Registration is open for SeaWorld Orlando's hands-on summer camps

Registration is now open for SeaWorld Orlando’s summer camps. The theme park offers two types of camps — day and sleep-away programs — that are designed to allow children to interact with the marine animals as well as learn about the animal residents.

Day camps are organized by grade level for children going into preschool through eighth grade. Campers will focus on a different animal each day — including whales, dolphins, penguins and sea lions — and learn about them through songs, take-home arts and crafts, as well as by talking with zoological staff. Lunch, snacks, a camp T-shirt and water bottle are included in the price of camp.

Children entering preschool in the fall can experience SeaFari from 9 a.m. to noon each day. The price is $250, and this is the only camp planned for a parent and child to experience together. That price is for the pair.

Camps for children in grades 1 through 8 take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day and cost $325 per week. (SeaWorld pass members can save $35 per camp by registering through the website or by calling 1-866-479-2267.) Participants who meet the height requirements also will have the opportunity to experience rides together.

Programs for upcoming kindergarten and first-graders include: Sea Hideaway (learn how animals find the best hiding places and explore animal camouflage); Do You See What I Sea (find out how your senses compare to sharks, whales, dolphins and much more); and Secrets of the Sea (uncover the secrets of killer whales, polar bears, and other sea critters).

Kids going into second and third grade can pick from these topics: What’s For Lunch (find out what types of food the animals eat and then help feed dolphins, flamingos and sting rays); Ocean Odyssey (discover why some animals migrate and where they go); and Animal Addresses (learn how killer whales, sea lions, penguins and other animals adapt to their surroundings).

Campers entering fourth and fifth grades in the fall have their choice of Animal Antics (explore the world of animal behavior and training with up-close encounters); Walk on the Wild Side (learn about a variety of animals with hands-on experiences); and Feeding Frenzy (learn how SeaWorld prepares food for over 60,000 animals and feed some of the residents).

The oldest campers, upcoming sixth- to eighth-graders, will focus on careers related to animal care: Wild Careers (go behind the scenes to see what it’s like to work with the animals and help construct toys for them); Marine Biology 101 (discover what it’s like to be a real marine biologist and conduct hands-on experiments); and Animal Sciences (learn how biology, geography and other sciences all play a role in studying marine animals and visit the park’s research facilities). During these three camps, the participants will spend one day at Aquatica, SeaWorld’s nearby water park.

For day camps, a same-day after-camp admission to SeaWorld is available at a discounted rate.

Students going into seventh through twelfth grades can attend resident “sleep-away” camps. These campers experience what it takes to train and work with marine animals and have the opportunity to touch a penguin, snorkel in a shark cage, work with the animal care staff and create an enriching environment for our animals. Plus, participants spend a day at Discovery Cove swimming with dolphins, snorkeling with tropical fish and rays and feeding exotic birds in a free-flight aviary. They also will visit Aquatica.

Resident camps cost $1,200, which includes all camp activities, lodging onsite at SeaWorld and at our partner hotel for five nights, plus all meals and snacks. Supervision and guidance is provided 24 hours a day for the entire duration.

SeaWorld camps are accredited by the American Camp Association (ACA), a nationally recognized association focused on health, safety and program quality.

All SeaWorld camps begin the week of June 9. The last camp starts on Aug. 4. For more information, visit SeaWorldCamps.com/Orlando or call 1-800-406-2244.

Check out my other SeaWorld Orlando Blogs!

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