Reptiland in Allenwood adds hands-on Zoo Camp for kids this summer

Clyde Peeling’s Reptiland is giving Union County families a summer option that goes well beyond a walk through the exhibits: a one-day Zoo Camp where children ages 6 to 12 will spend the day with keepers, tour the zoo behind the scenes and help build an animal enclosure.

The camp is set for June 10 and June 16, running from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Allenwood attraction on Route 15, where Reptiland sits at 18628 US-15. Registration is first-come, first-served, and space is limited. The posted price is $100 for members and $110 for non-members, with campers bringing a non-perishable lunch while the zoo provides a snack.

What makes the program different from a standard visit is the access. Reptiland says Zoo Camp is a behind-the-scenes experience at an AZA-accredited zoo, and zookeeper Victoria Howell said campers will get a behind-the-scenes tour, a full zoo tour, help build an animal enclosure and watch several of the zoo’s shows. The day is designed to give children a taste of what zookeepers actually do, not just what visitors see from the pathways.

That hands-on work is the part parents may find easiest to justify. Along with the tours and animal encounters, campers will receive a free T-shirt, a printed photo with a live reptile and a Junior Zookeeper certificate. Reptiland’s daily live shows already include touch opportunities, but the camp adds the kind of access most kids rarely get, including time with keepers and the chance to see how an enclosure gets built for a specific group of animals.

The program also fits a zoo with deep local roots. Reptiland opened on Route 15 near Allenwood on July 11, 1964, and became accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums in 1986. Clyde Peeling has said the zoo draws thousands of visitors each year and that summer is its busiest season. Reptiland describes itself as an educational and recreational resource for schools, organizations and families, while its parent company, Peeling Productions, has had work featured at facilities throughout the United States, Bermuda and Canada since 1998.

For Union County parents weighing the cost against a day out, Zoo Camp offers more than admission. It turns a summer visit into a full-day program with zoo staff, live animals and a peek at the work that keeps the exhibits running.