Discovery Programs


Fees & Booking Information

$4 per person, plus Zoo admission. 10 person minimum. To book your program, contact Tammy Jones by emailing or call 785-587-2737. Two weeks advance notice required. Any adult or child that enters the program space will be assessed this fee. This includes all teachers and chaperones. 

Don't meet the minimum?

Your group can still book this program; you'll just pay a flat rate of $40 (plus admission) to schedule the program.

Program Themes By Grade

Pre-K & Kindergarten | Just for Joey Programs | 1 hour

Big Backyard
Participants explore animals native to Kansas by examining natural habitats, visiting Zoo exhibits, live animal encounters and a craft.

Jump-a-Roo Zoo
Participants hop to see a rabbit, slither past a snake, and join a sky-predator on a fly-by. Through activities and close encounters with live animals, participants explore animal locomotion.

Grades 1-4 | Invest-I-Gators Programs | 1.5 hours

Bugging Out (Grades 1-2)
Participants identify physical adaptations of insect eating animals and describe how they eat. Groups engage in live animal encounters, a bird adaptation game and themed Zoo tour.

The Rearranged Zoo (Grades 1-2)
Groups explore and reinforce animal classification. Participants will tour the Zoo looking for similarities among animals and engage in a classification activity involving animal skulls.

Pollution Solution (Grades 3-4)
Participants play with worms, oil and trash as they explore pollution and ways to lessen its impact. They try removing oil from feathers, sorting recyclables through a fun competition and explore the world of vermicomposting (worm bins).

Exhibit Investigations (Grades 3-4)
Participants engage in real investigations that help design and discover how Zoo Keepers conduct daily investigations.

Grades 5-12 | Science Stars Programs | 1.5 hours

The Enriching Side of Life (Grades 5-7)
Participants investigate changes in animal behavior by constructing enrichment items, giving the items to the animals and observing the animal's behavior. Participants will detail how the animal adapted its behavior in relation to the changed environment.

Following the Energy Trail (Grades 5-7)
Participants demonstrate how energy flows from the sun through food chains and how this energy is converted to the food web. Participants investigate energy flow between animals with live animal encounters and a themed Zoo tour.

Career Exploration (Grades 8-12)
A unique spin on a behind-the-scenes tour. Visit a various Zoo areas to learn about the numerous career opportunities in the Zoo and Aquarium profession, and what qualifications are needed to enter the field.