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School Safari Camps
Times & Fees
Parents can drop participants off as early as 7:30am and pick them up as late as 5:30pm. Snacks are provided but participants must bring a sack lunch if they are participating in the all day session.
Description | Fee |
FOSZ Member Rate | $29.00 per session |
Non-Member Rate | $33.00 per session |
Registration Information
Enrollment will be taken on a first come, first serve basis. Enrolled students will receive a confirmation packet discussing schedule, dress code and camp checklist. Registration for spring sessions opens Monday, January 2 at 8:00 a.m..
- Online Registration
Register online from anywhere at anytime until classes fill. Click here to register. - Phone or In-Person
You can also register by phone at 785.587.2737 or in person during regular operating hours.
Permission Forms & Parent Handbook
All families are encouraged to read through Sunset Zoo's School Safari Camp Handbook. This outlines specific procedures, like drop off and pick up, as well as behavior expectations. Not following the policies, procedures, and expectations outlined in the Handbook, may result in a camper being removed from camp. The Handbook can be found here.
Current COVID-19 Related Information
The health and safety of your child is extremely important to us. We are currently enacting enhanced cleaning protocols and using HEPA air purifiers to ensure the camp environment is as safe and clean as possible. While we are maintaining our capacity at 24 as in past years, we will utilize two classroom spaces to allow for extra distancing between campers and staff.
Face coverings in all City of Manhattan facilities, including Sunset Zoo, are currently optional regardless of vaccination status. This includes all Adventure Camp participants, and it includes adults picking up and dropping off. Any changes to this policy will be communicated to parents prior to any camp day through email and this webpage.
We do ask all families to help protect all campers and staff so we can continue offering this program by following CDC recommendations regarding isolation and other mitigation factors should a family member test positive or become identified as a close contact. Please contact Riley County Health Department if you have questions about current recommendations.
Refund Policy
A full refund is provided if registration is canceled prior to one week (7 days) of start date. Partial refund given if registration is canceled between one week (7 days) and 48 hours prior to start date. No refund given if canceled within 48 hours. A full refund will be provided is Sunset Zoo cancels a camp.
Overview of Camps
Each camp is themed around a specific topic, and activities include live animal interactions, themed tours of the Zoo, crafts, games and nature hikes. Depending on the camp classroom, special activities may be planned regularly with the pelicans, chimpanzees, and their zookeepers for the respective groups. See below for more details about each camp classroom and the current session topics.
The Pelican Pod is a School Safari Camp classroom at Sunset Zoo with day-long activities specifically designed for youth enrolled kindergarten through 2nd grade. Pelican Pod campers will meet zoo animals throughout each day camp, explore numerous outdoor spaces in and around the Zoo, and engage in crafts and games connected to the day's theme.
The Pelican Pod will also interact with Sunset Zoo's pelican zookeeper, Trevor, as time and conditions allow. They will meet Sunset Zoo's resident pelicans, learn all about their amazing classroom mascot, and might even get a chance to see the pelican eat.
Below are the themes for the upcoming school semester:
Date | Session Topic | Description |
Jan. 16 | Backyard Creatures | Backyards are full of areas where animals can live and meet their needs. We can also do simple things to help. The Pelican Pod will investigate backyard creatures and how we can help them thrive. |
Feb. 10 | Scales for Skin | Snakes, lizards, fish, and more! All share one thing in common, and that's scales. The Pelican Pod will investigate the unique characteristics of scales and why so many animals have them. |
Feb. 16 | Great Sniffers | From trunks to snouts, animals have uniquely adapted noses to accomplish specific tasks. The Pelican Pod will investigate the uses of these various adaptations. |
Feb. 17 | Roaring Animals | What predators roar? What are the other sounds made by animals that hunt? Join Sunset Zoo and other Pelican Pod campers as we explore the what, why, and how of predator sounds. |
Feb. 20 | First Moments | The first moments of a baby can be the moset cherished by parents. However, in the wild, the first moments of a baby animal are critical for survival. The Pelican Pod will discover how quickly baby animals walk, hide, and climb in their first moments. |
March 10 | Keeper for a Day | While we know a zookeeper provides care for the animals at Sunset Zoo, but what does that really mean? Join Sunset Zoo staff as we explore the tasks and responsibilities of zookeepers. |
March 13 | Signs of Spring | The sound of bees, the buds on a tree, and the sight of song birds returning to the landscape are all signs that spring is here. Join Sunset Zoo staff as we investigate these and other signs. |
March 14 | Life in a Pond | Ponds are home to many animals, like fish, turtles, birds, otters, and much more. The Pelican Pod will dive deep into this habitat to explore the animals that call ponds home. |
March 15 | Animal Builders | Whether it's using sticks to catch termites and build a home, animals use lots of tools to survive in the wild. The Pelican Pod will explore these tools and how animals use them. |
March 16 | Ape vs Monkey | Is a chimpanzee a monkey or an ape? How do we know? This session will have the Pelican Pod examining all the primates at Sunset Zoo to determine which are monkeys and which are apes. |
March 17 | Springtime Animals | Whether it's a bear making their first stretch after a long winter or a turtle emerging from it's burrow, many animals become active again once spring returns. The Pelican Pod will discover which animals are most associated with the spring season. |
April 10 | Rain Lovin' Animals | Some animals come out at night, others come out at dawn and dusk. However, there are some that emerge when it rains. These rainy day animals will be the focus for this session of the Pelican Pod. |
April 28 | All the Better to Hear You With | Whether it's for hunting, hiding, or communicating with others, animals use sound and their ability to sense it in different ways. The Pelican Pod will explore how animals use this sense in the wild to survive. |
The Chimp Troop is a School Safari Camp classroom at Sunset Zoo with day-long activities specifically designed for youth enrolled third (3) through fifth (5) grade. Chimp Troop campers will meet zoo animals throughout each day camp, explore numerous outdoor spaces in and around the Zoo, and engage in games connected to the day's theme.
The Chimp Troop will also interact with Sunset Zoo's chimpanzee zookeeper, Rob, as time and conditions allow. They will meet Sunset Zoo's chimpanzee troop, learn all about their amazing individualities, participate in helpful animal welfare activities, and might even get a chance to help make enrichment items for Rob to give out.
Below are the themes for the upcoming school semester:
Date | Session Topic | Description |
Jan. 16 | Exploring Backyards | The Chimp Troop will embark on an expedition into the closest wildlife habitat around, our very own backyard. The Troop and Sunset Zoo staff will explore what makes the best backyard habitats during this session. |
Feb. 10 | Animal Scales | Fish aren't the only animals sporting scales. Join Sunset Zoo staff and other Chimp Troop campers as we discover just how many in the animal kingdom have this unique body covering. |
Feb. 16 | Super Snouts | Sniffing out insects under ground or grabbing logs, animals have adapted lots of different uses for noses. The Chimp Troop will explore these various adaptations. |
Feb. 17 | Growls, Chirps, & Roars | What sounds do tigers make? Which big cat roars the loudest? Do all big cats roar? These are just some of the questions the Chimp Troop will explore in this School Safari Camp session. |
Feb. 20 | Born Wild | Baby animals in the wild have to learn certain skills quickly, or they risk falling prey to a nearby predator. The Chimp Troop will investigate the different strategies animals use to survive these early hours and days of life. |
March 10 | Animal Wellbeing at Sunset Zoo | The wellbeing of the animals in our care at Sunset Zoo is our top priority. We put the care of these animals above all else. The Chimp Troop will explore this deeply held value of Sunset Zoo by taking a look at the role of the zookeeper. |
March 13 | Sights & Sounds of Spring | What are the first sights and sounds that clue you into the changing of season? It could be the first cardinal spotted or the greening of trees. Sunset Zoo staff will help the Chimp Troop explore the various sights and sounds that signal spring is here. |
March 14 | A Pond Life For Me` | The Chimp Troop will explore the pond ecosystem and all the associated animals. Whether it's an otter, frog, or a fish, the animals all play an integral role in this unique ecosystem, and we'll discover the roles played by each. |
March 15 | Amazing Animal Architects | Discover animal ingenuity at Sunset Zoo when it comes to designing and building homes or accessing hard to eat foods. We'll explore the processes and tools animals deploy in their day-to-day efforts to accomplish these essential tasks. |
March 16 | Primate Differences | Does the Chimp Troop consist of apes or monkeys? What does that mean, anyway. Sunset Zoo staff will help Chimp Troop members explore what group of primate chimpanzees and others fall into. |
March 17 | Icons of Spring | Hibernating animals resuming their activities and birds migrating north are just two examples of animals that rule the spring day. The Chimp Troop will explore these iconic animals of springtime. |
April 10 | Wet Weather Weirdness | Worms coming to the surface during rain events is just one unique behavior connected to wet weather. Worms, however, are not unique in changing behavior due to rain events. Explore with other Chimp Troop members what other weird and unique things animals do in the rain. |
April 28 | Ears Big & Small | Nature is full of sounds, and each has its own meaning. To detect these sounds, animals have developed unique ear structures. The Chimp Troop will explore these adaptations and just how important hearing is for some animals. |