Conservation Camp
Summer Conservation Camp 2012 Sold out!
Conservation Camp offers exciting exploration opportunities for animal and nature lovers from 4-year-olds to those entering fourth grade in fall 2012. Each Conservation Camp group will explore the zoo and do activities to discover animal diversity, environmental conservation and ways Lincoln Park Zoo cares for animals at the zoo and conserves them in the wild.
All sessions of 2012 Summer Conservation Camp are currently full. Interested in waiting list options? You can find them in the registration form!
Looking for summer opportunities for youth entering fifth–eighth grade? Check out Zoo Crew!
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Registration | Pricing | Scholarships | Dates | FAQs | About | Volunteer | Multimedia | Testimonials | Themes
Conservation Camp 2012 Registration
If you're a Lincoln Park Zoo member, have your current Lincoln Park Zoo member ID number handy to receive your 15 percent discount.
Conservation Camp 2012 Pricing
Active Lincoln Park Zoo members at any level receive a 15 percent discount on registration. Become a member today!
Full-Day Programs (First–fourth graders)
9 a.m.–3 p.m.
$310/week ($265/week for Lincoln Park Zoo members)
Half-Day Programs (4- and 5-year-olds)
Morning Session: 9–11:30 a.m.
Afternoon Session: 12:30–3 p.m.
$155/week ($130/week for Lincoln Park Zoo members)
Conservation Camp Scholarships
Lincoln Park Zoo offers a limited number of Conservation Camp scholarships. Scholarships are available only for 4-year-olds to those entering fourth grade in fall 2012; they will cover the cost of one week of participation.
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Download the Conservation Camp 2012 Scholarship Application |
Camp Dates
You can choose one or two different weeklong sessions of camp. The sessions are independent and non-cumulative, so you can choose to enroll in one or both sessions. You can choose consecutive or non-consecutive sessions. Perhaps you’d like to take a few weeks off between sessions (great for summer vacation plans)? The choice is yours
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Session A Dates |
Session B Dates |
There’s no camp July 2-6 in observance of the Independence Day holiday
Age Groups and Themes
4–5-Year-Olds
Session A: Animal Movement
Session B: Lifestyles of the Small and Charming
First–Second Graders
Session A: Caring for Creatures
Session B: Investigating Animal Relationships
Third–Fourth Graders
Session A: Running a Zoo 101
Session B: Across the Food Chain
Frequently Asked Questions
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Download the Conservation Camp 2012 FAQs |
About Conservation Camp
Each camp group is lead by two camp instructors. These professionals have extensive experience working with children and a demonstrated commitment to connecting children to the natural world. Camp instructors facilitate all educational components of the camp day, but groups also have the chance to meet zoo staff throughout the week, from veterinarians to zookeepers to scientists.
Let’s Move!
Lincoln Park Zoo is committed to connecting children to nature. Did you know there are lots of ways to spend time outdoors while getting exercise?
Yoga at the Zoo
Some camp groups may have the chance to participate in yoga sessions, doing fun animal poses to stay fit. Parents—you too can enjoy Yoga at the Zoo!
Healthy Snacks
We provide healthy snacks to campers each day. Possible snacks include fresh fruit, veggies and crackers.
Learn more about the Let’s Move! Initiative.
Camp Teen Volunteers
In spring 2012, we will begin recruiting a limited number of teens (13–18 years old) who are interested in helping out with Conservation Camp. Participating teens will have the chance to work with children as well as gain professional experience. All interested teens will be required to apply and interview for this selective position.
Learn More and Apply!
Multimedia
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Bringing Camp to the Community By offering 10 full Conservation Camp scholarships to kids in Mercy Housing homes, Lincoln Park Zoo created new opportunities for campers to meet friends and connect with nature. |
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Bringing Camp to the Community Slideshow Lincoln Park Zoo offered 10 full Conservation Camp scholarships to kids in Mercy Housing homes, letting them join summer fun ranging from enrichment creation to “sharks and minnows” tag. |
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Conservation Camp 2011 Slideshow Campers from 4-year-olds to fourth graders came to the zoo this summer to explore the wonders of wildlife. Here are some pictures of their summer fun! |
Testimonials
We had tons of happy campers this year! Listen to what parents of campers who attended Conservation Camp 2011 had to say about the experience:
- "My son came home everyday excited about what he had done. And he said at the end of his week that he wished he could go for another week, so I’d say that means he had a great time!"
- "My daughter came home replete with facts about the zoo and the animals she studied, in terms that only an effective instructor could achieve. Although we live in the neighborhood, and we’ve been going to LPZ since she was a baby, she knows so much more now."
- "My son loved going to camp, and he always shared wonderful stories about what he learned and about the instructors."
Conservation Camp 2012 Themes
4–5-Year-Olds
Jump like a jaguar and slither like a snake! This week of camp is all about animal locomotion. Campers will investigate all the ways animals get around—using legs, wings, flippers or fins to run, fly, crawl and swim! Campers will have fun comparing animals to themselves, observing different animal body parts to discover how they move the way they do and roleplaying the unique ways some interesting animals move and live.
Session B: Lifestyles of the Small and Charming
From bunnies to meerkats to armadillos, our zoo friends are not only super cute—they’re also super interesting! Do these animals have live-born babies, or do they hatch from eggs? Do they look like their parents, or do they look different? Campers will explore the lifestyles of small animals to find out more about where they live, their unique creature features and how their senses compare to ours.
First–Second Graders
Session A: Caring for Creatures
What goes into taking care of the zoo’s animals? Is it the same as caring for our own pets? Campers will explore wild and domestic animals that inhabit their neighborhoods and investigate an animal’s basic needs—food, water, shelter and space. In the process, they’ll become better citizens of our planet as they learn how to peacefully co-exist.
Session B: Investigating Animal Relationships
Friends? Enemies? Both? A fun way to get to know more about wildlife is to investigate different types of animal relationships. Parenting behaviors vary as widely as animals do; for example, turtles leave eggs to survive on their own while gorillas live with their children for many years! Campers will learn about the diversity of animal families and explore how animals have adapted to care for their babies under different circumstances. Campers will also explore the ways different species are able to share the same habitat.
Third–Fourth Graders
Imagine a day at the zoo. The veterinarian does a routine check-up on a black bear. Zookeepers train a laughing kookaburra to step onto a scale to be weighed. Researchers closely document the behavior of gorillas and chimpanzees. So much goes on every day to care for the diverse animals that call Lincoln Park Zoo home. Campers will learn the essentials of running a zoo: animal care, exhibit design, feeding, breeding and more.
Session B: Across the Food Chain
Who doesn’t love food? You love food, I love food and you’d better believe the animals at Lincoln Park Zoo love food! Silliness aside, food plays a critical role in caring for zoo animals. Did you know nutritionists work meticulously to plan specific diets for each and every animal? Campers will outline the food chain from sunlight to decomposition. Who are the producers and consumers, predators and prey in the web of life? Campers will also investigate the role of food at the zoo, in natural ecosystems and in our own cultures.
