Turtle Back Hatchlings
👶 Ages 12 mo–2 yr📍 West Orange

Turtle Back Hatchlings

📆
📍Essex County Turtle Back Zoo · 560 Northfield Ave, West Orange, NJ 07052 Get directions ↗
🏷Price on the venue's site ↗

About this event

Early Childhood programs encourage family learning and foster early environmental awareness. We invite young children to discover the natural world through gently structured play, art, stories, animal visits, and more. Early Childhood programming is offered monthly throughout the school year. Age restrictions apply; Pre-registration required. Zoo admission is not included with registration. Turtle Back Hatchlings Age group: 12 – 24 months old with a caregiver Description: Learn how to meet and greet some of our small, friendly animals up close in the classroom and learn how to touch animals gently. Your child will also enjoy sensory interactions with feathers, turtle shells, puppets, and more in a lightly structured program. All children must be accompanied by an adult who is prepared to take part in the activities. For everyone’s safety and enjoyment, unregistered children (including siblings) may not attend. The class lasts approximately 1 hour. Registration: $30 per child per class. Admittance of one caregiver ONLY included per ticket. Advanced registration and payment are required. No refunds for cancellations requested within one week of your registered session. All Fall Sessions Sunday, September 6, 2026 @10am Sunday, October 11, 2026 @10am Sunday, November 8, 2026 @10am REGISTER Meet at the Berson Learning Center For additional program information, please contact sburwell@parks.essexcountynj.org.

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Zoo Mini Campoutdoor

Zoo Mini Camp

Essex County Turtle Back Zoo · West Orange

Join us at Turtle Back Zoo for some wild fun! We offer mini-camps throughout the school year on days that coincide with many of the major school holidays. The camp day runs from 9am-4pm and is available for ages 5 to 10. Campers should bring their own snack and lunch. We do our best to host a tree nut-free environment for our campers. We receive and comply with guidance from our local health agencies regarding COVID-19 and all other health and welfare concerns. Upcoming Mini Camp Dates Monday, September 21, 2026 Monday, October 12, 2026 Tuesday, November 3, 2026 Thursday-Friday November 5-6, 2026 Ages 5-7 Registration Ages 8-10 Registration Cost Mini camp costs $100/day. You may register for one day or multiple. Extended care is not available during any mini camp session. The mission of Turtle Back Zoo camp is to foster an appreciation for wildlife and the natural world through fun and educational activities. To further our mission of conservation, education, and stewardship, campers will be introduced to the extraordinary world of animals, nature, and science. Children will enjoy age-appropriate camp activities that include games, teacher-led lessons, behind-the-scenes visits, up-close animal encounters, hands-on science demonstrations, and fun crafts. Additional Information and Cancellation Policy Cancellation policy: Refunds are guaranteed for cancellation requests made in writing least 3 weeks prior to the start of program. For requests made within 3 weeks of the start of camp, refunds are not guaranteed. Sign-in Procedures: Campers must be signed-in and -out by an authorized adult each day of camp. Authorized adults must present a physical copy of a government-issued photo ID in order to pick-up campers. What to Bring: Please ensure that your child has a snack, lunch, refillable water bottle, and is dressed comfortably for the outdoors. We will go outside rain, snow, or shine, as long as it is safe. Curriculum: Lessons and materials are not provided in advance of camp. An example of the daily schedule is shown below; days vary per age group, animal availability, weather, etc. 1. Check-in2. Discovery Activity/Game3. Lesson4. Snack5. Zoo Visit6. Lunch7. Animal Presentation8. Lesson9. Craft/Science Demo10. Zoo Visit11. Take-home Activity/ Game

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Stroller Safari

Stroller Safari

Essex County Turtle Back Zoo · West Orange

Essex County Turtle Back Zoo offers a monthly stroller safaris monthly for children 1-4 and a caregiver. Each safari features a unique discussion topic while exploring an area of the zoo. This 30-40 minute guided tour, led by one of our educators, focuses on the wonders of the natural world through the eyes of children. The cost is $15 for one child and an accompanying adult. $10 for each additional adult and $5 for each additional child over the age of 2. All Fall Dates and Themes Wednesday, September 9 @10 AM | Primates Wednesday, October 7 @10 AM | Nature's Costumes Wednesday, November 11 @10 AM | Ungulates Register Here Meet at the Komodo Dragon Statue just inside the zoo entrance 10-15 minutes prior to the start of your safari. The program begins promptly at the provided time. Please dress for the weather as the program largely takes place outside on zoo grounds rain or shine. All individuals attending must have a valid ticket. This is not a drop-off program. Zoo admission is not included in you ticket price. If you are not a current zoo member, you must purchase separate zoo admission to enter. For more information email Crystal Chapman at cchapman@parks.essexcountynj.org.

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Wonders of the Wildscience

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Essex County Turtle Back Zoo · West Orange

Turtle Back Zoo is an amazing classroom! Our Wonders of the Wild program offers children an opportunity to participate in supplementary science and nature-themed programs and projects that facilitate scientific literacy and life-long environmental stewardship. Available to children age 6-12, this program includes a visit to the South Mountain Reservation, Reservoir, or Zoo as weather permits. These are in-person, drop-off sessions held in the Berson Family Center from 1-3 PM. Fee is $40/person per session, with a maximum capacity of 10 students in each class. Program fee does not include separate zoo admission. All Fall Dates and Themes Saturday, September 12 @1pm | Animal Training Saturday, October 10 @1pm | Weird, Creepy, and Unique (wear your costume!) Saturday, November 14 @1pm | Ungulates Register Here Drop-off is at the Berson Family Center as early as 12:50pm; the program begins promptly at 1pm. Pick-up time is 3pm; late pick-ups after 1pm will incur a fee of $10 for every 15 minutes late. Please make sure that your child has a refillable water bottle and is comfortably dressed to spend time outside. We will go outside in light rain or snow as long as it is safe. Severe weather including thunder and lightning will keep the group indoors for the duration of the program. For more information email Crystal Chapman at cchapman@parks.essexcountynj.org.ntynj.org.

Ages 6–12

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