Summer ZooCamp

Registration opens on April 1st, 2023.

ZooCamp is the place for your budding naturalist to have some wild fun while exploring the natural world. ZooCampers will be enthralled by special activities, arts and crafts, and animal encounters that can only be found at The Living Desert.

SNAP/EBT cardholders can register for these programs at 10% of the ticket price. Click here for more information.

For more information, please call (760) 346-5694.

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June ZooCamp Sessions:

• June 7th - 9th, 2023
• June, 13th - 15th, 2023
• June 20th - 22th, 2023

Members	$225
General	$250

K-1st Grade: Hop, Slither, Climb - Learn how desert animals move in and around their unique desert habitats! Throughout this week of interactive camp activities and up-close animal experiences, campers will discover some of the unique adaptations desert animals have to hop, slither, climb, and move around.

2nd - 3rd Grade: Zoo Designers  - Discover all that goes into designing safe and enriching animal habitats! Campers will undergo unique up-close animal experiences to learn about habitat design, tackle engineering challenges, and then build their own miniature habitat for a species at the Zoo!

4th - 5th Grade: ZSI - The rhino's favorite scratching brush is missing! The giraffe saw something near the waterbuck. The ostrich suspects the mongoose. Follow the clues as you find out more about the animals and discover the answers to this "who done it" at the zoo.

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July ZooCamp Sessions:

• July 11th - 13th, 2023
• July 18th - 20th, 2023
• July 25th - 27th, 2023

Members	$225
General	$250

July ZooCamps will all focus on "The Art of the Desert!" Each camp is designed with age-appropriate activities to help them develop artistic expression and learn the basics of various mediums and techniques, with the natural beauty of the desert as our inspiration! These programs are perfect for campers interested in both art and wildlife. Artistic mediums we might explore include: Coloring, painting, sculpting, collage/mixed media, photography, storytelling, theatre, and fashion design.

K-1st Grade: Discovering Art - During this camp, campers will learn about colors, use their brains to recognize patterns, and fine-tune their motor skills.

2nd - 3rd Grade: Wild Artist  - As part of this camp, the artists will focus primarily on working with complex patterns and expressing themselves creatively.

4th - 5th Grade: Adventures Through Art - In this camp, campers will use art to tell an incredible story or to convey a message that will inspire others. 

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Check-In 
Camp check-in will take place at the Education Gate, located at the far north end of the parking lot. Signage and Education staff will be present to help you find your way. 

Check-in will begin 15 minutes prior to when camp instruction is scheduled to start. Pre-activities will take place before instruction begins. We kindly ask all parents and guardians to exit the Education Gate by camp start time.

Tips for Success! 

All participants need to come equipped for outdoor exploration and play! Please bring sunscreen, a hat, close-toed shoes, a refillable water bottle, and a snack with your camper's name clearly labeled on it. 

The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens follows health recommendations from the California Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for the health and safety of our animals, staff, volunteers, and guests. All staff and campers are required to follow the recommended guidelines set forth by the county and state. 

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Cancellation/Refund Policy

For all cancellations initiated more than two (2) weeks prior to the event, a 50% refund will be issued. 

For all cancellations initiated less than two (2) weeks prior to the event, NO REFUND will be issued. 

In the event that a participant tests positive for COVID-19 within 5 days of the session's start, that participant’s registration fee can be reserved as a credit and applied to a future program. There is a $50 administrative fee for this service, and a positive COVID-19 status with the participant’s name must be provided to zoocamp@livingdesert.org in order to reserve credit. 

Campers must be registered in the correct age group. For Summer ZooCamp, campers must be entering the grade level specified by their camp. Campers who are a different age than the camp requirements may be asked to leave the program. No refund will be issued to campers registered for an incorrect age group.

Forfeited fees may be considered a donation for tax purposes.