Woodland Park Zoo Blog

Roxanne Sanders, a first-grader, was new to Seattle when her mom signed her up for a summer camp at Woodland Park Zoo so she could make some friends. However, Roxanne made more than friends. She found she liked exploring the zoo and the fact that there was more to the camp than just keeping the kids busy. “They taught you lessons about the animals, where they came from, how they live,” Roxanne said. “We got to see what the animals were doing and how they reacted.” Zoo camps became part of Roxanne’s life. She attended Zooper Day Camp for kids 4 to 9, then Zoo U for kids 10-14. In 2010, she became a counselor in training, and now, as a college student, she’s working as a camp assistant. Roxanne at Woodland Park Zoo. “Throughout elementary school, I knew I wanted to work with animals,” Roxanne said, “When I started thinking about college a few years ago, my parents were pushing me into medical jobs, but that wasn’t what I was interested in. I decided to go with what I wanted...

Posted by: Jessie Maxwell, Education Photo: Woodland Park Zoo. The number of days left in the school year are dwindling, and soon summer will be upon us! I am the Alpha Dog of our summer camp program, and my favorite time of year is nearly here. Our zoo camp programs are a terrific blend of learning and fun and have been providing immersive zoo experiences for children for several generations. One program in particular, Discoveries Day Camp, not only offers fun, exploratory science learning for kids ages 5–7, but expresses it all though the world of creative drama in partnership with the Seattle Children’s Theatre . Discoveries Day Camp incorporates drama and science in a week-long adventure through interactive storytelling and animal-based games and tours. In I Spy , we will travel around the zoo gaining knowledge and finding clues to use in our special assignment as a group of secret agents solving animal mysteries. No case is too difficult for us! Photo: Seattle Chil...

Posted by: Jessie Maxwell, Education Greetings from the desk of the Alpha Dog!  We are almost finished with camp preparations since summer camp is—if you can believe it—only weeks away! I can’t wait to see all of the new and familiar faces arrive through our doors! One of our most popular camps is Kinder Camp, designed for campers aged 3-5. Together, the camp staff and the children explore either the north or the south end of the zoo and use games, exploration and play to discover zoology and school-readiness around every corner! Kinder campers using their feet like mountain goats!  Photo by Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo, 2014. Woodland Park Zoo’s summer camps are curricular-based, and Kinder Camp is no exception. Our highly trained staff is supplied with a compilation of activities, songs, games and crafts designed to achieve specific objectives outlined. Each day not only has science content objectives, but also social and emotional growth, gross and fine motor sk...

Posted by: Jessie Maxwell, Education Can you be a snake? 2014. Photo by Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo. You can feel it in the air—it’s that time of year again: the hustle, the bustle, the warm temperatures. Before you know it, the kiddos will be out of school and it will be summertime! Campers enjoy an up-close raptor program at the zoo. 2012. Photo by Dennis Dow/Woodland Park Zoo. Too soon, you might think? Not in my world; that’s why I have one of the best jobs at the zoo! I manage Woodland Park Zoo’s summer camp program . To campers, I’m known as the “Alpha Dog,” so for me summer is always near! Can you be the canopy of a rain forest? 2014.  Photo by Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo. Summer camp at the zoo is a wonderful blend of learning and fun as campers (ages 3-14) explore the zoo with their peers and teachers for a week at a time. Through imaginative play, games, activities and crafts our camp instructors weave together zoology content, wildlife conservation ...

Posted by: Jessie Maxwell, Education For the young and young at heart—a zoo is truly a place for everyone to discover wildlife and to be inspired to learn, care and act. It comes as no surprise to people that we offer programs for children here in the zoo’s Education Department, but less known are the programs we offer for senior citizens. Through our Senior Classes , senior citizens have the opportunity to learn more about the zoo and the animals that call it home, as well as get some unique opportunities. “I really enjoyed the class [and] loved being with people of my same age group.” – Sandy Bell Photo by Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo. The most recent Senior Class, “In Like a Lion,” gave the seniors a chance to see our resident lions up close and learn how zookeepers provide enrichment for the animals’ development and well-being. Many animals at the zoo receive enrichment, and the class attendees began the class by watching the lions devour a treat. Photo by class att...

Posted by: Jessie Maxwell, Education There are more than 5 million people worldwide who go geocaching as a hobby, and this summer Woodland Park Zoo’s Zoo University “Animal Quest” camp added a few more! Photo by Mackenzie Quinn “I’ve never actually done geocaching, but once I’ve gotten to go geocaching I ended up absolutely loving it and want to do it more.” - Alexis L., age 13. It all started with an effort to get Animal Quest campers (ages 12-14) to step into the shoes of a wildlife field researcher: a scientist who does a lot of animal and habitat experiments in the field. The campers explored different tools each day that different wildlife field researchers use—everything from water testing tablets to binoculars to different types of nets to GPS units. As hydrologists the kids tested Green Lake’s chemical and biological health. As ornithologists (bird scientists) they helped the staff monitor and count the barn swallows living here at the zoo. One day the cam...