Parents  Instill a sense of wonder in your child about animals and the environment with our fabulous entertaining and educational programs.  We offer programs as diverse as the planet itself. From our very popular Beardsley Zoo Tots, where parents and their very young children explore the wild world of animals together, to Zoo Patrol our dynamic, weeklong summer program, to the Conservation Discovery Corps for teens, the Zoo has something for all ages and all interests.

Parents and Kids

Beardsley Zoo Tots

Enjoy animal-themed fun with your youngster! Each month we will have a different animal adventure and learn wonderful things about the creatures which share our Earth.
*Includes animal presentation, free play time with “zoo toys”, take-home craft, and story
*45-minute program is geared for children 18 months to five years, and an adult caregiver
*Second Tuesday and Wednesday of: March, April, May, September, October and November
*10:30 am or 1:30pm programs are available with pre-registration.
*$10 for Zoo members, $15 for non-members
*A credit card number is required for your reservation

Stories & Crafts

Animal Tales:  Storytime comes alive in our free Animal Tales programs!  Fly, swim and leap your way through storytime with your children.  Our Animal Tales sessions are themed weekly and include: a live animal, a fun short story and a cool take-home craft.
*Geared for children 5 to 11 years of age
*40-50 minutes in length
*Limited to 35 participants
*Free of charge with Zoo admission

Summer Programs at Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo

If you love animals, the environment and learning about nature, then you’ll love our summer programs.  Children may participate in talks and activities with Zoo staff, animal-related games and crafts, behind the scenes tours, hands-on-learning and more

Zoo Patrol: This exciting summer program is offered for children ages 6 - 14 years.  Situated on Zoo grounds, the children participate in  Zoo keeper talks, animal-related programs and crafts.  Each day's schedule varies and may include in-depth exploration of the zoo, games, hands-on activities and more.

Children must be 6 years old as of July 1st.

Hours: 9:00 am to 12:30 pm

Cost: $130 for Connecticut Zoological Society Members.  $155 for non-Members

Offered:
July 11 - 15 geared for 6-8 years
July 18 - 22 geared for 9-11 years
July 25 - 29 geared for 12 - 14 years
August 1 - 5 geared for 6-8 years
August 8-12 geared for 9-11 years

If you love animals, the environment and being outdoors - then you'll love ZOO PATROL, a week full of Zoo keeper talks, behind the scenes tours, hands-on learning, games, crafts and more!

Just 4 Teens:
Investigate Zoo careers with our many teen programs.  We offer seasonal as well as year long programs including Internships, our popular Conservation Discovery Corps and our Explorer Post that will inspire and motivate teens looking for a hands-on experience to see if Zoo life is for them.