Engage your camper in the hands-on exploration of art and nature. In each session campers will discover the diverse resources of the SM&NC’s unique facility with visits to the planetarium, Heckscher Farm, Museum galleries, or nature trails, guided by one of our experienced environmental educators. To enhance the camper’s experience, they will explore a variety of art-making processes with our art educator at Heckscher Barn classroom. STAY FOR LUNCH! For an additional fee, children can bring a lunch and drink and extend their time with us from 12:30 to 1:30 pm.

Immerse your camper in the daily chores and activities of our Heckscher Farm. Campers will be responsible for helping with daily chores such as grooming, exercising, feeding, and cleaning farm animals, and will also help with weekly produce harvest and planting in our organic garden. Learn how to properly exercise and provide enrichment for animals, explore our hay lofts and barns, and hang out in the pastures! Kids will also participate in hands-on cooking and farm crafts, and will work as a team to create a special tasty treat that they will share on Fridays for lunch.

Our amazing instructors will show you a great time and provide you with lots of tennis tips. So get ready to play lots of games, spend time with friends and improve your tennis skills!

KAC’s Art Summer Camp offers one-week sessions with half-day, full-day and extended-day options. Art & Imagination Camps (ages 3.5-5) • Kids Camp (grades 1-5) • Teen Intensives (grade 6+)

Junior WILD! Keepers was established in 2015, with the opening of our Heckscher WILD! exotic animal exhibit. Similar to the Junior Curator program, WILD! Keepers gives participants ages 10-13 hands-on experience in the care, feeding, and enrichment of our exotic teaching animals, from chinchillas to lizards. Upon completion of this class, participants are eligible to volunteer with the animals in the Heckscher WILD! exhibit.

Children get a fun week of zoo-based activities, tours, and behind the scenes experiences. Each day patrollers tour an area of the zoo (Rainforest, Predators, Farmyard, Hoofstock) and have a special presentation by our keeper staff. The activities may include making enrichment items for the animals, watching training procedures, learning about new exhibits and more. Each week also offers some of our zoo presentations and introduction to our education animal collection. We offer zoo related games, crafts and activities for the younger groups. The sessions for the older children may include hands on activities involving tracking, scientific observation, and artifact identification. Zoo Patrollers also take part in all special summer shows offered by the zoo. Each day includes time for a snack and a little air-conditioned break! Special Friday activities include a carousel ride and a trip to the gift shop. Sessions are scheduled for children ages 6 to 8, 9 to 11 and 12 to 14. Zoo Patrol takes place in our Research Station and throughout zoo grounds. Children arrive at 9 AM and leave at 12:30 PM.