Home School Programs

Make the zoo an integral part of your homeschool curriculum! Zoo Club offers a multi-layered program, specifically developed to provide an enriching and engaging experience for all participants. So what is Zoo Club?

Homeschool groups may become a part of Zoo Club by registering a group of no fewer than 10 students and no more than 40 students. This program is designed for students in grades K-8. The group will be involved in the following program opportunities throughout the course of the academic year.

Offsite programs: the zoo comes to you and you provide the space.
Follow-Up Activities: support activities for you to use in your own classroom or during a zoo visit.
Onsite programs: groups may choose to participate in one of the zoo’s special programs which are offered at the zoo. Each registered group may schedule one program date.
Join other homeschool Zoo Clubs for Homeschool Fun Day at the Zoo. During the spring, the zoo will host a special fun day for all zoo club participants.

Offsite Programs

The Zoo’s Education Staff will visit your group four times per year for a one hour offsite program: you provide the venue. These programs will take place in September, November, January and March. Please note, only one program per group per month. At the time of registration, you will be able to select a topic for your first program from the options provided. All program dates will be scheduled during initial registration. Date changes may be made with four weeks notice, dependent on availability.

At the completion of each offsite program, groups will be provided with follow-up activities they can use to reinforce the topic. These could be used at home or during a visit to the zoo.

Onsite Programs

The zoo offers a selection of onsite programs. Information about these programs is available on the zoo’s website www.nczoo.org . As members of Zoo Club, your group may schedule one of these programs with the education division. Please note all programs need advanced booking of at least four weeks, and are subject to availability. These “special program” visits will be coordinated by education staff and do not require individual registration.

Membership fees in Zoo Club will be $20.00 per child (maximum $100 per family). These fees will cover the cost of all program components for the current school year (September – May). Fees will be collected by the group coordinator, prior to the first program date.

This program will travel to groups located up to 100 miles from the Zoo. For locations outside a 25 mile radius of the N.C. Zoo, an additional charge of $.45 per mile, round trip will be added.

On any other day, zoo visits by homeschool families or groups must be registered through the Reservation Office at 1.800.488.0444 x 7700.

So How Can We Get Involved in Zoo Club?

Home School Group Programs are designed for students 1st through 8th grade. Once you have a group of 10 – 40 students, each group should nominate a coordinator to correspond with zoo staff.
The next step is to make sure you have a location to host the offsite programs. Remember this space must be large enough to hold the number in your group, including adults. All location set up is the responsibility of the group and its coordinator.
Choose dates for each program month that will work for your group. It is important to have back up dates before contacting the zoo. We recommend choosing a set day for programs, e.g. the second Wednesday in the month.
Contact the Zoo’s Education Staff to register your group and schedule program dates. Once your dates are set, a confirmation letter will be sent to the coordinator. Please do not assume your registration is complete until you receive the confirmation letter.
During registration you will be provided with a list of program options. Program content will need to be decided within one week of registration for September programs, and then 1 month prior to each additional program.
On the first scheduled program date in September, groups will be required to pay full enrollment for all members of their zoo club. Membership in Zoo Club is transferable to other children in the same age group; these changes are the responsibility of the group coordinator.

To register to be a part of Zoo Club, or if you have any questions, please contact Melinda Prior at 336-879-7715 or

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N.C. Zoo is a member institution of AZA and an agency of the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources, William G. Ross Jr. Secretary; Michael F. Easley, Governor. A part of the North Carolina Government portal.

The Zoo is closed Christmas day and during severe weather. Call our information line at: 1-800-488-0444.

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Home School Programs

Offsite Programs

Onsite Programs

So How Can We Get Involved in Zoo Club?

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