Youth and Family Programs

Yes! We encourage you to explore the Zoo after your program and discover more about your favorite plants and animals that you discovered during your program.

Wild Wonders programs are designed for children to work together with a parent or caregiver. With every ticket, one child and one adult is admitted, and the adult is required to stay for the duration of the program.

Yes! If an additional adult would like to attend the Wild Wonders program with your little one, additional adult tickets can be purchased for $5 (Zoo members) or $15 (nonmembers).

• If you would like to add an additional adult to your Wild Wonders experience, please email edustaff@indyzoo.com with your confirmation number.
• We will add an additional adult ticket to your order and can take payment over the phone, or on the day of your scheduled program.

Great question! Some of the differences include:

1. This program now includes Zoo admission! We encourage you to explore all our wonderful zoo has to offer after your Wild Wonders program concludes. Maybe you were inspired to investigate even more!
2. This program is centered around child-led choice and play-based engagement. Each child will get to choose their own activities and spend the time they need using their hands, minds and hearts to learn more about and gain appreciation for the wild and wonderful world around them.

To ensure everyone’s comfort and safety, children who are 12 months old or younger are welcome to attend, provided that caregivers can keep them on their person or in a carrier.

• Parking: Vehicles may unload luggage at the admission entrance of the Zoo. Vehicles staying overnight should park in the main Zoo lot.
• Check-in is from 6:40pm-6:45pm: Zoo staff will meet overnight groups at the Zoo exit. Participants should have all their overnight luggage with them. Zoo staff will direct groups where to put luggage. Each participant is responsible for getting their own luggage to the sleeping area. There will be a group orientation from 6:45-7:15pm.
• Evening activities: All program activities begin around 7:15pm and end 9:15pm. A light snack is provided at 9:30pm before lights out. 
• Sleeping arrangements: Participants will sleep in one of the designated sleeping areas, such as the Dolphin Gallery or the Hix Institute. The Zoo reserves the right to move your group’s sleeping area. At the end of the night’s activities, Zoo staff will review sleeping arrangements and safety procedures and answer any questions. Education staff will stay overnight. Zoo Security staff are on site 24 hours a day. Lights out is around 10:15 pm.
• Morning: A wake-up call is issued at 7am. Groups will pack up before breakfast. A breakfast buffet will be served starting at 7:30am. Following breakfast, at around 8:15am, luggage should be stored in vehicles until the end of the visit.
• Animal encounter:  At 8:30am, Zoo staff will guide groups to a private animal encounter area. Afterward, participants are free to explore the Zoo on their own.
  

• Participants must be at least 6 years old.
  
• All participants must have a signed waiver of liability before beginning the program. Participants under the age of 18 must have their waiver signed by a parent or legal guardian.
• Participants under the age of 18 must have an adult who is also signed up for the program with them.
• Every attempt will be made to accommodate groups of all sizes, but minimum and maximum attendance levels are necessary to guarantee the quality of our programs. 
  • Each session has a minimum attendance of 25 individuals (adults and youth). 
  • If a date has not reached its minimum 30 days prior to the date of the event, the overnight may be cancelled. We will contact you to assist you with a refund or moving your group to an available date.
• Refunds/cancellations: A 21-day cancellation notification is required to issue a full refund, minus an administrative fee equal to 10% of the total order cost. We offer no refunds—partial or full—if your group cancels less than 21 days before the overnight date.