Staten Island ZooFari Summer 2023
Featuring arts & crafts, animal encounters, behind-the-scenes tours, games, and more! All are taught by professional wildlife educators.
Member registration begins Monday, March 6
Non-members registration begins on Monday, March 13
Weekly Sessions, July 5 – August 25
**Sibling discount applies only at initial registration and when registered to attend the same session.**
Registration includes Zoofari t-shirt, water bottle, photo with an animal, and lunch bag (Pre-K to 3rd grade) or backpack (4th – 8th Grade).
Children are grouped by the grade they will complete June 2023:
Pre-K, K-1, 2-3, 4-5, and 6-8.
Children must be at least 4 years old AND have completed one year of Pre-K.
Due to the number of inquiries received, we are no longer able to accommodate requests to place children in the same group.
The Staten Island Zoo’s Zoofari Program is now nut-free! We have many children in the program with allergies, the majority to nut and seed products. NO FOODS that contain peanuts, almonds, filberts, Brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios, or walnuts. This includes:
- Peanut butter or any other nut butter
- Nutella
- Crackers with peanut butter or other nut butter filling
- Any granola bar, muesli bar, biscuit, trail mix, or other product that lists nuts as an ingredient
- Cereal with nuts, including Honey Nut Cheerios
- Candy or cookies containing nuts or peanut butter
- Anything cooked in peanut oil or other nut oil
- Humus
- Techina or tahini
- “Everything” bagels, or bagels with sesame seeds
Please also help us by reading labels to make sure they do not include any of the above ingredients or wording such as “May contain peanuts or tree nuts”, “Processed in a facility that also processes peanuts or tree nuts,” or “Made on equipment that also processes peanuts or tree nuts.”
Session 1: July 5 – July 7
The price for this week will be adjusted for 3 days.
All Around The Zoo
How do you make a toy for a leopard? What is a porcupine’s favorite food? Where does a river otter go to bed? Learn how zoo staff work together to make sure that the animals have everything they need.
Session 2: July 10 – July 14
Backyard Biologists
When you live in a concrete jungle, it can be easy to miss the nature in your own backyard. This week participants will become backyard biologists by learning how to safely observe natural systems at home and in their community. Participants will go home equipped with ways to study and improve their own urban ecosystem!
Session 3: July 17 – July 21
Caring For Creatures
Creatures come in all shapes and sizes, but did you know that all animals require the same five things to survive? This week participants will learn how we at the Zoo take care of all our different animals, as well as how to create habitats that give creatures everything they need to survive and thrive.
Session 4: July 24 – July 28
From The Ground Up
Learn about the Earth from the ground up! This week we will be exploring the natural features of our planet, from the tectonic plates beneath our soil to the sky and atmosphere overhead, along with all the animals that rely on these planetary features to survive.
Session 5: July 31 – August 4
Survival Of The Fittest
Despite all our differences, all living beings have one thing in common: we all survive through adaptation! Join us this week to explore the variety of traits and behaviors that help animals survive in their unique habitats. The Zoo will introduce you to an array of fantastically adapted creatures during this week of extreme survival!
Session 6: August 7 – August 11
Social Species
Canines, bees, birds, oh my! There are many social animals in the world, but have you ever wondered why? Join the pack this week to learn about Earth’s most cooperative species, and discover all the ways their shared lives and strong bonds allow them to survive.
Session 7: August 14 – August 18
Sensational Senses
What is it like to see as far as a hawk? To use echolocation like a bat? To see in black-and-white like a raccoon? This week we will explore and experience the ways other animals use their five senses to understand the world around them.
Session 8: August 21 – August 25
