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Today's Hours: 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
Happy Hollow Experience ProgramsEducation programs and virtual encounters with conservation animal ambassadors help visitors feel more connected to animals, and motivate them to take action to protect the natural world.
Inspire your wild side & join the fun!
Looking to enroll in camps? Click here for more info on camps and other educational programs!
Family FunSaturdays 10 a.m. to Noon
Fee: $40 per family group (Up to 5 members, adult or child, per family group. Children under 2 years are free). Additional family members will require another registration. All children must attend with an adult.
Stay-&-Play handstamps are available after the program for the balance of the day, if the Park & Zoo are open.
February
Big Bouncing Bubbles – Saturday, Feb. 28
We are going to make them BIG & they are going to bounce, fly & challenge our balancing skills.April
Touring Happy Hollow – Saturday, April 4
We are going to tour Happy Hollow along a series of passport stations as we learn about pieces of the park that might have previously been a mystery.May
Make It Green – Saturday, May 23
We are going to “green the place up” by learning to garden together. We will add new plants and prepare some for your home garden.Tales for Tots (Ages 1 to 3 With An Adult)Fridays 10 – 11 a.m.
Fee per class: Fee: $27 members / $30 non-members per class*
*Pricing includes 1 child & 1 adult attendantThis class is designed to help you and your little one learn together in a zoo atmosphere. We cover animal related topics as well as teach the basics, like ABC’s, counting, and general motor skills. Through this experience, with you as a participating parent, your child will learn important classroom behaviors like sharing, listening, and following instructions. This is an adult & child combo class.
This class has a new theme each week. Activities are designed to target 1 to 3 year-olds only.
Happy Hollow members receive a 10% discount on all classes with their membership number and coupon code: HHMEM
January
Herbivore Happenings – Friday, Jan. 9
These critters are all about the fruits & veggies. They like the colors, they like the taste & they would love to tell you all about it.
Carnivore Cuisine – Friday, Jan. 16
Bring on the meat, fish, bugs & worms. These animals have the teeth, tongues and eyeballs to help them swallow it down.
Om Nom Omnivore – Friday, Jan. 23
Watch out, they eat everything. Omnivores eat the meat and snap at the plants just the same. These eaters have a bigger menu to choose from.
February
Bird Beak Toolbox – Friday, Feb. 6
Bird beaks are just tools the birds use to hunt. They scoop the water and pick bits out of the mud. See if you can match the bird to the beak.
Animals talk? They sure do if you know how to listen to their chirps, squeaks & growls.
Animal Defenses – Friday, Feb. 27
Colorful spots, shells & smells all help animals to protect themselves through camouflage, strength and stink.
March
Whether they hatch or are born, come learn about this miracle of nature & the different baby animal ears, toes & noses.
Excellent Eggs – Friday, Mar. 13
This is how some animals have babies on the outside so they can still hop, skitter & fly.
Pollinator Power – Friday, Mar. 20
It’s the wind, bees & other critters that make the pollination world go round. We invite you to come see how we rely on their hard work for our flowers and food.
April
Fun Fairy Gardens – Friday, April 3
Together we will build fantastic & fun fairy gardens that celebrate spring & the birth of new, baby plants and animals.
Backyard Buddies – Friday, April 17
Have you ever gone exploring in your backyard, park or your own potted plant? What living things did you see? Let’s explore all that is alive in our own backyards.
Growing Up Wild – Friday, April 24
Babies hatch or are born and grow. How long does it take before they look like their parents?
May
Habitat Explorers – Friday, May 8
Into the forest we go to see who lives in and around the trees.
Warm & Fuzzies – Friday, May 22
Do you know that animals can have different kinds of fur? Their face fur can be different from their tail, feet or belly fur.
Wildlife Water Play – Friday, May 29
Come learn how animals use water in ways other than drinking.
Wild Science (Ages 4 to 6)Saturdays 10 a.m. – Noon
Fee: $31.50 members / $35 non-members per class*
*Pricing includes 1 child & optional adult attendantJoin us for a class full of discovery and play! This is a children’s drop-off program; however, parents are welcome to participate. We “go wild” with our early-learning scientists as we explore different parts of zoo life. Each class includes interactive discussions, inquiry-based activities, a visit from one of our animal ambassadors, and more!
Happy Hollow members receive a 10% discount on all classes with their membership number and coupon code: HHMEM
February
Animal Love – Saturday, Feb. 14
Join us as we create Valentine weekend gifts for the zoo animals.
March
Hidden Barnyard – Saturday, March 14
Join the hunt as we search out the building blocks to create our own barnyard in this zoo-wide scavenger hunt.
April
Habitat Match – Saturday, April 25
Animals find it, make it or take it, and still call it home. We will find where animals live and design a critter’s home-sweet-home.
May
Who Eats Who? – Saturday, May 2
Follow the energy chain links from the sun to plants, then a bug, then a bird and on into dirt that will eventually re-grow the next cycle.
Creature Club (Ages 7 to 9)Junior Keepers is now called Creature Club! Our zoo crew does it all & you can too! Zoologists are scientists too as you will learn when you practice your new zookeeping skills.
February
Fingerprinting Lemurs – Saturday, Feb. 14
Did you know that lemurs have fingernails & fingerprints like we do? Let’s magnify & look at them to solve a mystery and save the day!
March
Graffiti Sleuth – Saturday, March 14
Someone wrote on the zoo wall! Was the crime committed by a critter or visitor? We’ll use science & sleuthing skills to solve this crime.
May
What a Wild Web We Weave – Saturday, May 9
Food chains connect into an intricate food web that all starts with the sun and recycles itself into and through death.
Zoo U-niversity (Ages 10 to13)Saturdays 2-4 p.m.
Fee per class: $31.50 members | $35 Non-members*
*Pricing includes 1 childDrop-off program
Zookeepers do much more than feed, water and scoop scat. Join us as we use our scientific skills of problem solving, emergency engineering, critical thinking, experimentation & enrichment design while solving zoo mysteries.
Happy Hollow members receive a 10% discount on all classes with their membership number and coupon code: HHMEM
February
Zoo Diagnosis – Saturday, Feb. 28
You will need your park knowledge & zookeeper skills to figure out what is causing the animals to get sick in this mystery.
April
Busting Baffling Behavior – Saturday, April 4
One of our lemurs has suddenly not been responding to his station training and we need to figure out why. Come help us solve this animal training mystery.
Animal Husbandry – Saturday, April 25
This is the time to gets our hands dirty with all of the animal care duties at the zoo. We are going to dive in and do it all.
May
Animal Toy Workshop – Saturday, May 2
It’s time to make summer toys for the critters. We are going to enrich the lives of the animals in our care with new scents, textures, sounds and tastes.
Sensational SeniorsThursday | 9 to 10:30 a.m.
If you like Senior Safari, you are going to love being a “Sensational Senior”. This monthly class includes mini walking tours, animal encounters, crafts, activities, and a light breakfast. This is a seniors-only program (50 years & up). This class meets on one Thursday a month from November to March. Ages 50 years & up.
$12 Members or $10.80 Non-members
*Continental breakfast is included
*The Stay-and-Play perk to remain in the park after class is available only if the park and zoo are open to the public.February
Body Paint – Thursday, Feb. 12
We can turn you into a beautiful butterfly or a raging bull. It’s all in the paint!
March
Ride Rendezvous – Thursday, March 19
But what about the rides? We will show you the magic of rides and how we connect them to animal movement.
April
Quarantine Quandaries – Thursday, April 16
Animal babies, new arrivals, sick or injured; behind the scenes quarantine in Doc’s Critter Care is where you want to be.
Teen Paint Night (Ages 13 to 17)Teen Paint Night (Ages 13 to 17)Fridays 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Per class fee: $22.50 Members | $25 Non-members*
*Pricing includes one teen (13 to 17 years) & all supplies are included. This is a drop-off program.This Friday night, after hours, animal art class is for teens only! Food, mock-tails, music & instruction while you sketch & paint a portrait of the star animal of the night.
Happy Hollow members receive a 10% discount on all classes with their membership number and coupon code: HHMEM
March
Animal Path – Friday, March 13
The critters were already here, left their mark & their silhouette for you to paint.
May
Painting with Nature – Friday, May 1
A leaf print here & a petal placed there. We’ll draw out their colors & paint with their stems to create this masterpiece.
Paint Night @ The ZooPaint Night (Ages 18+)
Fridays 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Per class fee: $34 Members | $38 Non-members*
*Pricing includes 1 adult (18+ years) & all supplies are includedThis Friday night, after hours, animal art class is for adults only! Food, mock-tails, music & instruction while you sketch & paint a portrait of the star animal of the night.
Happy Hollow members receive a 10% discount on all classes with their membership number and coupon code: HHMEM
February
Lone Wolf Club – Friday, Feb. 13
The Lone Wolf Club- It’s Valentines weekend and we celebrate the unofficial “singles awareness day” together. Couples are still welcome, just act like you just met . . .
April
Pathways of the Wild – Friday, April 17
Your muse has left their mark on you or at least your canvas. Come complete the masterpiece with inspiration from your animal model.
May
Painting with Nature – Friday, May 15
A leaf print here & a petal placed there. We’ll draw out their colors & paint with their stems to create this masterpiece.
Family SleepoversA paying adult must accompany all children. There must be 1 adult chaperone for every 8 children. Please contact the Zoo Education Department if you have any questions regarding registration for this event.
Fee $75.00 per person (5 years-old & up)
No Family Sleepovers this Winter. Please check back in Summer 2026.
REFUND & TRANSFER POLICY
Refund and transfer requests need to be made in writing. Refunds and transfers will be given for requests received at least 14 calendar days prior to the start of the program/class. No refunds or transfers will be made for cancellations received by the City less than 14 calendar days prior to the start of the program/class. There will be a $10 refund processing fee for each activity.
INCLUSION POLICY
The City of San Jose’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services encourages and supports the participation of individuals with all ability levels in programs and services. To facilitate opportunities for people with and without disabilities to engage in leisure pursuits together, the Department of Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services provides inclusion support services. These services include, but are not limited to, interpreters for the deaf or hearing impaired, improved signage, activity modification, additional staff training, accessible equipment and facility features and support staff. To ensure the requested accommodation, please notify the specific facility where the program is provided at least two weeks in advance. For more information on inclusion opportunities, specialized recreation services, and accommodations, please contact Therapeutic Services at 408-369-6438.
SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
The City of San Jose’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services’ Citywide Scholarship Program will ensure that residents of the City of San Jose in need have access to department programs, classes, and activities. All requests are subject to available funding and qualifications. Submit completed application to any Community Center. Please contact our office or visit: http://www.sanjoseca.gov/scholarships for more information.