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Winter Critter Camp

Winter Critter Camp

Please refer to our COVID-19 Policies for details about our safety procedures for each program. Protocols are subject to change and may vary with program type. If you have any questions about our COVID-19 policies or programs, please contact our office at education@animalcenter.org 858-756-4117 x318.

 

December 19th 2022    – January 6th 2023

(No camp on December 26th 2022 and January 2nd 2023)

Preschool- 6th Grade

Daily sign ups available!

What does winter mean for animals? Your kids can find out at Winter Critter Camp in San Diego! Campers will discover why chinchillas don’t mind being chilly, how reptiles deal with falling temperatures, and how other critters cope with the changes caused by the cold weather. Each day includes hands-on animal encounters, cute crafts, awesome activities and the chance to connect with peers.

Camp Times, Rates, Discounts and Details

Preschool

  • $75 per child, per day
  • 9:00am – 1:00pm
  • Extended Care option: 8:00am drop off for $12 per day. No late pickup available for Preschool.
  • Must be at least 4 years old and able to use the bathroom independently.

Kindergarten– 6th Grade

  • $95 per child, per day
  • 9:00am – 3:00pm
  • Extended Care option: 8:00am – 5:00pm for $24 per day

Discounts

  • 15% off camp tuition for active military. Call us at 858-756-4117 ext. 318 for the coupon code.
  • Automatically receive $5 off the daily tuition when registering siblings. Must register siblings at the same time. Applies to the second or more siblings only.
  • Your child may be eligible for a scholarship! Please visit our website by clicking here to find out more.
  • Your camp fee may provide a partial tax credit, check with your tax professional to see if you qualify!

Details

  • All campers must be able to use the restroom confidently and on their own. We cannot enter a bathroom with a child to help them wipe or dress.
  • Must be at least 5 years old to pet reptiles.
  • Animals assigned to a theme may vary depending on animal health, safety, and availability.
  • Please provide your child with a snack and water bottle each day.
  • Lunch can be purchased at $10 per child, per day. It includes a main entrée and two sides.
    • Hot Lunch option (same each day): cheese pizza.
    • Sides: applesauce and a cheese cracker variant.
  • We know that camp sounds fun for kids and adults, but this camp is for kids only!
    • Aides are suggested for camp if your child regularly works with one. Camp has frequent transitions that may make an aide more necessary during camp than at school. All aides must be fingerprinted through Helen Woodward Animal Center in order to attend camp. Please call us at 858-756-4117 ext. 318 so that we can help them complete the fingerprint process. It may take up to 7 days to receive fingerprinting results.

Winter Critter Camp Themes

Monday – Dashing Through the Snow

Monday – Dashing Through the Snow

It is fun to frolic around in the snow, but it can be hard to do when you’re bundled up from head to toe! Campers will meet an alpaca, rabbit, dove, ball python snake, and millipede and learn about their unique movements and how the chilly weather affects their mobility.
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Tuesday – Cozy Critters

Tuesday – Cozy Critters

Winter might not be so bad for our fluffy friends, but what about the cold-blooded critters? Campers will interact with a goat, dog, chicken, box turtle, and frog as they learn about the amazing adaptations that help these animals survive in the cold.
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Wednesday – There’s Snow Place Like Home!

Wednesday – There’s Snow Place Like Home!

Campers will meet a miniature horse, guinea pig, parrot, tortoise, and leopard gecko and discover what kind of environment these animals live in and whether or not they stay put as the temperature drops.
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Thursday – Large or Small, Cherish Them All

Thursday – Large or Small, Cherish Them All

Campers will interact with a chinchilla, rabbit, pigeon, rosy boa snake, and hermit crab and gain a better understanding of why we should show compassion for all kinds of critters.
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Friday – Family FURst

Friday – Family FURst

Campers will meet a sheep, dog, small parrot, bearded dragon or blue-tongued skink, and Madagascar hissing cockroach as they find out how animal families help each other during the harsh winter months.
REGISTER NOW

Critter Camp Frequently Asked Questions

Most frequent questions and answers

For safety purposes we do not release children at pick up time to anyone not listed on the “authorized to pick up” list. We check ID daily at checkout time.

 

To add someone to the authorized list, we must confirm you are one of the parents/guardians and then we can add any additional names, or you can log into your account and add more in yourself.

 

During registration there is a section for “my child would like to be in the same class as” and that is where you should add the first and last names of other children to group with, if any. We group children into classes by grade level first; if we have multiple classes of the same grade level then we’ll pair requests together.

 

We generally group classes as follows: PreK/Preschool, Kinder, 1st-2nd, 3rd-4th, 5th-6th, 7th-8th. Depending on registrations for each grade level we may combine nearby grade levels into one class, such as a Kinder-2nd class.

 

We only move older children down into the younger groups.

 

If you need your child with another child regardless of grade level, please contact the office by email or phone to escalate your request to a need. Please do this before the start of the camp week you’re attending so that it can be taken care of prior to the start of grouping for that week.

 

You can add extended care as late as day of by contacting the office about adding it at any time, or sign into your account and add it yourself. Extended care includes AM Care and PM Care (AM Care is the only option for Preschool).

 

AM Care is 8:00-8:45am early drop off. Children will mostly free play with camp staff supervision. This is the only option available to children younger than Kindergarten.

PM Care is 3:00-5:00pm late pick up. Children will do a craft or activity, have some guided games, help check on our outdoor animals for the night’s close, and free play under the supervision of camp staff. It is advised to pack extra snacks so your child has food for PM Care.

 

You can add lunch as late as morning of, as long as you do it before 9:30am when the lunch order is placed. Camp lunch includes an entrée and two sides.

 

You can contact the office about adding it day of or sign into your account and add it yourself (but please only add it yourself if its 24 hours’ notice otherwise it may be missed – we print rosters each morning at 8am).

 

Please stay home if a member of your household is sick. We can transfer registrations which haven’t started to another day if that day has room.

 

If you need to cancel and can provide more than 24 hours’ notice to the start of the camp day, we can refund you minus a $10 cancellation fee per day.

 

If you need to cancel with less than 24 hours’ notice to the start of the day you will not receive a refund.

 

  • -Shana C. “Yes would recommend. She can never tell me anything about her day at school. She could tell me everything about every animal she saw today. I could tell she really liked it.”
  • -Fumi N. “I would highly recommend this program to others because my child enjoyed the whole program and learned a lot about animals.”
  • -Nina P. “Hits all the marks for an educational and fun experience, along with friendly and professional staff.”
  • -Robert P. “My kids love animals and this camp was a great way for them to learn about new animals, while being able to touch and interact with them at the same time.”

Contact us at 858-756-4117 ext. 318 or email education@animalcenter.org with any questions.

 

Follow us online to get more humane education virtually including animal facts, cute animal photos and videos, and notifications about upcoming programs!

 

YouTube Critter Station ● Instagram ● Facebook

Due to Hurricane Hilary, all  departments will be closing at 3pm today.  Stay safe!