Berkeley Parents Network: Oakland Zoo Camp

Berkeley Parents Network

Oakland Zoo Camp

Berkeley Parents Network > Reviews > Summer Camps & School Breaks > Oakland Zoo Camp

April 2008

A friend and I are thinking about signing up our 4 year old's for the Oakland Zoo's summer camp, but don't know anyone who's gone. Can anyone please tell about your experience with this camp? Thanks!

My daughter loved zoo camp last year, and it's the one camp that she definitely wanted to go back to this year! She was in the kindergarten program, which was only half a day (honestly a little problematic for us working parents, and I've suggested that it might be ok for them to extend it to 3pm, with an option of ending at noon). but for 1/2 day you drop them off at 9 and pick them up at 12, and you don't get a lot of free time yourself. It's possible that part of my daughter's love of zoo camp was that she didn't go to the after care program, and a group of us just took turns taking the kids after school, but she also really loved the activities: singing songs, crafts, seeing the animals, learning about them (she still talks about the things she learned), and I think they all got to ride the train at some point too. Some kids want to keep going to zoo camp forever, but I also know of some kids who weren't interested. I think if your kid likes to be outdoors, enjoys songs and activities with a group (I think the groups are about 8 kids each), and enjoys animals, you'd probably like the zoo camp. If you're a member it's also cheaper (and you get a discount for the 2nd week if you go for 2), so if you're thinking of goign you might want to join--I should also add that our zoo membership seems like one of the best we've got, and we go all the time-sometimes jsut for an hour. janet

March 2003

Anyone have any thoughts on the Oakland Zoo's camp program, in general, or specifically for a 6 year old? I'd love to hear feedback, as I hear the enrollment fills rapidly! Thanks - Carrie

My kids have had mixed feelings about Oakland zoo camp. For one, it is ridiculously inconvenient - only offering half-day sessions. By the time you drop off your child, you have about an hour before you have to turn around and pick them up. The thing my kids complained about the most was battling the many bees during lunchtime. There were kids who were stung every day at lunch. The activities were ''OK'' and the only thing they liked was being able to go on the rides before the general public. There are Better Options

My daughter loved Zoo Camp when she was in the 5- 9 age. Her only complaint was that it was hot, temperatures were high those summers. Zoo Camp does fill up quickly. Mine had a better time when she signed up and went with a friend.

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