Outreach Live on Location

let the zoo come to you

Imagine the thrill of seeing our ambassador animals right in your classroom or organization! Get up close and personal with our captivating creatures as our expert staff share stories and information that are sure to leave an impression. Whether you’re a classroom, community group, or corporate event, our Live on Location program promises an unforgettable adventure that transcends the traditional learning experience and captivates learners of all ages.

OUTREACH LIVE ON LOCATION (IN-PERSON)

Available for locations within 60 miles radius of the Phoenix Zoo

Duration: Pre-K Program: 30 – 45 minutes | All Other Programs: 1 hour

Cost: $250 per Classroom | $275 Non educational (Discounts available for 3 or more programs booked.)

Maximum Group Size: 30 participants for ages 5 and under | 75 participants for ages 6 and up

How to Book: Fill out the request form (three weeks advance notice required for scheduling)

Duration: Pre-K Program: 30 – 45 minutes | All Other Programs: 1 hour

Cost: $125 per Classroom | $175 Non educational (Discounts available for 3 or more programs booked.)

Maximum Group Size: 40 participants

How to Book: Fill out the request form (three weeks advance notice required for scheduling)

If your community event requires a more up-close experience, with more participants, a Live on Location Booth Event is your answer. We will provide one to six hours of stimulating, informative programming with a conservation theme. A Live on Location Booth Event is where our staff will be at a table (like an expo or festival-type event) and participants to the event will walk by and visit. This is not a group presentation. 

Available for locations within 60 miles radius of the Phoenix Zoo

Duration: 1 – 6 hours

Cost with animal ambassadors: $250 per school for first hour, $150 for each consecutive hour | $275 non-educational for first hour, $150 for each consecutive hour 

Cost without animal ambassadors: $175 per school, $75 for each consecutive hour | $200 Non educational for first hour, $75 for each consecutive hour 

How to Book: Fill out the request form (three weeks advance notice required for scheduling) 

TOPICS

Each topic lasts 30-45 minutes and will include an interactive story in addition to live animals.

Bug Buddies
Get ready to buzz, wiggle and crawl into the amazing world of bugs! In this playful, hands-on program, we’ll read Some Bugs by Angela DiTerlizzi, then get up close with real live insects using magnifying glasses. We will discover how bugs move, where they live and why they’re so cool—and so important! Whether they’re pollinating plants, cleaning up nature’s messes or helping other animals survive, bugs play a big role in keeping our world buzzing. With chances to explore, it’s the perfect way to spark curiosity and get kids excited about nature – one tiny critter at a time!
 
Critter Cuisine 
What’s on the menu in the wild? In this tale of animal diets, we will explore what different critters like to eat—from crunchy bugs to juicy berries! We’ll read If an Armadillo Went to a Restaurant  by Ellen Fischer and imagine what animals might order if they dined out. Children will build empathy by thinking about what animals need and like to eat. Then we will meet live ambassador animals and find out what’s on their real-life menus. Come hungry for learning!  
 
Fairytails
Step into a world of wonder where animals talk, stories teach and kindness always wins! In this engaging Pre-K program, young learners will explore classic tales like The Lion and the Mouse and The Tortoise and the Hare. Through storytelling, movement and encounters with ambassador animals, children will discover timeless lessons—like how helping others matters, how being adaptable is smart and how slow and steady can win the race.  
 
Home Tweet Home
Home is where the animal is. In this program, young learners will discover cozy burrows, leafy nests, rocky caves and even homes built by the animals themselves. With the book Find Out About Animal Homes by Martin Jenkins, we’ll uncover how animals build, share and sometimes skip homes altogether – living life on the move! Whether it’s underground or up in the trees, every critter has a story to tell about where they live. Come join the fun and find out what makes a home… a home! 
 
Who’s Awake in the Desert?
This program introduces young learners to the desert and its animal residents—some who wake with the sun, and others who come out under the stars. Using the book Desert Night, Desert Day  by Anthony D. Fredericks, children will explore the rhythms of desert life through storytelling, movement and desert animals. Whether you’re a morning lizard or a night owl, there’s something magical waiting in the desert!

Our elementary school-aged topics are designed to align with Arizona State Academic Standards. Each topic lasts 45-60 minutes and will include live animals.

Ultimate Desert Champion

Meet some of the animals who call the Sonoran Desert home. Learn how they survive in this challenging environment. Vote for the ultimate desert champion and discover how you can be an Ultimate Desert Champion, too!

Each topic lasts 60 minutes and will include live animals.

More Than a ZooKeeper

How many people does it take to run a zoo? Zookeepers make up many zoo employees, but there’s also a lot of work that goes on behind-the-scenes at zoos every day! Discover many of the STEAM career opportunities that the zoo offers while learning from our Outreach instructor and animal ambassadors.

Conservation Crash Course

Discover the Phoenix Zoo’s role as a conservation organization and how zoos and Conservation Biologists work to protect wildlife and the natural world.

PicasZoo: Animal Art

PicasZoo is a program designed to bring out the ‘art’ in everyone, including our ambassador animals. During this offering, participants will use their artistic skills to draw, paint, mold, or photograph an ambassador animal. Then, an ambassador animal will create a unique art piece of their own using a custom-built gadget that supports animal choice to paint on canvas.  This program not only highlights art but also the Association of Zoos and Aquariums practice in animal training with choice and control. Perfect for art classes and clubs that want a live animal subject and to learn more about animals creating art. 

Each topic lasts 60 minutes and will include live animals.

Animal Kingdom

Great for all audiences. From fur to feathers, scales to exoskeletons, discover the characteristics of the animal world. Identify and learn about the similarities and differences that help us categorize animals into distinct scientific groups.

Ask a Zoo Expert

Customize your program to fit your needs and passion! Just tell us what your group is interested in or studying, and we will design a program just for you. Some examples are nocturnal creatures, desert adaptations, and rainforests. After you’ve booked your program, a member of our Outreach team will contact you to discuss your needs.

Plan your visit today!

The Phoenix Zoo is one of the largest non-profit zoos in the U.S., caring for over 3,000 animals, with nearly 400 species represented, including many threatened/endangered species.

Visit
Adopt an Animal
Buy a membership

Plan your visit today!

The Phoenix Zoo is one of the largest non-profit zoos in the U.S., caring for over 3,000 animals, with nearly 400 species represented, including many threatened/endangered species.

Visit
Adopt an Animal
buy a membership