School is out for the day! Drop off your student off at the zoo for a fun, exciting and educational day off.

This informal and relaxed program will give students the day off they need, all while exploring activities about the animals here at the zoo.

The programs last from 8:30 am-3:00 pm, but drop off and pick up may be at any time between 8:00 am-3:00 pm.

This program is open for children in Grades K-5. Be sure to dress for the weather as we will explore the zoo grounds.

An afternoon snack of popcorn and juice will be provided but children must bring their own lunch.

Member
$35 for 1 child.
$70 for 2 children.
$105 for 3 children.
$140 for 4 children.

Non Member
$40 for 1 child.
$80 for 2 child.
$120 for 3 child.
$160 for 4 child.

Red River Zoo classes require registration and fees are non-refundable

Program descriptions:

October 19th – Keeping Up With the Camels:
Spend your vacation discovering a day in the life of our camels. Learn what they eat, where they sleep, and even help us with day-to-day camel activities. They might not be on TV but you will learn that this family of camels are way more entertaining. And with their winter coats returning you’ll see they even dress with the season.

November 12th – The Giving Games:
At this time of year, many people begin to prepare for the season of giving. Here at the Red River Zoo we prepare as well by creating special gifts for our animals. Most of the animals enjoy gifts that they can play with, such as special puzzle toys or games they can play. While some animals might enjoy gifts they can eat or smell. Join us today to learn about our animals and help us create a special game just for them.

January 21st – Conservation Station:
Dive into our oceans or climb the highest mountain as we explore habitats from all around the world, these very different environments have one thing in common- many species are struggling due to pollution, habitat loss, or other challenges! Today we will dedicate our adventures to see how conservation efforts help save species around the world. We will even get up-close encounters with animals who are impacted by conservation to discover how even small actions can make a big difference.

February 18th – Nature Navigators:
Learn to navigate through nature like an animal in this day’s experience. How do different animals survive using smell, hearing, and even movement? Find out by getting an up-close look at where an animal may live. Activities will also cover how we can navigate in nature using a compass, map, or other tools that may be needed for exploration.

March 11th – Zookeeping 101:
School’s out, but that doesn’t mean we stop learning! Join us to expand your knowledge by learning what it takes to be a zookeeper. Our goal is always to give the animals the best life we can- so we will spend time with a zoo staff member to discover activities they may participate in throughout a day. From viewing animal training to cleaning exhibits, every small action can help our animals.

Our classes and programs are designed for a minimum of three participants.  In the event that we don’t have the minimum number of kids registered for a class or program, we may cancel the class.  In the event of a class cancellation, we will contact parents and work to either reschedule their registration or issue a refund.

Pint Size Explorers are children ages 4-6 years old. Come explore the zoo and its animals during the colder months of the year! Kids will participate in a variety of activities, crafts, and hands-on animal encounters.

Program Fee: $15/members, $20/non-members

Classes fill quickly, so early registration is required.

Red River Zoo classes require registration and fees are non-refundable.

When possible we will work with you to accommodate changing your registration to another session if your explorer is unable to attend the class they’ve been signed up for.

We offer a morning session OR afternoon session for each class. Morning sessions runs from 10:00 am to 11:30 am. Afternoon sessions run from 3:00 pm to 4:30 pm.

October 9th – Creepy Crawlers:
Cockroaches, Snakes, and other creepy creatures will lead this day’s adventure. Join us to discover why these animals may not be creepy at all, see why they seem so different from other animals, and learn how they can help us. Make your own creepy critter to take home after learning about them in this up-close experience.

November 13th – Your New BFF:
Come and learn about one of the newest animals at the zoo the Black-Footed Ferrets! As one of America’s keystone species and a Midwestern – resident these ferrets are an exciting addition to the Red River Zoo. Come learn about how we care for this important animal and what we can do to help these animals in the wild. They will surely become your new best friend forever!

December 11th – We like to….Moo-ve it:
Do you hear the sleigh bells jingling? Help us investigate where the sound is coming from in our Zoo Farm. We will make our own sleigh bells to help us find all the animals who may call our farm home. Moove over to see other animals who may enjoy playing in the snow and bring some animal cheer to our animal friends.

January 8th – A Skink’s Story:
Our skink has a special story it wants to share with our explorers! What a skink eats, how it has special camouflage on its back, and all about its curious blue tongue will be told in this tale. Learn more about the Skink’s story and how it may survive in the wild with other reptile friends.

February 12th – What’cha Takin About?
Join us to Talk about our Takin. Roam around the zoo and get a closer look at our Szechuan Takin and how they survive in the wild at high elevations. From horn to hooves, we will explore ways animals are able to climb up and live in a mountain!

March 12th- Otter Fun:
Everyone knows our otters like to play, but you otter join in on the fun and see how they do it! Otters play all year round, just like us. Rain, shine, or even snow nothing slows them down from having fun outside. Today is dedicated to playing games like otters and seeing how the otters play a little more closely.

April 9th – Whoo’s That?
Whooo is that is the Discovery Barn? Today will be a hoot as we explore owls and other Nocturnal animals. Local residents of the zoo will guide us through the barn to discover night-time nature and how they see in the night.

Our classes and programs are designed for a minimum of three participants.  In the event that we don’t have the minimum number of kids registered for a class or program, we may cancel the class.  In the event of a class cancellation, we will contact parents and work to either reschedule their registration or issue a refund.

Need a date night? Home improvement project still needs to be finished? Or just looking for a fun experience for your children?

Come have your children spend evening at the Zoo!

Activities include carousel rides, animal close-up encounters, adventuring out on a night hike and wrapping the evening with a nature themed movie.

Parent’s Night Out lasts from 6:00pm-9:30pm, but children may be picked up at any time. Parents can have a great night out while the kids enjoy a wild time at the Red River Zoo with an evening full of fun, games, and activities.

Adventures take energy, so a snack will be provided.

For ages 4-12.

Children must be potty trained.

Member

$20 for 1 Child

$30 for 2 Children

$40 for 3 Children

$50 for 4 Children

Non Member

$30 for 1 Child

$45 for 2 Children

$60 for 3 Children

$75 for 4 Children

Please note that Parent’s Night Out registration fees are non-refundable. When possible, we’re happy to work with you to reschedule your registration for a different session if your children are unable to attend.

October 12th- Adventurous Adaptations:
Animals adapt to the environments where they live, such as how our Bearded Dragon can blend into the Sands of Australia or our Red Panda blends into red lichen and moss in areas of China! Sometimes these adaptations seem unusual, like a when a skink has a blue tongue or when the bearded dragon can turn his “beard” black. Explore these adventurous adaptations, and how they can help our animals survive in the wild.

October 26th – Spooky Spectacles:
Some animals seem scary, spooky, and all around creepy! Snakes, Spiders, and more will spend the night with us to share what makes them special and how they help might even help us. You may come to find out they aren’t scary at all. All Red River Zoo creatures with 0-400 legs are welcome to this thrilling night. Costumes may be worn and are encouraged!

November 9th – Diets and Dinners (meal not included):
As we prepare meals for the holidays, we know there are several important food groups to create a well-rounded meal. But we’re not the only ones who need a proper nutrition, our animals do too! The zookeepers prepare specific diets each day for every animal. Join us today to help discover what our animals eat, how we make it, and even make your own special treat for the animals.

February 15th – Glow with the Flow:
Dress up in your favorite glow in the dark gear for tonight’s special subject- animals that glow! There are several species of animals and plants which glow in the dark from scorpions to fireflies. Tonight we will explore where they may be found throughout the world and why they would decide too glow. We will even create our own luminescent creature to take home.

March 1st – Super Senses:
If you could have any super power, what would it be? To animals, choices such as flight or super hearing are already a reality! Animals often have super unique senses to help them survive in the wild. Some can have lightning speed, some can spin a web, and others can turn almost invisible. Discover how different animals may use their senses to survive. Dressing up as your favorite super hero is welcome and encouraged.

March 15th – Otter Obstacles:
From making slides out of water or snow to making tunnels and more, otters explore their habitats in exciting and fast-paced ways. In the wild they need to maneuver around rocks, trees, or other objects in and out of the water like one big Obstacle course! Join us to design our own obstacle courses and test to see if they are otter approved.

March 29th – Mammal Mysteries:
Many animals live in mysterious ways. Help us uncover these mysteries around the zoo to find out how animals may do peculiar things, and why. We will focus on our furry friends and learn about all the adaptations they use to survive. From mice to elephants, we will talk about what similarities all mammals have.

April 12th – Pollination Nation:
Spring has sprung, and soon will our pollinators. Help protect our pollinators by learning about how they can help not only our flowers, but our whole planet! Pollinators provide us with much of our food and help keep our ecosystems healthy. And it’s not just bees; from bats to birds, there are sure to be many crazy critters we can explore.

Our classes and programs are designed for a minimum of three participants.  In the event that we don’t have the minimum number of kids registered for a class or program, we may cancel the class.  In the event of a class cancellation, we will contact parents and work to either reschedule their registration or issue a refund.