Some areas of the Zoo are CLOSED to allow us to prepare for our Halloween events. ... read more
Until 3rd November, there will be restricted access at Bears of the Rising Sun (lower viewing) and our Elephant Bushwalk will be closed.
From 14th October 2024, our Woodland Hollow will be closed.
Activity Packs
Activity packs designed for schools to use as part of a school trip including fact sheets about relevant animals, and background information on the topic. To help you plan a topic themed visit to the zoo, the packs also contain a map showing suggested animals to visit, worksheets to complete during your visit, and pre-trip and post-trip classroom activities.
Children’s University Resources
Packs designed for families and groups to use independently during your visit to the zoo. If your child is a member of Children’s University, they can earn CU hours and passport stamps! See inside the packs or the Essex Children’s University website for details of how to get involved.
Download and print these activity packs yourself. These packs can be completed in any order.
Please note, you can earn a maximum of 6 hours per day by completing worksheet pages. You can mix and match to complete worksheets from different packs to earn your hours. In order to qualify for Children’s University hours, these workbooks should be completed outside school hours.
Learning Trails Around the Zoo
The above activity packs contain cross-curricular activities, below are learnign trails providing more specific focus on one curriculumn area.
There are also suggested routes for primary schools focusing on Rainforest Animals, Endangered Animals, or African Animals:
Sensory Resources
Our downloadable Visual Social Story combines images and clear, simple text to help all visitors understand what to expect during a visit to Colchester Zoo
Our downloadable sensory trails can also enhance your exploration of the zoo. The LONG Sensory Trail guides you through the entire zoo, while the SHORT Sensory Trail focuses on the Familiar Friends farm area.
Information Packs
These information packs provide in depth background information on a range of topics.
Great for homework and coursework!
