above apply to your total camp fees, not the deposit paid.
Programs happen rain or shine.
No refunds are issued due to camper absences, including absences due to illness.

As long as you contact us more than five days before your camp session begins and space is available in the desired class, there is no fee or penalty for transferring from one session to another. Call the ZooCamp Hotline (510) 632-9525 x280 or email the Summer Camp Registrar to request a transfer. Please note: if you register online for a new class, then cancel your original registration, the standard cancellation fees apply.
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We have updated our camp registration system to include a medical waiver, which in emergency situations will allow our camp staff to make decisions in the absence of a parent or guardian. The full text of this waiver is included in the online registration process and is attached to the confirmation email which is sent upon completing the online registration process.

During ZooCamp, we often take photographs, audio, or video recordings. These images and recordings are used in print and online promotional materials. We take care to protect participant privacy by not identifying participants by name and we do not share or sell these images to other organizations. All ZooCamp participants are required to agree to the ZooCamp Medical and Publicity Waiver during the registration process.
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We have updated our camp registration system to include participant behavior expectations. Please take time to review the ZooCamp Behavior Policy with your child before they come to ZooCamp. The full text of this policy is included in the online registration process and is attached to the confirmation email which is sent upon completing the online registration process.
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