The EDUCATION PROGRAM
at the SALISBURY ZOO

The Salisbury Zoo Education Department exists to promote an understanding and appreciation of wildlife, and to encourage the protection of animal populations, the preservation of habitats, ecological balance and diversity.

WILD Party
Schedule a party at the Zoo -- a unique way to celebrate a birthday or other special occasion!

ZooSNooZ
Which animals are up all night? Explore the Zoo in the dark and then spend the night! Ideal for scouts or other youth groups.

Storytime
4 & 5 year old children are invited to join Wildlife Interpreters for an animal story and related craft.

School Programs & Teacher Training
Bring your curricula to life with a Wildlife Encounter or a visit to our ZooDiscovery Stations. A wide variety of programs are available to meet the needs of students and teachers. We can also bring the Zoo-2-U! Programs are aligned with state and national science standards. To receive more information about programs please e-mail the Education Department or phone us at (410) 546-3440 ext. 5.

ESBA_Center

ESBA Education Center

*NEW*—Youth Activities Wish List
click here for more information

ZooCamp 2008

Looking for something different and exciting to do this summer? Come to ZooCamp. ZooCamp is a unique experience where campers get close to animals and nature. Zoocampers participate in live animal interactions, animal observations, games, arts & crafts, and many other fun activities. Come experience something different this summer—come to ZooCamp.

ZooCamp is a day camp that runs Monday through Friday. There are two one-week sessions for campers entering grades K-1, 2-3, and 4-5. There is one two-week session for campers entering grades 6-8.

Entering Grades K-1
Family Matters A-K1—While family matters to us, it doesn’t always matter to animals. Some animals don’t live in families and some do. Some animals don’t take care of their babies while others are excellent parents. Explore the Zoo for an up-close look at animal families. Find first-rate animal parents and discover which babies look very different than their parents.
June 16-20; 9 am - 12 pm
FOSZ member $70; nonmember $85

Paws, Claws, Scales & Tails B-K1—Which animals have fur and which have feathers? Why do birds have beaks and bears have teeth?
Encounter animals with different shapes, sizes, and colors and see why animals look the way they do.
August 18-22; 9 am - 12 pm
FOSZ member $70; nonmember $85

Entering Grades 2-3
Animal Adventurers A-23—Prepare yourselves for the ultimate animal adventure. Become animal trackers and use evidence to track animals at the Zoo and in the wild. Detect the places where animals live and discover why animals live in different spots.
June 23-27; 9 am - 2 pm
FOSZ member $120; nonmember $130

Forest Explorers B-23—Forests are filled with fascinating creatures from bugs to bears. Journey through the Zoo to find animals that live in forests and uncover amazing things about these animals.
August 11-15; 9 am - 2 pm
FOSZ member $120; nonmember $130

Entering Grades 4-5
Ecosystem Expedition A-45—What animals live in the rainforest? How are grasslands different than deserts? There are many ecosystems that are home to different animals. Journey to deserts, grasslands, wetlands, and forests to encounter interesting plants and animals in each ecosystem.
July 14-18; 9 am - 2 pm
FOSZ member $120; nonmember $130

Mission Possible: Conservation B-45—Your mission, should you chose to accept it, is conservation. Discover different reasons that animals are threatened in the wild. Meet local animals that are threatened and find out how you can help.
August 4-8; 9 am - 2 pm
FOSZ member $120; nonmember $130

Entering Grades 6-8
Junior Zookeeper Jr. ZK—Who wants to be a zookeeper? Go behind-the-scenes to learn what working in a zoo is all about. Prepare diets, design exhibits, and participate in special projects for exhibit animals. Discover why zookeeping is such a fun and important job.
Please note: Maturity and a willingness to follow directions are a must for Jr. Zookeepers. On Thursday, July 31, Jr. Zookeepers are invited back to the Zoo at 6 pm for our Jr. Zookeeper Overnight. The Jr. Zookeeper camp session will end Friday morning, August 1. Jr. Zookeepers will be picked up promptly at 9 am.
July 21-August 1; 9 am - 2 pm
FOSZ member $240; nonmember $260

Registration and Payment
Registrations are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Camp fills up quickly, so register early!

Fill out the ZooCamp 2008 Registration Form to register for ZooCamp. Please mail the Registration Form with payment to:

The Salisbury Zoo Education Department
PO Box 2979
Salisbury, MD 21802

or fax the form with a credit card number to (410) 860-0919.

Your registration is complete only if payment is included. Your payment (check or credit card) is the only way to reserve a place in ZooCamp. Make checks payable to Salisbury Zoo. To qualify for the FOSZ discount, you MUST be a member at the FOSZ family-level or above.

Confirmation
A confirmation postcard will be sent in the mail upon receipt of your registration. Staff will notify you immediately by phone if the session for which you submitted registration is already full.

ZooCamp FAQ
What do campers do at ZooCamp?
Campers explore the Zoo and get up-close with Education Animals everyday. Campers also play games, make crafts, and participate in special projects for Zoo animals.

What does my child need to bring to ZooCamp?
Campers should bring a lunch if attending one of the sessions from 9 am - 2 pm. The Zoo provides campers with a snack and water each day. The Zoo also provides all of the materials needed for camp.

How should my child dress for ZooCamp?
Exploring is fun, but it can get messy! Please be sure your child dresses appropriately. The Zoo provides t-shirts for campers to wear during camp. ZooCamp will be held during inclement weather. Campers should dress for the weather and wear close-toed shoes- please, no flip flops or crocs!

How do I know if my child is registered?
Confirmation for camp will be sent by mail upon receipt of your registration. Zoo staff will notify you immediately by phone if the session is already full.

Questions?
Please contact the Salisbury Zoo Education Department at (410) 546-3440 ext. 5

Summer Fun at the Salisbury Zoo
This summer, hundreds of children enjoyed programs at the Salisbury Zoo – Storytime, Wild Birthday Parties, ZooSNooZ sleepovers, and camp!

The Zoo now offers several different summer camp programs which include ZooCamp for students entering kindergarten through 5th grade, Jr. Zookeeper camp for students entering 6th through 8th grade, and Diary of a River, a Maryland Summer Center program for Gifted and Talented students.

Camp registration for next summer will begin April 1, 2008. The Zoo Education Department conducts Wild Birthday Parties and ZooSNooZ Overnights year-round.

Call (410) 546-3440 x5 to schedule your special program!

Sleepover at the Zoo

Are you a Night Owl? Make plans to spend the night at the Salisbury Zoo and see who else is up late at night. Each year approximately 250 people spend the night at the Zoo. Participants come from all over Delmarva to enjoy this unique experience. Some travel for two hours or more—from Kent Island, just south of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, and from Wilmington, Delaware—for a chance to sleep at the Salisbury Zoo. Our ZooSNooz program is perfect for scouts and other youth groups, a birthday slumber party, or special celebration. Participants enjoy dinner, take a night hike through the Zoo, and watch a movie and have popcorn. And, no sleepover at the Zoo would be complete without an up-close look at some of the Zoo’s inhabitants providing insight into the physical and behavioral adaptations of nocturnal animals. Morning promises a light breakfast and a peek at zookeepers in action as they prepare to feed the animals for the day.

The Salisbury Zoo Education Department has been conducting sleepovers for almost 9 years. Typically offered to scout groups, now friends and family members have the chance to spend the night at the Zoo, too.

Call the Education Department at (410) 546-3440 ext.5 for more information about our ZooSNooZ program. We can’t guarantee that you will get a lot of rest, but you are sure to have a lot of fun!

Celebrate with a Wild Party at the Zoo!
Celebrate one of your special occasions at the Salisbury Zoo!

Party-goer Brock Forsythe (right) has his cake and eats it too during a birthday party for Lyla Cornman.

Whether you are turning four years old or seventy-four years old, a Wild Party at the Zoo is a great way to celebrate. For only $85 Friends of the Salisbury Zoo members ($100 non-members) can schedule a party to celebrate any occasion. Party-goers will enjoy making animal buttons and having Zoo animals join the party! And, of course, there will be plenty of time for eating cake and ice cream, and opening gifts. The birthday boy or girl also receives a special gift from the Salisbury Zoo, after the party, participants can enjoy a stroll through the Zoo and time playing on Ben’s Red Swings playground.

Wild Parties take place in the ESBA Education Center and can be scheduled year-round. Because the party takes place inside, the program is not weather-dependent. Call the Zoo Education Department at (410) 546-3440 ext.5 to schedule your party!



James Rogers, Morgan Brewington, and Sarah Diller (right) enjoy an up-close look at a ball python and learn more about this fascinating reptile from Zoo Educator Jessie Flores (left).