Summer Conservation Camp

Check-in will take place each morning from 8:45–9:15 a.m. Checkout will take place for all grade levels from 3–3:15 p.m., unless the camper is registered for After Care. Caregivers will drop off and pick up campers in the designated area outside the Judy Keller Education Center on Cannon Drive. Caregivers authorized to pick up campers must show a photo ID every day at checkout.

Caregivers may park in the temporary camp parking zone located just outside the Judy Keller Education Center. Enter the parking lot where Cannon Drive meets Fullerton Avenue. Take a ticket or use your Zoo Member ID to enter the lot and proceed south until you see the blue signs marking our temporary parking zone. You may also park in any space outside the temporary parking zone if you plan to remain at the zoo after check-in or checkout ends. If you take a ticket to enter the lot, you have 30 minutes to exit before you incur a fee.

Please avoid late drop-offs and early departures as much as possible. These disrupt the flow of the camp day, cause staff to be pulled away from programming and other essential duties, and result in missed activities for your camper. If they cannot be avoided, please plan to drop off/pick up your camper between 11:45 a.m.–12:30 p.m. if possible. All late arrivals or early departures should be arranged in advance by contacting the camp staff at camp@lpzoo.org. If you do not notify us in advance, you may have to wait as long as 25 minutes for staff to retrieve your camper from zoo grounds.

Each camper will receive a blue Conservation Camp T-shirt for every week registered, and will also get a backpack with their registration. Campers should wear their blue camp T-shirt and bring their backpack every day they attend camp. Campers may also wear blue camp T-shirts from previous years if they wish. Caregivers will have the option to purchase additional shirts via a link sent to their email after registration is complete.

All campers should bring:

• refillable water bottle
• sunscreen
• clothing suitable for the weather
• face covering (may be needed in some indoor spaces and for certain experiences)
• closed-toe shoes with a back—no sandals please!

NEW this year: Optional gear pickup events will take place from 4–6 p.m. on May 28, 29, and 30. Gear that is not picked up at one of these events will be given to each camper on their first day of camp.

Camp staff members are all CPR- and first-aid-certified and an EMT is on-site during camp.

Caregivers are the zoo’s most important partners in keeping our camp community healthy and safe. If your camper feels unwell or shows any signs of infectious illness (sore throat, new cough, difficulty breathing, vomiting, diarrhea, severe headache, or a fever at or above 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit) please do not send them to camp!

Lincoln Park Zoo strongly encourages all campers and staff to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

At times, Lincoln Park Zoo may require additional health and safety measures beyond what is required by public health officials. Campers may be required to wear a face covering regardless of vaccination status in some situations. Please help campers be ready for these situations by providing a face covering.

If a camper feels unwell at camp, caregivers will be called to pick them up. Campers may return to camp after they have been fever-free for 24 hours without the use of medication and symptoms have improved.

Your camper will see many zoo animals throughout their camp week. However, we leave care of the animals up to professional zookeepers. Campers will not have the opportunity to touch or feed the animals.