My Animal Planet
Kindergarten and 1st Grade
Camp Description
There’s no need to trek across the planet when the coolest animals call Denver Zoo home! You’re the scientist. Take an imaginary trip around the world to explore how animals survive, thrive, and what makes them unique.
Week Overview
**Ask your camper the questions below to learn about their day!
Monday
- Question of the Day:
- AM: What makes an animal a mammal?
- PM: Can you design a habitat or exhibit that different mammals can share?
- Zoo Exploration: Zebras, Giraffes, Tigers, Grizzly Bears, look for mammalian features
- Animal Experience: Who did I meet today?
- Engineering Challenge:
- Campers design a habitat for multiple mammals
- What did you design? Which animals did you make a habitat for?
- Further Exploration: Predator Ridge and Kangaroos, Bongos, Kudu, Okapi, look for more mammalian traits
Tuesday
- Question of the Day:
- AM: What makes an amphibian different from a reptile?
- PM: Can you build a habitat/exhibit that will keep an amphibian OR a reptile healthy?
- Zoo Exploration: Tropical Discovery, compare and contrast reptile and amphibian adaptations
- Animal Experience: Who did I meet today?
- Engineering Challenge:
- Campers design a reptile that has a pattern to help it camouflage in a certain habitat
- Campers also design a habitat for a reptile OR an amphibian
- What did your reptile look like? What do reptiles need in their habitats? Amphibians?
- Further Exploration: Water play!
Wednesday
- Question of the Day:
- If you were designing a brand-new SUPER mammal, what would it need?
- Zoo Exploration: Toyota Elephant Passage
- Animal Experience: Who did I meet today?
- Engineering Challenge:
- Campers design a new SUPER mammal
- What features did you add? Why was it a SUPER mammal?
- Further Exploration: Visit Primate Panorama or Pachyderms, Monkey Island, Sheep Mountain, look for “super” mammalian traits
Thursday
- Question of the Day:
- AM: What makes an animal an insect?
- PM: Can you create paper butterflies that have the perfect camouflage to hide in the room or specific area of the zoo?
- Zoo Exploration: Primate Panorama, Nature Play Spaces to find insects
- Animal Experience: Who did I meet today?
- Engineering Challenge:
- Campers create camouflaged paper butterflies for instructors or admin to find!
- What did you create? How did you help it camouflage?
- Further Exploration: Camper’s choice – where did we go?
Friday
- Question of the Day:
- AM: What makes an animal a bird?
- PM: Why do birds have different types of beaks? And, can you design the strongest bird bone?
- Zoo Exploration: Outdoor Bird Exhibits (Vultures, Eagles, Condors, Nurture Trail, or Cassowary), look for bird features and beaks
- Engineering Challenge:
- Stations: Beak design, bone design, and what do we know and wonder?
- What kind of beak did you design? How did you reinforce the hollow bones? What did you wonder?
- Further Exploration: Additional Outdoor Bird Exhibits (Penguins, Flamingos, Hornbills, or Emu), look for different types of wings and feathers, or more beak types
Taking It Home
How are animals the same and different than humans? What makes a human a mammal? Why do humans group animals the ways that we do?
Reminders
- Camp runs in rain or shine. Make sure your camper is dressed for the weather.
- Campers are required to bring:
- Backpack
- Sack lunch + 2 snacks
- Face Mask (cloth or disposable)
- Water bottle
- Craft Supplies: Scissors, colors, glue
- Drop-off and Pick-up occurs at the Special Programs Entrance (Gate 1), according to their designated time window.
- Drop-off:
- 8:30-8:45 AM — 6-8th Grade + 4-5th Grade
- 8:45-9:00 AM – K-1st Grade
- 9:00-9:15 AM – 2-3rd Grade
- Pick-up:
- 3:45-4:00 PM — 6-8th Grade + 4-5th Grade
- 4:00-4:15 PM – K-1st Grade
- 4:15-4:30 PM – 2-3rd Grade
- Drop-off:
- You will need to bring an ID every day for pick-up.
Contact Us
If your camper liked Summer Safari, they will LOVE Fall, Winter, and Spring Safari Mini-Camps! When school is out, Safari Camp is in! These camps run from November through March. There’s a Safari for every season!
Email Us