SPECIAL EVENTS CALENDAR 2012
FAMILY NIGHT IN THE WILD - July 7 & 21, August 11 & 25
Bring your family and join the fun for our annual "Family Night in the Wild" events this summer! Starting in July and then in August we are offering a special evening for you and your family to experience sleeping overnight at the Zoo in our magnificent picnic area - right next to where the night animals live!
Once night falls, our guides and volunteers will accompany you on a walking safari throughout the Zoo so you can observe the behaviour of our animals before dusk. This extremely fun-filled event includes hot chocolate and marshmallows while we tell stories, play games and/or sing songs (guitars are welcome).
During the night you will not get much sleep as you will hear the lions roaring, wolves howling and a few feathered friends will make sure you are awake in the morning!
And speaking of morning, we will serve you a light breakfast, then you will meet a Zookeeper and learn about an animal plus enjoy a narrated train ride around the perimeter of the zoo.
Dates for this year are: July 7th, July 21st, August 11th and August 25th.
Don't delay in booking as we book up quickly - to reserve your evening adventure please click here to download and complete the registration form. Or for further information, call our Education Department at 604.856.6825 ext 26 or email edu@gvzoo.com.
**Special discounts are available for our valued members!!
ACCESS DAY - June 18th
It's back - our annual fun-filled popular day for people with disabilities and at a discounted rate!!
The Zoo is pleased to host and provide a great deal of $5 per person for admission - as always special needs assistants will receive free admission. To ride the train is $2 per person (including special needs assistants).
This event is always extremely popular, so please book now to avoid disappointment! Click here to download the registration form.
Additional information on this fun day is found by clicking here. Groups of 5 people or more is preferred, although is not required.
If you would still like to speak to someone live, please do not hesitate to contact our Education Department at 604.856.6825 ext 28 or via email at edu@gvzoo.com.
WHO LOVES THEIR MOM - MOTHER'S DAY - Sunday May 13th
We know you love your Mom - but where do you take her for the big day?? Does she love animals and the great outdoors...well the Zoo is the perfect place for all of you!
The first 100 Mom's will get a special treat when they arrive and also you can enter to win some cool prizes!!
And just this month we have had an explosion of new Mom's (c-photo's below) and plus you can meet up wtih all the other Mom's at the zoo! We call them all SUPER MOMS as we all know how much work they do!
Squirrel Monkey Grant Zebra
Also Frosting Cupcakery will be by in the morning to leave some of their yummies cupcakes for our wonderful mothers (as supplies last).
EARTH DAY - April 22th
Come out and celebrate Earth Day at the Zoo. There will be lots of activities to learn more about how you can help the environment and save the animals too!
Learn about our compost facility that all of our non-primate herbivore (plant eaters) are contributing their poop to do their part in helping with the environment.
And bring along your cell phone for recycling and you can help save wildlife habitats as well as help prevent the dangers from discarded cell phones. Purchase 1 admission at the regular price and get the 2nd admission of equal or lesser value for free with every cell phone brought in for recycling. Cell phones are made with an ore called Coltan; this ore is often found in Central Africa in the middle of wildlife habitats.
ROBERT BATEMAN - GET TO KNOW LAUNCH - April 12th
Get to Know Your Wild Neighbours!
The Greater Vancouver Z
oo is pleased to welcome back renowned wildlife artist Robert Bateman's "Get to Know" contest. Approximately 100 students have been invited to learn about the contest and also get involved with an interactive nature walk throughout the Zoo.
The Canadian Wildlife Federation Get to Know Contest encourages young people to develop a deeper appreciation for their neighbours of other species by getting outdoors and creating art, writing, digital photography, videos and music.
Winners will receive all kinds of wild prizes; including the chance to attend the week-long Get to Know Art & Nature Camp in Point Pelee National Park, courtesy of Parks Canada. The contest launches during National Wildlife Week, April 8 – 14 and runs until July 16, 2012. To learn more and find out how to enter, visit www.gettoknow.ca.
HAPPY EASTER - Sunday April 8th
Bring the kids and enjoy Easter at the Zoo! We are starting the day off with a Children Easter Educational Scavenger Hunt that you can join in at anytime and at 1:30 pm is our Children Easter Egg Hunt (both are free of charge with admission). The Scavenger Hunt and Easter Egg Hunt you will have an opportunity to win a Family Day Pass to the Zoo.
We have are providing easter enrichment treats for some of the animals. The lions and monkeys are receive a special easter enrichment item along with some of the other animals. Please see our Welcome Board upon arrival for further information or click here to learn what enrichment is.
** Please keep in mind the Easter Egg Hunt is not about receiving chocolate eggs, although some will be available; we have other prizes to give away (including a Zoo Coloring book along with a chocolate treat…while supplies last).
Special appearance from the Easter Bunny is between 12 – 2 pm!
JR. ZOOLOGIST SPRING BREAK CAMP - March 19th - 23rd
If your child has a passion for the environment and loves learning about animals, this is the day camp for them!
Since 2012 is the "Year of the Dragon" in the Chinese culture, we decided to base the theme for this years spring camp on "Animals in Mythology". Where did the idea of a unicorn came from? What animals featured in North American legends? Why were human-animal hybrids so important in Greek mythology? Learn the answers to these questions and more at our spring break Jr. Zoologist camps! We will explore animals and mythology while interacting with animals and/or keepers, going behind-the-scenes, making crafts, and playing games.
Dates:
Monday March 19th - Friday March 23rd
Ages:
5 years and up
Length of camps:
Single day, multiple days or an entire week. From 9 am - 4 pm
Costs:
$45 per day for members and $50 per day for non-members
* All Jr. Zoologist Camps are age appropriate and supervised by the appropriate number of qualified staff members and volunteers.
To learn a little bit more about this camp please click here. To register and to download the registration form please click here , or if you require further information you may call 604.856.6825 ext 26 or via email at edu@gvzoo.com.
LOVE BUS TOURS, CRAFTS & STORYTIME - February 11th, 12th and 14th
So you think you know everything about love, well....we think you might learn a
few fun light-hearted facts about our animals and some of their various mating habits!
Bring your sweetie and come join the fun - Love Bus Tours operate on February 11th,12th & 14th at 10 am, 12:30 pm and 2:30 pm. PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT THIS TOUR DOES COME WITH A PG RATING - as some of the information and vocabulary may not be appropriate for children.
Crafts and Storytime for all ages in the Animalasium from 11 - 12 pm on February 11th, 12th and 14th.
Please check our Welcome Board upon arrival for all the details and reserve your space on the Love Bus Tours at Front Admission!
SENIOR SAFARI DAYS - January 25th, February 23rd & March 5th
Looking for just the right fun outing...well have you considered the Zoo?? Bring the gang enjoy a 45 minute narrated safari bus tour, with either your bus (for your convenience) or join us on one of our buses.
On this special day you will receive an extra savings bonus of $6 off the regular admission rates. With a private guided tour you will only pay $11.25 per person to hear and see about the wonderful world of animals at the Zoo!
To register or learn more about this fun experience contact Barbara at 604.856.6825 ext 26 or via email at blafresnaye@gvzoo.com
HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR! - January 23rd, 24th and 28th
Chinese New Year has no fixed date and is celebrated in accordance with the lunar calendar. The lunar calendar is calculated by the time it takes the moon to go around the Earth. Every year the date changes, although Chinese New Year usually falls in either January or February.
The start of Chinese New Year for 2012 falls on Monday January 23rd 2012. This year is the Year of the Dragon...so come learn about the dragon through our stories, arts, crafts and coloring!
All activities are located indoors in our education centre called the "Animalasium" and are free of charge with admission to the zoo - no reservations are required.
January 23rd from 10:30 am - 12:00 pm *
January 24th from 10:30 am - 12:00 pm *
January 28th from 1:30 pm - 3:00 pm (suitable for any age)
* suitable for children 2 - 5 years old
Visit the next best thing to meeting a real dragon and learn about dragons from myths to reality!
ZOOQUEST PRO-D DAY CAMPS - Jan 20th, 27th, Feb 10th and 17th - NEW
Searching for a fun Pro-D Day Camp - well search no further. **New for 2012** while your teachers are back at school working away...we are offering a day of interesting animal facts, some interaction with some animals and/or animal care staff members and most importantly all of this done at a really fun place - the Greater Vancouver Zoo!
Dates Available:
Friday, January 20th - Maple Ridge/Pitt Meadows School District
Friday, January 27th - Abbotsford School District
Friday, February 10th - Surrey School District
Friday, February 17th - Abbotsford, Langley and Mission School Districts
This camp is geared towards children 7 - 12 years of age.
TO REGISTER please click here or for more information (including rates) click here. If you still have a few unanswered questions, contact edu@gvzoo.com or phone 604.856.6825 ext 26.
** ask about our discounts for members
If your date is not shown, please contact us at edu@gvzoo.com or 604.856.6825 ext 26 and we will do our best to accommodate your request.
HAPPY PRO-D DAY!
STORYTIME - January 17th at 11:00 am *** new for 2012
Come join us for storytime in our indoor education centre called the Animalasium, for some creative animal stories. Free with admission to the zoo!
Storytime begins at 11:00 am and lasts for approximately 30 minutes. The stories are suitable for children 2 - 5 years old...adults must attend with your children.
No reservations are required.
