11 Hands-On Summer Camps for Animal-Obsessed Kids (Both Day and Overnight Camps)

Summer is supposed to be wild and fun as a kid. And what better way to encourage that than with the help of some wild animals?! If your school-aged kids are animal lovers, sign them up for one of these creature-focused summer camps. They will get hands-on experience with wildlife like sloths, snakes, and sea turtles — perfect for budding zoologists!

There are camps for kids from elementary to high school, focused on specific animals like horses or a more general animal care, both day camps and overnight camps. There are also camps for those who want to study to be a veterinarian or marine biologist. There are so many cool options, we wish we were still young enough to go!

Sea Turtle Camp in North Carolina

Aspiring marine biologists don’t want to miss the Sea Turtle Camps in Topsail Beach, North Carolina. Designed for marine conservationists, campers learn about the wildlife that lives in the ocean, including sea turtles. The Carolina Ocean Odyssey Camp is for rising fifth through eighth graders who want to enjoy ocean activities like kayaking and surfing in addition to hands-on (and feet wet!) lessons. Camps are available from weeks starting June 1-July 27, and prices start at $2,820.

The Marine Biology Adventure Camp is for rising ninth graders through recent high school graduates, who will get to care for five species of sea turtles. Campers will earn community service hours by working at The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center and by doing beach sweeps to make the beach safer for wildlife. Camps take place June 1-July 27, and prices start at $2,820.  

Campers love learning about aquatic life at these camps. One happy camper named Missy wrote a glowing review, saying, “I had the time of my life at Sea Turtle Camp. My favorite part was the nest excavation. It was a dream come true to see turtle hatchlings. I have learned so much about marine biology.”

Ketcha Outdoors Animal Camp in Maine

Ketcha Outdoors in Scarborough, Maine, is offering an interactive animal camp twice this summer — the week starting July 7 and the week starting August 11 — for kids grades 1-4. These interactive camps feature live animal demonstrations, and opportunities to take care of chickens and goats, build terrariums, study animal tracking, explore the diverse ecosystems in ponds, and see local animals and plants. Mini Camp (grades 1-2) is $388 per week, and the Junior Camp (grades 3-4) is $371 per week. Hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Camp Sealth Horse Camps in Washington

Budding equestrians can enjoy riding at Camp Sealth’s Horse Camps in Vashon, Washington. These overnight camps are an all-around, hands-on experience, where kids of all riding levels will learn about and partake in grooming and feeding horses, basic commands, horseback games and drills, ground and arena lessons, bareback riding, interactive equine science lessons, a beach ride, a trail ride, and more, depending on what skill and grade level. Horse camps are designed for kids in grades 3-10 and range in price from $868-$2,831 per week.

Cub Creek Science Camp in Missouri

Because Cub Creek Science Camp in Rolla, Missouri, has its own private zoo with more than 300 animals of 100 different species, campers have a unique opportunity to get to know wild creatures here. Lessons revolve around personal interactions, including touching, feeding, and holding animals. Some of the unique experiences include feeding sloths and lemurs, petting porcupines, walking llamas, and holding baby wallabies and snakes. Responsible campers can even participate in their “Adopt an Animal” program, which makes the animal their responsibility to care for during the camp.

Parents left glowing reviews on this camp, including one mom who said her 10-year-old daughter loved her experience at Cup Creek. “The ability to learn about, touch, take care of, and observe animals really put this camp above and beyond others. The kids learn so much in one week. It’s incredible!” Camps are available for kids ages 7-17, beginning the week of June 1 through the week of Aug. 3 for $1,290-$1,350 per week.

Full Moon Rising Farm and Wilderness Camps in Washington

Kids have been learning about animals and farm life at Full Moon Rising Farm and Wilderness Camps in Whidbey Island, Washington since 1997. Choose from many different focuses, including the Farm Life Camp for ages 6-11. Campers will learn to feed, clean, and milk animals in the barn, play garden games, feed goats and pigs, and experience the magic of farm life. Day camp sessions starting the weeks of June 23, June 30, and July 21 are available for $505 per week. You can also sign up for a 4-day, 3-night overnight Wild Village Family Camp, beginning the week of Aug. 7 for ages 4-14 years. The entire family can play games, learn weaving or wood carving, spend time with farm animals, and more, for $235 per adult and $465 per child.

Junior Vet Academy Camp

At the Junior Vet Academy in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, campers ages 9-15 can live like veterinarians. Each day starts with rounds to discuss care needs for the animals; then, kids learn how to do physical exams, suture techniques, injections, and pharmacology. Campers also have plenty of fun playing in an animal-themed escape room, swimming, and so much more!

Choose from a day camp option from 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. on weeks starting July 7-July 21 for $990 a week, or opt for an overnight week-long camp, starting July 6, 13 and 20 for $1,885 per week.

Lincoln Park Zoo Camps in Illinois

At the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago, campers ages Pre-K through eighth grade can learn about wildlife and how a zoo takes care of its animals firsthand. Conservation Camp (Pre-K-5th) is held from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. weekdays in select weeks from June-August. Some of the unique themes revolve around animal facts, habitats, conservation, colorful and creative wildlife, animal families, and more. Prices are $540 per week.

Middle schoolers in grades 6-8 will learn about team building, animal ecosystems, and more in the Zoo Crew camp, running from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. on weekdays in July and August, and a special evening encounter until 9 p.m. on the second Wednesday of each two-week session. There are two different themes: The Art of Wildlife Conservation and Unlocking the Secrets of Animal Behavior. Prices are $1,250 per week.

Fort Worth Summer Zoo Camp in Texas

Campers at the Fort Worth Zoo can experience one-of-a-kind animal encounters and make lifelong memories. Camp for ages 4-10 runs from June 2-Aug. 8 from 9 a.m.-3 p.m., where kids can hike through the exhibits before the zoo opens to the public, feed giraffes, cool off in Safari Splash, see live animal presentations, and enjoy traditional camp activities.

At the middle school and high school camps, kids can check out more behind-the-scenes experiences of how the zoo works, including learning about veterinary care, nutrition, animal habitats, outreach, and more. Middle school camps run in two-day sessions from June 10-Aug. 8 for $350. High school camps run in one-day sessions from June 2-6 and July 28-Aug. 1 for $175.

Adventurous campers ages 8-10 can sign up for an overnight camp experience, where they will see firsthand what zookeepers do after everyone else goes home for the night. This cool experience runs from 8 p.m.-10 a.m. the following day on June 21, July 12, and July 29 for $150.

Camp Tecumseh Equestrian Camp in Indiana

Sharpen your equestrian skills at Camp Tecumseh’s Equestrian Camp in Brookston, Indiana. The state-of-the-art equestrian facilities offer training on horseback riding plus leadership skills, empathy, awareness, and safety for boys and girls ages 11-15. With more than 60 horses on the property, your child will get paired with one that’s compatible with their personality. In addition to riding, campers will get to play games like Barn Olympics and the Amazing Horse Race, learn how to groom and tack horses, keep the barn clean, and more. Special clinics take place in the afternoons, where kids can learn new things like clipping/braiding horses, drill team, Medieval games, and more. Campers will be evaluated on their knowledge and riding ability before being put into a group and can choose Western or English riding. Camps run weekdays from June 8-July 27 for $950-$1,100 a week.

Lollypop Farm Camps in New York

Designed for kids who are wild about animals, Lollypop Farm Camps offer wonderful opportunities for bonding and learning about the amazing creatures that live there. Animal Ed-Ventures Camp is for kids ages 7-9, who will get a behind-the-scenes look at what life is like at an animal shelter and farm. Through hands-on lessons, kids will get to meet a variety of animals like pigs, snakes, cats, and more, and they’ll learn how to care for and train them. This day camp has options in weeks starting July 14, July 28, and Aug. 11 for $310 per week.

Older kids ages 9-12 can join Future Vet Camp, where they can learn more about careers involving animals, see what veterinarians do, and learn about providing medical care to animals. Camp is available for weeks beginning July 7, July 21, and Aug. 4 for $310 per week.

Chattanooga Aquarium in Tennessee

Explore the world underwater at Chattanooga Aquarium’s Summer Camp, where kids can get up close and personal with aquarium animals, wade through streams, and learn how nature’s engineers build dams and other incredible things. General camps are for kids ages 5-12, who will get to explore the aquarium and learn more about animals through different weekly themes. Examples include Weird World (to see slimy creatures), Color Me Wild (to see how animals use colors and patterns to communicate), and Mad Scientist (to try different experiments related to the animal world). These camps run on various weeks from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. that start between June 9 and July 28 for $300 per week.

Campers ages 8-12 can join the River Guardians specialty camp, where campers explore creeks in nearby areas and learn how to be an aquatic conservationist alongside scientists at the Tennessee Aquarium Conservation Institute. Some of the topics in this camp include learning how to use a seine net, identifying local aquatic wildlife, and collecting fish and other aquatic creatures. This runs from June 23-27 for $410.

Animal Care specialty camp is for kids ages 12-16. They will see animal care specialists and aquarists in action as they train American alligators or work with a giant Pacific octopus. They will learn more about what it’s like to work with animals and create enrichment activities for the creatures at the aquarium and on field trips. This runs from June 30-July 3 for $330.