Homeschool Programs
Calling all homeschoolers! Want to round out your homeschool curriculum with engaging and hands-on activities? Join the Virginia Zoo for our series of Homeschool Programs. Choose one that fits with your learning objectives or book the entire series!
Program Details:
- Programs last for 60 minutes.
- Students will meet an animal ambassador and participate in hands on programming.
- Only Homeschool students are permitted in the program space.
- As this is a “drop-off” program, we will ask for a list of approved pick-up people. Please note that each person on a student’s list MUST show ID to pick up that student every time.
- A discounted general admission ticket is available for any adults that wish to explore the zoo.
- Participant tickets include general admission to the Zoo for the day.
- Program includes access to a downloadable worksheets related to the program theme
- FAQ (Click here)
Age Range:
- Programs at 1pm are recommended for children ages 6 to 9. Update: Due to popular demand, we’ve added a 10am timeslot for ages 6-9! Our 1pm programs are now sold out for the 2025-2026 school year.
- Programs at 2:30pm are recommended for children ages 10 to 13.
Please note that for learners younger than 6 years old, we recommend our free Zoo Tales and Wild Tykes programming. Check out our website (https://virginiazoo.org/school-programs/early-childhood/) for more information.
Dates & Program Themes:
During each session we will explore an animal group and discover their unique adaptations through hands-on activities and meeting an animal ambassador! Join our waitlist if your program is full.
Fall Series
“Building a Food Web”: In this series, students will practice scientific inquiry skills while exploring the parts of a food web.

Producers: Graphing Data
September 16, 2025
How do plants use sunlight to make their own food?

Consumers: Analyzing Evidence
October 7, 2025
How can we use skulls to learn about an animal’s diet and adaptations?

Decomposers: Making Observations
November 18, 2025
How do decomposers help to create soil?

Food Webs: Building a Model
December 16, 2025
How are organisms in an ecosystem connected to each other?
Spring Series
“Physics of Life”: In this series, students will explore the role of physical science in the natural world.

Light
January 20, 2026
How are animals impacted by light, and how can they use it to their advantage?

Heat
February 17, 2026
How do animals sense and adapt to the temperatures in their environment?

Sound
March 17, 2026
How do animals use sound to communicate and navigate their environments?

Water
April 21, 2026
How do the properties of water impact animals?
Prices
MEMBERS
Program costs $7/participant. Member discounts will be applied at checkout.
Zoo admission is free for parents/guardians. Please use your membership at the ticket booth for entry. No reserved ticket is required.
NON-MEMBERS
Program costs $14/participant.
Discounted zoo admission available for parents/guardians for $12. You must purchase this discounted ticket when registering your participant for program.