Summer Zoo Crew

Check-in will take place each morning from 8:45–9:15 a.m. Checkout will take place for all grade levels from 3:00-3:15 p.m., unless the camper is registered for After Care. Caregivers must be present for both check-in and checkout. They 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 are required to be present with their camper for both check-in and checkout. 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. Please note, campers cannot participate in camp on field trip days if they do not arrive at the zoo by 9:15 a.m. If you are running late, please call the camp phone ASAP for further instructions.

Each camper will receive two green Zoo Crew T-shirts and a backpack with their registration. Campers should wear their green camp T-shirt and bring their backpack every day they attend camp. Campers may also wear green 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 outdoors
• 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, 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 doesn’t feel well at camp, caregivers will be called to pick them up. Campers who have symptoms of infectious illness must be tested for COVID-19. They may return to camp after receiving a negative COVID-19 test, if the camper has been fever-free for 24 hours and symptoms have improved.

No two camp days are exactly the same. Camp instructors do their best to follow camper interests while selecting each day’s activities from our camp curricula, so there is always variety. However, there are some things campers can count on.

• Morning and afternoon free play.
• Chats with zoo experts and other special experiences up to three times per week.
• Outside time, as much as weather permits.
• Activities that help campers build knowledge, empathy, and curiosity about animals and conservation.
• Visits with many of the zoo’s animal residents; however, animal care is left to our professional zookeepers.
• Field trips on Fridays.
• One Late Stay at the Zoo each Zoo Crew session, which will last until 8 p.m.

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.

There is only one Zoo Crew group per session. If your camper is registered for the same session as their friend, they will be in the same group by default.

At Lincoln Park Zoo, we value the inclusion of campers of all abilities. Some accommodations at camp include social stories, visual schedules, fidget tools, noise-canceling headphones, behavior charts/incentives, countdowns for transitions, and occasional short breaks away from the group. One-on-one aides are not an accommodation we offer.

Campers for whom our inclusion model works well are able to participate in both structured and unstructured activities for most of the day in a group of 14–16 campers with two college-age or older counselors.

If your child needs accommodations or has specific needs, please contact our camp team at camp@lpzoo.org or include this information when registering so that we may discuss how to make sure your camper has a great experience. Learn more about inclusion at camp.

Please note: Practice for the Chicago Air and Water Show is expected to take place near the zoo on August 9, with the show on August 10-11. If your camper is sensitive to loud noises, please consider signing up for a different week of camp or providing them with noise-reducing headphones.