2024 Good Zoo Summer Camps ~
June – August, 2024
Experience wildlife, nature, science, and the outdoors through exciting experiments and live animal ambassadors! Various summer camps are available for ages 4 and up. Program sizes are limited, so register early!
Online Registration
To register, select “Register Now” for your desired program below. Please see the bottom of the webpage for program add-ons such as before and after care, boxed lunches, and t-shirts.
Early Bird Discount! – Enjoy 10% off when you register by April 30, 2024.
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Muddy Grubby
Age 4 – Entering First Grade
Nothing is too muddy or grubby for us in our most popular zoo summer education program! It’s all about Nature Play. We’ll find critters in the creek and worms in the mud. Splash, dig, explore, and build in this program. Visit with the animals, create nature art, and more! Make memories as we enjoy summer days exploring nature in this unforgettable experience.
June 3 – 7
9 am – 3 pm -
Creepy Critters
Age 4 – Entering First Grade
From creepy crawling creatures to scaly slithering serpents, explore the misunderstood critters in the zoo and out in nature! Even some of the cute and fuzzy animals have some odd adaptations. Campers will face their fears while meeting a cockroach and will even create a maze for pillbugs. Through games, crafts, and other activities, children will develop an appreciation for animals that they may have disliked before, or enjoy learning more about the critters they have always loved!
June 24 – 28
9 am – 3 pm -
Where the Wild Things Are
Age 4 – Entering First Grade
In this program, we’ll learn about each of the seven continents and use crafts and hands-on activities to recreate the variety of habitats. Then, venture off into the zoo to discover the animals that call these habitats their home. Get a glimpse into the different cultures of the people that share the continents, too – decorate your own boomerang, create an African-inspired necklace, and make “sushi” for some of our animals!
July 15 – 19
9 am – 3 pm -
Animals in Action
Age 4 – Entering First Grade
Hop like a kangaroo, slither like a snake, and run like a cheetah! Participants will discover why animals move the way they do and see them in action. We’ll start each day with animal yoga, and then use games and activities to explore the athletic capabilities of animals and see how our abilities match up!
August 5 – 9
9 am – 3 pm -
Keeping It Real
Entering 2nd & 3rd Grade
Through simulations, activities, and games, we will explore the exciting, rewarding, and demanding jobs at the zoo! Build your own animal exhibit and learn how zookeepers enrich and train animals. Examine real live zoo animals, read x-rays, use a microscope, and compare animal heart beats. You can even join our “I ate a bug club,” if you want, by taste-testing some of the same foods our animals eat. Monday through Thursday all activities take place at the zoo, but on Friday afternoon, we’ll take a swim at the outdoor pool.
June 10 – 14
9 am – 3 pm -
Zoolympics
Entering 2nd & 3rd Grade
Have you ever wondered which animal would win in the high jump? Or which animal has the best endurance for a marathon? Then this is the camp for you! The zoolympics is all about highlighting the amazing adaptations that animals have to survive in the wild. Race a tortoise, see what adaptations help animals “win” in the wild, play animal version of Olympic games, and go for gold! Monday through Thursday all activities take place at the zoo, but on Friday afternoon, we’ll take a swim at the outdoor pool.
July 1 – 5
9 am – 3 pm -
Play with the Animals
Entering 2nd & 3rd Grade
Play With the Animals!!! Join the zoo’s team to learn about how we make sure that the animals at the zoo are happy, healthy, and display natural behaviors. You’ll help us make special enrichment items and treats for the zoo animals and learn about how we train animals to assist with health and veterinary procedures. You’ll also get to make an enrichment item for your pet at home! Visit animal ambassadors and more! Each day will begin at the zoo, but in the afternoons we’ll take a swim at the outdoor pool and play the training game in the water like a dolphin! Want to come to the program, but don’t want to go to the pool? Try our ½ day option from 9 am – 12 pm!
July 22 – 26
9 am – 3 pm
9 am – 12 pm (Half Day Option – No Pool) -
Dirty Filthy
Entering 2nd & 3rd Grade
Don’t wait to join this popular messy adventure! Look for icky objects in a forest scavenger hunt! Collect branches to build a simple wilderness shelter. Complete a pollination experiment, play in the water, and learn the value of our “cute” and “not-so-cute” zoo animals. Monday through Thursday all activities take place at the zoo, but on Friday afternoon, we’ll take a swim at the outdoor pool.
August 12 – 16
9 am – 3 pm -
Wild Work
Entering 4th – 8th Grade
Experience the challenges of working at a zoo in this hands-on program. You will tackle the chores of a keeper, teach “guests” about the animals, and do some real research. You will even learn veterinary responsibilities as you share in the care of one of our animals, as well as many other activities to better understand all the wild jobs in a zoo. Interview a real zookeeper and get your most curious questions about life in a zoo answered! You’ll also get a chance to design your own exhibit. Monday through Thursday all activities will take place at the zoo, but on Friday afternoon, we’ll take a swim at the outdoor pool.
June 17 – 21
9 am – 3 pm -
Myths and Mysteries
Entering 4th – 8th Grade
For thousands of years, humankind has been inspired by the animal kingdom. Cultures around the world saw the way animals navigated their environments and created stories and legends to help explain the natural phenomena they saw. In this program, children will explore the myths that surround many of the animals that call the Good Zoo home. Through crafts, games, and animal interactions, participants will explore these myths and create one of their own. This program will travel to the Oglebay outdoor pool in the afternoons! Want to come to the program, but don’t want to go to the pool? Try our ½ day option from 9 am – 12 pm!
July 8 – 12
9 am – 3 pm
9 am – 12 pm (Half Day Option – No Pool)
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Get Your Game On
Entering 4th – 8th Grade
Test out your knowledge, agility, survival skills, and ability to overcome gross challenges in this game show inspired camp! From jeopardy to fear factor, we will put our zoo twist on popular game shows. See if you can guess the price of many items used at the zoo. Are you smarter than a zookeeper? Face off in a trivia challenge with our staff. Monday through Wednesday all activities will take place at the zoo, but on Thursday afternoon we will visit Oglebay’s aerial course and Friday afternoon we’ll take a swim at the outdoor pool.
July 29 – Aug 2
9 am – 3 pm
*Registrations must be received at least 7 days prior to the start of any program. If space allows, registrations will be accepted on shorter notice, but will require a late registration fee of $5 per child.
Program Add-Ons
Before & After Care – $10 per hour, per child
Available Monday – Friday from 7:30 – 9 am and 3 – 5:30 pm
*No refunds for unused time, and unused time cannot be transferred to another family. Before and aftercare is available for full day, weekday programs only.
T-shirts – $18.95 each (Plus applicable taxes and fees)
T-shirt orders must be received prior to July 1, 2024.
Boxed Lunches – $7.50 per day
Snacks and drinks will be provided each day. Participants in full day programs must bring a lunch or purchase a boxed lunch from the zoo. Lunches include juice and/or water.
- Monday – Chicken Nuggets, Fruit Cup, Pretzels, Capri Sun
- Tuesday – Taco in a Bag, Cheese Stick, Fruit Cup, Capri Sun
- Wednesday – Half Wrap/Deli Sandwich (Turkey & American Cheese), Cheese Stick, Fruit Cup, Capri Sun
- Thursday – Mac & Cheese Wedges, Pudding, Pretzels, Capri Sun
- Friday – Hot Dog, Cheese Stick, Applesauce, Capri Sun
Menu items are subject to change.
Questions? Contact our Zoo Education Department at 304-243-4164 or email dscott@oglebay.com.