Nature Play

Kindergarten and 1st Grade

Camp Description

Your camper will have an unbe-LEAF-able week connecting with animals and the natural world in Denver Zoo’s nature play camp!  Young explorers will engage their sense of wonder and discovery as they literally dig into nature on the Zofnass Barclay Family Nature Play Trail; climb under bushes, find bugs, balance on stumps, and get their hands dirty.  This camp is sure to ROCK – come play with us!

Week Overview

Daily Schedule Subject to Change

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

Monday

• Question of the Day: What is nature?
• Zoo Exploration:
  • Carousel Meadow.
  • Where did you go today? Which science tools did we use on the way? Which animals did we see?
    
• Animal Experience: Who did I meet today?
• Further Exploration:
  • Nature Play Trail
  • What did we do at the trail today?
• Nature Journals: 
  • How did we make our journals? What did we put in our journals today?
• Take-Home Challenge:
  • Find one piece of nature at home!

Tuesday

• Question of the Day: How do we explore nature?
• Zoo Exploration: Where did you go today? How did we explore nature? What science tool did we use?
• Animal Experience: Who did I meet today?
• Further Exploration:
  • Nature Play Trail
  • Which animals did we see on our route to the trail?
• Nature Journals:
  • What did we put in our journals today?
• Take-Home Challenge:
  • Find something in nature that you explore with at least one of your senses.

Wednesday

• Question of the Day: Where do we find nature at the zoo?
• Zoo Exploration: 
  • Woodland Gardens
  • Where did you go today? Which animals did we see? Did we find nature in their homes?
    
• Animal Experience: Who did I meet today?
• Further Exploration:
  • Nature Play Trail
  • Which animals did we see on our route to the trail?
• Nature Play Journal:
  • What did we put in our journals today?
• Take-Home Challenge:
  • Find a bit of nature you can see from inside your house. What does it look like? What is there?

Thursday

• Question of the Day: Why is Nature important to animals and people?
• Zoo Exploration: Where did you go today?
  • *City Park Nature Play Spaces
    
  • **City Park Fountains!
• Animal Experience: Who did I meet today?
• Further Exploration:
  • Nature Play Trail
  • Which animals did we see on our route to the trail?
• Nature Journals:
  • What did we put in our journals today?
• Take-Home Challenge:
  • Find nature while you are in or outside of your home.

Friday

• Question of the Day: What does nature mean to me?
• Zoo Exploration: Where did you go today?
  • *City Park Nature Play Spaces
    
• Animal Experience: Who did I meet today?
• Further Exploration:
  • Nature Play Trail
  • Which animals did we see on our route to the trail?
• Nature Journals:
  • What did we put in our journals today?
  • What artwork did you create? How does it show what nature means to you?
• Take-Home Challenge:
  • Keep exploring nature!

Taking it home

• What did you learn about nature?  How are plants and animals connected?  How are you connected to nature?  What is your favorite thing about the outdoors?  What can we do outdoors at home and in parks to explore?  What tools do we all have that we can use?

Reminders

• As this is a camp that focuses on Nature Play (specifically outdoor play), you can count on your kiddo getting messy! We recommend dressing your camper in clothing you don’t mind getting dirty (shoes included). No need to do wash every night – it is perfectly acceptable to send your camper in their dirty camp shirt each day!
• Please note your child’s camp group will take a walking field trip to explore the City Park Nature Play Spaces on Thursday and Friday!
  • They will also visit the City Park Fountains on Thursday! 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.
• 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 
• 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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