Field Trips
Calling all schools, camps, and groups! Plan a visit to the Zoo for an educational and memorable experience, combining hands-on learning with fun for students of all ages.
Education Programs
Discover educational programs and experiences at Beardsley Zoo that inspire curiosity, promote conservation learning, and connect people of all ages with wildlife and the natural world.
Program Structures
Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo offers engaging programs for all ages, whether you join us virtually, visit for a hands-on field trip, or bring the Zoo experience directly to your classroom or campus.
Make us your destination
Zoo to YOU
Bring the Zoo to your classroom, auditorium, or campus! Our interactive programs inspire learners from pre‑K through college to explore science, animals, and the environment in an exciting, up-close way.
Get Involved
Get hands-on with wildlife and the natural world. Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo Education Department offers a variety of fun community science activities. Click the links below to join in and make a difference.
Frog Watch
Hop into conservation. Help identify local frogs and toads while contributing to important research on these amazing amphibians.
Monarch Watch
Take flight with monarchs. Tag these iconic butterflies as they migrate and play a role in nationwide research efforts.
Kids & Teens
From curious explorers to budding scientists, our programs offer interactive activities and engaging experiences that spark a love for animals, nature, and conservation. Discover opportunities to learn, play, and grow with the Zoo.
Zoo-Tots
Perfect for little explorers ages 22 months to 4 years (with an adult), Zoo-Tots is a 30- to 35-minute adventure filled with stories, games, crafts, and even some live animal encounters.
Zoo Patrol
Each day is a new adventure! Kids explore a different area of the Zoo with a custom-guided experience, learning how animals are cared for through activities that cover enrichment, training, diets, habitats, and more.
Conservation Discovery Corps (CDC)
High school students can dive into real-world conservation. Work alongside field biologists, explore the role of zoos in wildlife protection, and help educate visitors. This year-long program is busiest during the summer, offering plenty of opportunities for hands-on learning.
Zoo Career Explorers
Step behind the scenes and explore zoo careers, from animal care to marketing, visitor services, maintenance, and leadership. High school students attend workshops, participate in job shadows, develop presentations, and complete a year-end project. Program fee includes materials, a T-shirt, and other activities.
Kids Only
Unleash your imagination with fun, printable coloring sheets from Beardsley Zoo. Perfect for kids (and the young at heart), these pages let you bring our animals and habitats to life, then share your masterpieces with us online or by email.