My Wild Home

Kindergarten and 1st Grade

Camp Description

Explore the diverse places that animals and people call “home.” Travel to plains, mountains, rainforest, desert, and ocean all without leaving Denver Zoo! Discover where children from other cultures live, learn, and play, and how we are connected to the animals who share these far-away places.

Week Overview

Daily Schedule Subject to Change

**Ask your camper the questions below to learn about their day!

Monday

• Question of the Day: 
  
  • AM: Why do mountain and desert animals look the way that they do?
  • PM: Can you build a desert (or mountain) home that works for both a human and an animal?
• Zoo Exploration: Camels and Wild Horses, look for desert animal adaptations
  
• Animal Experience: Who did I meet today?
• Engineering Challenge: 
  • Campers build a mountain or desert home that works for themselves and an animal
  • What kind of home did you build? How did you test it?
• Further Exploration: Sheep Mountain or Grizzly Bears, look for mountain animal adaptations.

Tuesday

• Question of the Day:
  • AM: What is the Arctic (and Antarctic), and how do animals survive there?
  • PM: Can you build a home out of ice that is big enough for you to fit inside?  Can you build a home for penguins or sea lions?
• Zoo Exploration: Northern Shores, look for Arctic adaptations
• Animal Experience: Who did I meet today?
• Engineering Challenge:
  • Campers design a home out of ice that is stable and large enough for them to fit inside
  • What did you create? Could you fit in it?
• Further Exploration: “Antarctic” animals – Penguin Exhibits

Wednesday

• Question of the Day: How could you change a penguin so it could survive in the Savanna? OR How could you change a lion so it could live in the Antarctic?
• Zoo Exploration: Predator Ridge, Grassland animals
  
• Animal Experience: Who did I meet today?
• Engineering Challenge:
  • Campers design a new version of a penguin or a lion to allow it to survive in either the Savanna or the Antarctic
  • Which animal did you choose? What did you give it to help it survive?
• Further Exploration: Pachyderms and Kudus, Bongos, Addax, or Zebras and Giraffes. 

Thursday

• Question of the Day:
  • AM: What are the features of a rainforest animal’s home?
  • PM: Can you design something to wear which would keep you warm and dry in a rainforest?
• Zoo Exploration: Primates, Elephants, or Tropical Discovery, look for rainforest features.
  
• Animal Experience: Who did I meet today?
• Engineering Challenge:
  • Campers design something (they can wear) which would keep themselves warm and dry in a rainforest
  • What did you design? What was it made out of?
• Further Exploration: Primates, Elephants, or Tropical Discovery (whichever not seen in AM), look for rainforest features.

Friday

• Question of the Day:
  • AM:  What does a “Colorado” home look like, and which animals live in Colorado?
  • PM: What zoo animals are similar or different, compared to Colorado animals?
• Zoo Exploration: Bald Eagles, Sheep Mountain, or Grizzly Bears, Nature Play Spaces.
• Engineering Challenge:
  • Campers build a “Colorado” habitat scene, and then change it into one that works for an animal analog from a different habitat
  • What did you create? How did you change it for a different animal? What animal was the habitat for?
• Further Exploration: Bald Eagles, Sheep Mountain, or Grizzly Bears, whichever was not see in AM, and also look for Geese, Rabbits, Squirrels, and wild Birds along the way.

**City Park Fountains!

Taking It Home

What types of habitats do animals live in around the world?  Which habitats do we have here in Colorado?  What adaptations enable animals to survive here?  What animals can you find right around your own home?

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
• Please note the day your child’s camp group will take a walking field trip to the City Park Fountains. While playing in the fountains, campers must keep their camp shirt and pants/shorts on – quick dry shoes and shorts are recommended on this day, but not required. Campers are welcome to bring a change of clothes, but are usually dry by the time we return to the zoo.
• 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 
• 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!

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