Critter Camp

Critter Camp is organized around short rotations that keep campers moving between animal encounters, learning activities, breaks, crafts, and play. Campers typically change locations or activities every 20–40 minutes, with shorter rotations possible for preschool groups. Five animal presentations and interactive encounters are generally spread through the day, primarily in the morning. The animals vary with the theme, health, safety, and availability, and may include horses, sheep, goats, rabbits, guinea pigs, parrots, snakes, lizards, tortoises, frogs, insects, and other animal ambassadors.

Campers begin with check-in and free play, then circle up with their class to review the day, rules, and icebreakers. Snack and lunch periods are staggered by group. A class activity commonly takes place before lunch, followed later by a themed craft and a multi-class game. Grade-level grouping is used first when classes are formed, with nearby grades combined when enrollment requires it.

Seasonal themes shape the learning. Programs may explore animal communication, survival, food chains, habitats, relationships, adaptations, or the connections between wildlife and human innovation. Select summer weeks for seventh- and eighth-grade campers add animal-care, career-exploration, and leadership experiences.

Families should send each camper with a snack and a water bottle. Camp lunch can be purchased for an additional fee and may be added as late as the morning of camp before the lunch order is placed at 9:30 AM. The purchased lunch includes one main entrée and two sides. Water bottle refill stations are available on the Humane Education Campus.

Children are released only to people listed as authorized for pickup, and identification is checked at checkout each day. Camp groups are formed primarily by grade level, and families can contact the office before camp when a grouping request is a need. Campers must be able to use the restroom independently. Any aide attending with a child must complete Helen Woodward Animal Center fingerprinting before participating. Animal assignments may also change based on animal health, safety, and availability.

Families are asked to keep campers home when a member of the household is sick. When illness affects attendance, families can contact the camp to discuss cancellation-policy allowances or a transfer to another day that has space, provided the registration has not started.

The Humane Education team includes staff with backgrounds in animal science and management, wildlife conservation and management, ecology, behavior and evolution, animal care, education, and research. The Associate Director of Education has worked in the Humane Education department since 2011, and an Education Supervisor first joined the department as a camp instructor in 2016. These staff backgrounds support the program’s mix of live-animal learning, humane education, and age-appropriate camp activities.

Families can contact the Education office for camp questions and can also manage some registration details through their online account. Parents or guardians may add authorized pickup people after identity is confirmed, request specific class groupings during registration, and contact the office when a grouping request needs special attention. Extended care and lunch can also be added through the office or, when available, through the account.

Regular camp hours are 9:00 AM–3:00 PM. Check-in runs about 8:45–9:15 AM, while checkout runs about 2:45–3:15 PM. Optional AM care allows drop-off from 8:00–8:45 AM, and optional PM care runs from 3:15–5:00 PM. Campers should bring a snack and water bottle. Lunch may be purchased separately before the daily order cutoff. At pickup, children are released only to authorized people and identification is checked. The Humane Education Campus has a designated parking, drop-off, and pick-up area.