Zoo Education

The Bergen County Zoo offers education programs for everyone: children and adults; individuals and groups; at the zoo, or at your facility. A variety of programs are offered throughout the year. While a visit to the zoo is always fun and educational in its own right, you can enhance your visit with an education program. Click the appropriate link below to find out more about special programs for your group, your family or yourself!

Teachers/Scout Leaders
School and scout programs are available at the zoo from September - June, or at your facility (in Bergen County only) from September - March. Programs are available for pre-K (ages 4 & up) through College. Check out the programs below for your group, then fill out and mail in the reservation form (link to form.)

Registration for Fall/Winter programs begins August 1st. Registration for Spring programs begins December 1st. Reservation forms must be received at least one month prior to your requested program date, but not before the August 1st/December 1st registration dates. April, May, and June are the busiest times at the zoo. To ensure that your group can attend a program, please consider coming in the winter or fall. For the best chance of reserving a spring program, send in your reservation form in December. All programs are reserved on a first-come, first-served basis.

School & Scout Programs
At the Zoo programs take place in the Zoo's Education/Discovery Center classroom and are held rain or shine. We can accommodate one class at a time (~25 children,) up to four classes each day. While one class attends the program, the other class(es) may visit the zoo and park.

Outreach programs are available from September - March, in Bergen County only. Enjoy the same programs and animals you would meet in our Education/Discovery Center without the hassle of a class trip! We can accommodate up to 3 outreach programs per day.

All of our programs include a live animal demonstration and a variety of hands-on artifacts and are based on NJ Core Curriculum Content Standards or Scout Badge Requirements. Pre-K, Kindergarten, & Scout classes last approximately ½ hour; classes for 1st Grade - High School last approximately 45 minutes.

Please choose a program from the appropriate age group on the linked page. Programs times are available 7 days a week, and may begin as early as 10 am. Scout groups may choose from the regular school programs or the special badge program for their age group.

College Groups
Please contact Education Curator Liz Carletta directly to discuss program options for your group. She can be reached at 201-262-3771 x 125 or lcarletta@co.bergen.nj.us.

Summer Camps/Recreation Groups
All groups of 10 or more visiting Van Saun Park/The Bergen County Zoo must have a Park Use Permit. Unfortunately, the zoo is not able to offer education programs to camp groups in the summer, as our educators are busy conducting our own Zoo Camp program. You must call the Parks Department at (201) 336-7261 (or website link to permits?) to have a Park Use Permit issued.

Park Permits
All groups of 25 or more visiting Van Saun Park/The Bergen County Zoo must have a Park Use Permit. If you reserve an Education Program through the zoo's Education Department, or reserve space for your group in the zoo's special/seasonal exhibit, a Park Use Permit will be issued automatically. If your group does not have a program/special exhibit reserved, you must call the Parks Department at (201) 336-7261 to have a Park Use Permit issued.

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