Ages: Middle School. (Elementary school is sold out.) Winter is coming…and with it some major changes to our Zoo! Join us at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo as we dive into the lives of our resident animals during the cold season. Through hands-on experiences, we’ll learn about cold weather adaptations, habitat changes, and how we care for our residents right here at the zoo when the weather gets frigid. Registration is required.
<a href="https://www.cmzoo.org/events/">Events for Monday, August 19, 2024 - Monday, August 19, 2024</a> › Zoo Events
Hands-On Homeschool: Wild Winter
Teen Community Workshop: Wild Wings (6th-8th Grade)
Ages: Middle school / 6th-8th Grade. Come learn from Zoo staff as we explore the brilliant world of birds! We’ll dive into the unique lives of both native and exotic species and learn about the adaptations that make them so successful. We’ll see firsthand how keepers train and care for our birds and even get to meet a resident up close. *Registration for this program will close 48 hours prior to the day of the program. Registration is required and closes 48 hours prior to the program.
Winter Break Day Camps – (Dec. 26, 27, 28, 29, & 30)
Ages PreK-6th grade - Offered as day camps Monday - Friday, December 26, 27, 28, 29, & 30. PreK is a half-day 9 a.m. - 1 p.m., 1st-6th grade is a full day 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Theme: Winer Around the World. As the weather outside is frightful, the animals are so delightful! Animals all around the world prepare for winter differently, join us as we learn about our hungry, sleepy, and cold animal friends! Registration is required. (Note: PreK-K and 1st-2nd Grade camps are sold out. Dec. 29 is sold out 3rd-6th Grades.)
Family Camp: The Colorful World of Skunks
All ages. Offered throughout January. Book your family fun with us today! The world of skunks is not as black and white as it appears! You red that right: discover how they avoid the blues, what greens they enjoy, and so much more! Hue won't want to miss this! Ambassador Animal: striped skunks. Tour Area: Rocky Mountain Wild. Registration is required.
Outdoor School: Winter Zootography (3rd Grade and Up) – Jan. 8
Ages 3rd grade and up. Come try your hand in this beginner’s course as we face the challenges of photographing animals in winter! We’ll put our skills to the test with resident animals at the zoo and with any wildlife we can find on the zoo’s nature trail. *No photography experience is needed and any phone or camera will be acceptable to use. Registration is required, closes 7 days prior to the program, and is open online now.
Hands-On Homeschool: UnZOOsual Careers
Ages: Elementary (1st-5th) or Middle School (6th-8th). From studying animal diets to choosing plants for animal habitats, there is much more than just being a zookeeper. Join us as we tour the zoo and meet with staff to learn about some of the more unZOOsual careers within this field. Registration is required.
Stroller Safaris: Jumping into January (Jan. 28)
Ages 12 months - 4 years. Offered January 28. We are kicking off the New Year by jumping right in and meeting some animals who are really good at this method of locomotion! Families will also get to show off their own jumping skills! Registration is required and open online now. (If dates are sold out, you can be added to our waitlist by completing this form.)
Teen Community Workshop: Animal Training 101 (6th-12th Grade)
Ages: 6th-12th Grade. Come learn the basics of animal training in zoos! Join Zoo staff and one of our Zoo teens as you to try your hand at training some of our animal ambassadors. Registration is required and closes 48 hours prior to the program.
Family Camp (February & March) – Underfoot & Misunderstood
All ages. Offered throughout February & March. Naked mole rats are mighty, yet misjudged. Join us as we discover what makes these animals neither a mole, nor naked. Together we will discover just how nifty our naked mole rats really are. Tour Area: Water's Edge: Africa & Primate World. Registration is required.
Teen Community Workshop: Predator & Prey (6th-12th Grade)
Ages: 6th-12th Grade. Come explore the dynamic relationships between predators and prey. For centuries animals have adapted to overcome one another and better their chances for survival. Join us in this unique workshop as we meet both predator and prey species and dive into the adaptations that make each so successful. Registration is required and closes 48 hours prior to the program.
Kids Only Valentine’s Day Starlight Safari Pizza Party & Tour – (Feb. 11)
Ages 5 years and older. Offered Saturday, February 11, 2023. Enjoy a night off while your kids have a blast at our Kids Only Valentines evening tour. Drop off the kiddos for an amazing night filled with pizza, animals, and nature connection right here on the mountainside. We will start the night with a pizza party and dessert before we adventure among the stars to visit our animal friends during a private evening tour. We will tour multiple animal buildings and get to meet an animal friend up close! Registration is required.
Wolves in Colorado: The Colorado Plan – Free Webinar
Please join CMZoo President and CEO Bob Chastain on Monday, February 13 at 12 p.m. MT, for this important conversation about wolves in Colorado as a special epilogue to Wolves in Colorado: Science & Stories series, from The Institute for Science & Policy, Warner College of Natural Resources at Colorado State University. Tune in as an expert panel provides an overview of the plan, explores the difficult issues the Stakeholder Advisory Group navigated, where and how compromises were made, and why certain compromises were worth making to achieve a draft plan. Registration is required. and free.
Special Holiday Stroller Safaris: Lustrous Lovebirds (Feb. 14)
Ages 12 months - 4 years. Offered February 14 only, limited capacity. This special Holiday edition Stroller Safari includes a special animal demo, meeting birds around the zoo, and creating a birdhouse to take home so that your backyard lovebirds can have somewhere to raise their family! Registration is required and open online now. (If dates are sold out, you can be added to our waitlist by completing this form.)
Outdoor School: Winter Homes (Ages3+ w/Adult) – Feb. 18
Ages 3 and up with one adult. Many animals tend to stay throughout the winter in Colorado and embrace the cold just like us! In this hands-on, kids friendly workshop we’ll learn about the different types of homes animals make in winter. We’ll even make our very own bird houses that you can paint and bring home! Registration is required and closes 7 days prior to workshop date.
Stroller Safaris: Feathered Friends February (Feb. 22)
Ages 12 months - 4 years. Offered February 22. This month we will be focusing on birds! Participants will get a chance to meet a variety of feathered friends and make enrichment for native bird species! Registration is required and open online now. (If dates are sold out, you can be added to our waitlist by completing this form.)
Giraffic World Starlight Safari – Kids Only (Mar. 4)
Ages 5+. Offered Saturday, March 4. Have you heard the joke about giraffe necks? It's a LONG one... Come learn all about our giraffe tower during this Giraffe themed Kids Only Starlight Safari. After crafting our very own set of ossicones to wear for the evening, we'll have a pizza party, roast s'mores, enjoy a guided evening tour, feed our giraffe herd some of their favorite snacks, and we'll meet an animal up close! This program is a drop-off and pick-up program for kids only. Registration is required.
Kinder Kingdom: Moonlit March
Ages 4-5 years old. Kinder Kingdom is a half-day, camp-like setting that allows your little wanderers to create a connection with nature and new friends. As the sun goes down and the moon comes up, these animals come out to play. Together we will learn about nocturnal animals and the advantages of playing under the moonlight. Registration is required.
Hands-On Homeschool: Rambunctious Reptiles
Ages: Elementary (1st-5th) or Middle School (6th-8th). Join us to learn about our scaly bodied, cold blooded reptiles through curiosity and exploration! Registration is required. These programs are sold out. If you would like to be added to a wait list, please email [email protected].
Outdoor School: Wilderness Survival
Ages: Middle School & High School. Come and learn what it takes to survive in the wild! We’ll learn about the essentials needed for a survival situation, creative ways to construct a shelter and proper techniques to build a fire amongst much more. Then we’ll put your skill to the test! Registration is required and ends 48 hours prior to the start of the program.
Stroller Safaris: March Mammal Madness (Mar. 25, 29)
Ages 12 months - 4 years. Offered March 25, 29. This month we are focusing on animals that are just like us; mammals! Participants will get a chance to meet some “furry” friends and learn about a special group of mammals called marsupials. Registration is required and open online now. (If dates are sold out, you can be added to our waitlist by completing this form.)
Outdoor School: Animal Signs & Tracking
Ages: Middle School & High School. Join us in this hands-on workshop as we learn what it takes for scientists to track animals in the wild! We’ll learn to read the signs animals leave behind in nature while also trying our hand at some of the technology that is used by scientists in the field. Registration is required and ends 48 hours prior to the start of the program.
Hands-On Homeschool – Wildlife in Color: Encoded Messages
Ages: High School. Join us in this first part of our “Wildlife in Color” mini-series as we look at the vital role color plays in our natural world. As humans, we view color as aesthetically pleasing but for many animals color is a tool necessary for survival. In this first session will focus on how different species utilize color as forms of communication. Whether its displays of warning or forms of attraction, the use of color can ultimately decide the survival of a species. Registration is required.
Outdoor School: Symbiosis: The Art of Living Together
Age: Middle School & High School. Earth is home to millions of animal species that all interact with one another in many different ways! Whether it’s working together as a team or competing against each other for the same resource, our wild planet showcases what it takes for wildlife to survive. Join us as we study zoo residents and delve into the many different types of symbiotic relationships from around the world. Registration is required and ends 48 hours prior to the start of the program.
A Special Holiday Stroller Safari: An Easter EGGstravaganza!
Ages 12 months - 4 years. Offered on April 8. This includes a visit with our resident rabbits and egg decorating! Participants will also learn how eggs are connected to lots of other animals around the Zoo too! Registration is required. This program is sold out. To be on a wait list, please complete this form.
Hands-On Homeschool: Compassionate Conservationists
Ages: Elementary (1st-5th) or Middle School (6th-8th). As we celebrate the Earth and all it has provided for us, join us as we discover ways to protect its wild animals and wild places. Registration is required. These programs are sold out. If you would like to be added to a wait list, please email [email protected].
Kinder Kingdom: Aquatic April
Ages 4-5 years old. Kinder Kingdom is a half-day, camp-like setting that allows your little wanderers to create a connection with nature and new friends. As the sun goes down and the moon comes up, these animals come out to play. Splash into Spring at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo as we dive into adaptations that allow animals to live on both land and in water. Registration is required. This program is sold out. To be on a wait list, email [email protected].
Outdoor School: Spring Awakening
Ages: 3rd - 6th Grades. Spring is the time where our natural world awakens from its long, frosty slumber. Wildlife begin to become more active and migrate back to the natural spaces that were once blanketed with snow and ice. Join us as we learn how our wild world adapts with the changing season. *Tickets to this program also include admission to the zoo. Registration is required and closes 48 hours prior to the start of the program.
Stroller Safari: Awesome Amphibians in April (Apr. 15, 21, 26)
Ages 12 months - 4 years. Offered on April 15, 21, 26. This month we are focusing on toads, frogs, newts and salamanders! Participants will get a chance to meet some of these animals and make their very own frog slime to take home and explore! Registration is required and is open online now. April 15 date for this program is sold out. To be on a wait list, please complete this form.
Paint. Sip. Safari. – (Apr. 26, May 17, 24)
Ages 21+. Offered on Apr. 26, May 17, 24 . Join us for an adults only program where you not only get to create memories but a painting of one of our amazing animals as well. Each month offers a different animal theme to paint. Spend the evening at the Zoo strolling through animal exhibits, enjoying an adult beverage, meeting animals up-close and creating a masterpiece! Registration is required.
Hands-On Homeschool: Mighty Megafauna
Ages: Elementary (1st-5th) or Middle School (6th-8th). Megafauna comprises the largest animals on Earth. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is lucky enough to be home to 4 of the 5 most common species! Join us to learn about these prodigious and powerful animals. Registration is required. Elementary age is sold out, middle school has a few spots left. To be on a wait list, email [email protected].
Stroller Safaris: Special Holiday Magnificent Moms for Mother’s Day (May 13)
Ages 1-4 years. Offered only on Saturday, May 13. This is all about our Magnificent Moms….including you! Come join us for a fabulous fun adventure as we visit other mother’s around the Zoo! Registration is required. This program is sold out. To be added to our waitlist by completing this form
Kinder Kingdom: Musical May
Ages 4-5 years old. Kinder Kingdom is a half-day, camp-like setting that allows your little wanderers to create a connection with nature and new friends. As the sun goes down and the moon comes up, these animals come out to play. The hills are alive with the sound of nature! Listen to the elephants’ trumpet, woodpeckers drum, and frogs sing as we learn about nature’s animal orchestra. Registration is required.
Hands-On Homeschool – Wildlife in Color: The Unseen World
Ages: High School. In this second session of our “Wildlife in Color” mini-series we’ll dive into a world of color unseen to the human eye. We’ll study how animals utilize colors to camouflage into their natural surroundings and how it can be beneficial as a tool for survival. We’ll then explore how some animals can see completely different wavelengths of light and study an entire world of color only seen by our wild counterparts. Registration is required.
Dog Days at the Zoo – May 16
TWO DAYS ONLY: For just two days only, Tuesday, May 16 or Saturday, June 3, you can bring your well-behaved dog to the Zoo with you! Simply purchase a dog ticket along with your family’s human tickets, and Fido can experience many of the sights, sounds and smells that make the Zoo so special (minus some restricted areas). Just purchase a dog ticket for the same time and day as your visit. Advanced tickets are required and on sale online now.
Outdoor School: Backyard Birds – May 25
Ages 3rd-6th Grades. Birds are the most abundant animals we see but how much do we truly know about these species that frequent our lives each day? Join us at the zoo as we dive into beautiful lives of birds. Through this program we will go over bird identification, adaptations, how to attract birds to your yard, and even meet a couple residents right here at the zoo! *Tickets to this program also include admission to the zoo. Registration is required and closes 48 hours prior to the start of the program.
Stroller Safaris: Master Migrators in May (May 27, 31)
Ages 1-4 years. Offered May 27, 31. Things are finally warming up outside and that means animals will be moving back to their “summer homes” soon. This month we will learn what migration is and meet some animals who are master migrators! Registration is required and open online now.
Unique & Differing Needs Camp – Ages 7-11* – Movin’ & Groovin’ – June 10
*Ages 7-11. Offered on Saturday June 10 or July 15 only. *This camp is specially designed for campers ages 7 -11 with autism spectrum disorders, sensory processing disorders, developmental disabilities/delays or medical fragility. Campers, their caregiver, and Camp Mentors will skip, boogie, and roll through Cheyenne Mountain Zoo as we learn the different movements our animals make and why it is beneficial to their wellbeing. (One caregiver may also attend this camp without an additional fee.) Registration is required and is open online.
Outdoor School: Bio Blitz
Ages Middle School & High School. Come learn the importance of Biodiversity in our ecosystems. We’ll study the different types of animals and plants we have right here on Cheyenne Mountain. You’ll help zoo staff conduct in-the-field population counts and learn to identify our wild species to help us determine the overall health of our mountainside. *Tickets to this program also include admission to the Zoo. Registration is required and closes 48 hours prior to the start of the program.
Paint. Sip. Safari. (June 20)
Ages 21+. Offered on June 20. Join us for an adults only program where you not only get to create memories but a painting of one of our amazing animals as well. Each month offers a different animal theme to paint. Spend the evening at the Zoo strolling through animal exhibits, enjoying an adult beverage, meeting animals up-close and creating a masterpiece! Registration is required. This class is now SOLD OUT. To be added to a wait list, please email [email protected].
Special Holiday Stroller Safari: Red, White & ZOO! (July 1)
Ages 1-4 years. Offered July 1 only. For this special Holiday edition Stroller Safari, we will be using the country's flag colors to guide our learning! Some of these colors are easier to spot in nature than others, so come along on the journey to see what we can find!. Registration is required and open online now.