DIY Animal Summer Camp: At-Home Activities for a Roaring Good Time

Looking for at-home ideas to keep kids busy, happy, and learning? We've curated family-friendly themed activities around the theme of animals to help! Here is a sample schedule to help you brainstorm ideas that will work best for your family:

This week, find your family fun® with the ANIMAL KINGDOM.

Lion Pancakes

Ingredients: pancake mix, strawberries, chocolate sauce

1. Mix pancakes according to their directions.
2. Cook two different-sized pancakes (6" and 3")
3. Stack your pancakes & then adorn them with sliced strawberries and chocolate sauce.

Books

• Never Smile at a Monkey! by Steve Jenkins
• The Lion Inside by Rachel Bright
• Giraffes Can't Dance by Giles Andreae
• Animal Strike at the Zoo, It's True! by Karma Wilson
• One Night in the Zoo by Judith Kerr

Zebra Cake

Supplies needed: white cake mix, dark chocolate cake mix, frosting

1. Make each cake batter according to their directions.
2. Scoop alternating flavors onto each other in the center of your baking pan.
3. Bake according to the box directions.
4. Allow to cool and then frost with your favorite topping.

Stuffed Animal Zoo

Supplies needed: Bookshelf, elastic or cording

Tidy up your stuffed animal collection by creating your own bookshelf zoo. Make your own wooden box or find an empty bookshelf to get started. Attach elastic vertically to create bars to hold the stuffed animals inside.

Shadow Animals

Supplies needed: animal figurines, paper, drawing supplies

Pick a sunny spot and arrange your animal figurines so that they cast a shadow across your paper. Trace the shadows to create a masterpiece.

Postcards

Download FREE printable postcards.

Print the designs on cardstock paper. Color and cut out your artwork. Address and stamp your postcards, and then send them to family and friends.

Movies & Shows

• The Lion King (Rated G)
• Zootopia (Rated PG)
• Madagascar (Rated PG)
• Zookeeper (Rated PG)
• The Jungle Book (Rated PG)

Plan an Adventure

• Denver Zoo, Denver
• Downtown Aquarium, Denver
• Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, Colorado Springs
• Colorado Gators Reptile Park, Mosca
• Lil' Buckaroo's Petting Zoo, Erie
• Zoology Foundation, Larkspur
• Belleview Park, Englewood