Breakfast with the Animals
Join us at the Mill Mountain Zoo every 3rd Saturday, May-October for a unique opportunity to have breakfast with the animals. Guests will be treated to a light breakfast buffet and the chance to meet one of the zoo’s education outreach animals. This will be immediately followed by a special chat with zookeepers as they amaze our guests with more fun and educational facts about our animal residents. This intimate experience will allow zoo visitors to learn more about various animals’ diets, behavior and personalities. Following the chat, there will be a child-focused and parent-assisted project and activity sheet that will be designed to further foster excitement and knowledge about the featured animals.
Remember to make reservations–space is limited!
Breakfast with the Animals starts at 8:30am sharp!
Please be on time!
Don’t forget to bring a camera!
Cost per breakfast:
Members: $9 for Children/$12 for Adults/$35 for Family of 4
Non-Members: $12 for Children/$15 for Adults/$45 for Family of 4
Breakfast with the Animals Schedule
Saturday, July 15-Snacking with Snakes
In honor of World Snake Day on July 16th, this breakfast will celebrate our slithery residents. Many people get nervous around snakes, but they are really fascinating animals! Have breakfast, and then explore the wonderful world of snakes, and you’ll see that they’re really not so bad after all. After the keeper chat, guests will make fun paper pythons and do a snake themed activity sheet.
Saturday, August 19-Nibble with Native Species
North America is home to many captivating animals. Enjoy breakfast, and then stay to learn about some of the native species living here at the zoo. Afterwards, children will design a collage of their favorite North American animal and do an activity sheet themed around the native species found at the zoo.
Saturday, September 16-Feast with the Furry
Are you a fan of all things furry and fluffy? To commemorate International Red Panda Day, keepers will talk about our red panda, as well as some of our other mammalian residents. Once breakfast and the keeper chats are over, guests will do a texture rubbing picture of their favorite furry critter and then do an activity sheet containing even more mammal fun!
Saturday, October 21-Eating with the Endangered
Did you know last week was Wolf Awareness Week and that Mill Mountain Zoo is home to red wolves, which are one of the most endangered species in the world? Come for some tasty breakfast and learn about our red wolves and interesting information about some of our other endangered species as well. Following that, guests will do a 3-dimensional Model Magic sculpture of their favorite endangered species and do an activity sheet related to those animals.
Advanced registration REQUIRED. Download registration form, and return to Mill Mountain Zoo with full payment.
Summer Camp
Mill Mountain Zoo’s popular summer camps are a terrific way to introduce your child to the animal kingdom or to foster an existing interest in the feathered, furry and scaly critters we share the planet with. Each 3 day camp is designed to encourage a child’s respect and enthusiasm for the natural world through hands-on, fun and educational activities. Besides shadowing and assisting keepers, campers will experience up-close animal encounters, arts and crafts, scavenger hunts, scientific explorations and OH, SO MUCH MORE! There are camps available for ages 8-13.
Special Notes!
- All camps are outdoors and go rain or shine so students must dress appropriately. Tennis shoes are best. No flip flops, sandals or crocs please!
- All camps are from 9am-3:30pm, although there is After Camp Care available.
- Campers will need to bring a lunch. The zoo will provide water and juice.
- Space in all camps is limited. Registration is required one full week prior to the start date of the camp.
- The Emergency Medical Form and the Liability Form will be emailed to you upon receipt of your registration form. Please return forms by the start date of camp.
- No refunds unless zoo cancels camp.
Cost
Member: $160
Non-Member: $180
Camp Schedule
Camps for ages 8-10
July 18-20 Zookeeper 101
Just what does a zookeeper do? Campers will get to explore the various animal husbandry techniques it takes to care for the many birds, mammals and reptiles that make up Mill Mountain Zoo’s collection. The importance of animal enrichment for an animal’s well-being will also be explored.
Camp for ages 10-13
August 1-3 Junior Zookeepers
Junior Zookeepers builds on the information that campers learned in Zookeeper 101. Campers will delve further into how animals are cared for at the zoo as they assist keeper staff with some of their daily duties. Be ready to get dirty!
Requirements for Junior Zookeepers:
It is preferred that campers have taken Zookeeper 101 this summer or a previous summer. Campers also need to submit a letter stating why they think they would be a good Junior Zookeeper
To register, download reservation form and return, with full payment, to Mill Mountain Zoo.
Where in the World?!?
Tuesday, July 18 2-4pm
Travel the world using the animals at Mill Mountain Zoo! Child and caregiver will follow clues on a scavenger hunt around the zoo as they learn fun facts about the animals, including where they come from. As parent and child travel the globe, they can stamp each country they visit in a special passport they make at the start of the program.
This program is for 4-6 year olds to attend with a caregiver.
Member: $15 for one child and one caregiver
Non-Member: $20 for one child and one caregiver
$5 for each additional child attending with a caregiver
Advanced registration is required https://squareup.com/store/mmzoo/.
Acoustic Fridays
The Mill Mountain Zoo is pleased to announce something entirely new, Acoustic Friday’s. Once a month we will be open late until 7:00 pm on a Friday. In addition, we will have live acoustic music from Joy Truskowski from 4:00 – 7:00 pm.
Joy Truskowski is a Roanoke-based singer-songwriter who performs heartfelt, uplifting, honest, and playful acoustic indie folk pop originals and an eclectic variety of covers. She uses a loop station live to weave together a sonic quilt of harmonies, flute, percussion, and guitar. Her voice carries the angelic soulfulness of Joan Baez and the exotic edginess of Grace Slick.
Acoustic Friday’s are in response to the many patrons over the past few weeks who have expressed an interest in coming up to the Zoo a bit later in the day because of their schedules. So bring the family, see the animals, and catch some great music. This is all included in your regular ticket price, and don’t forget that zoo members get in free!
- Friday, 07/21/17; 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm
- Friday, 08/25/17; 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Zoo memberships will be on sale during Acoustic Friday’s for $65 in our gift shop and remember, we have ice cold soft drinks and snacks available for purchase too!
Art Gone Wild
Wednesday, July 26 2-4pm/Ages 6-9
Friday, July 28 10-12pm/Ages 8-12
Does your child like animals? Does your child also like art? Why not combine the two together?!? This 2 hour class will give children the opportunity to use the zoo’s residents as inspiration for fun, colorful and unique art projects. Painting, 3-dimensional work and multi-media projects are just a few of the possible, critter-themed activities children will have a chance to participate in.
Member: $15
Non-Member: $20
Advanced registration is required https://squareup.com/store/mmzoo/.
Animal Enrichment Fun!
Tuesday, August 8 10-12pm/Ages 8-12
Wednesday, August 16 2-4pm/Ages 12-16
A lot goes into taking good care of the animals at the zoo. Besides feeding and cleaning, keepers also need to find creative ways to entertain the zoo’s residents. This is called enrichment, and if you sign up for this class, you can help create some! Not only that, you’ll get to see the animals enjoy their enrichments at the end of the program.
Member: $15
Non-Member: $20
Advanced registration is required https://squareup.com/store/mmzoo/.
65th Anniversary Summer Brew at the Zoo
Saturday, August 19 5:00-8:30pm
Come enjoy local craft beer and music at one of the only wildlife attractions on the entire span of the Blue Ridge Parkway! Stay tuned for updates and more details on this event.
65th Anniversary Fall Brew at the Zoo
Saturday, October 14 5:00-8:30pm (October Fest themed)
If you miss the August Brew at the Zoo, we’ll have another one in the fall. Come enjoy beer and music! More details to follow.
Zoo Boo
Saturday, October 28 11-4pm
Are you looking for a great, safe place to bring your family for some howling Halloween fun? Spend your Halloween holiday at Mill Mountain Zoo’s annual Zoo Boo! From trick-or-treating, to costume contests, to performances and “spooktacular” art activities, Zoo Boo is a fun-filled day for the whole family! Plus, you get to enjoy it all in the beautiful outdoor setting of Mill Mountain Zoo. Even better, all of these activities are included with Zoo admission! So for a “terrorably” good time, come and celebrate Halloween 2017 with the animals and staff of Mill Mountain Zoo.