Self-Guided Tours
Any group of individuals with 10 or more people can reserve a self-guided tour for the Edmonton Valley Zoo. Ticket reservations are processed as a group booking, rather than individual. Cost is based on the number of people in the group with a 10% discount applied for groups over 10 people. These bookings are self-guided and do not include an interpreter/educator led tour. Educational kits can be rented to supplement your self-guided tour of the zoo.
Educational Kits
How far can a lemur jump? What is your wingspan compared to the birds of the zoo? What does the fur of a takin feel like? Rent one of the 3 Educational Kits to find out the answers to these questions and to get closer to the animals of the zoo!
Each kit contains a self-guided tour of the zoo, animal information, artifacts, activities, games and more! Every kit has links to the Alberta school curriculum and can be adapted for every grade level with basic, intermediate, and advanced information and questions!
You do not have to follow the recommended tour, but the activities and artifacts in the kits have been designed to follow a certain path in the zoo. Once you have the kit it is up to you to decide how you use it!
Educational Kit Rental Guidelines
These Educational Kits are designed to be used when visiting the zoo and will not be rented for use other than on site visits. Small groups, families and individuals can also rent a kit for use.
Our kits are rented out for the day. Kits signed out must be returned by 4pm on the day they were rented out. This allows our Education staff time to reset them for the next day.
If you have broken/lost an item or artifact in the kit, please notify Guest Services when you return the kit. They will make note and inform our Education staff to fix/replace the item.
Cost of Kit
The cost of rental for the kit is $15 for the day. All ticket sales go to support the Valley Zoo Development Society's Pay it Forward for the Planet program.
Educational Kit Themes
Animal Life Cycles (Elementary Science - Grade 3: Topic E)
3 kits available
Curriculum Links: Grade 3 - Topic E (Animal Life Cycles)
The beauty and fragility of life can be learned through the observation of an animal's earliest stage of life to adulthood! With the Life Cycles Educational Kit, participants will discover how variety of animals grow and develop and learn about the changing relationship between animals and their environment. Specifically, they will learn about the early stages of an animal’s life and how they are introduced into the world!
Kit Contents
Custom zoo map with a suggested tour route
Tour resource guide
Bee life cycle artifact
Frog life cycle artifact
Snake shed artifact
Red fox pelt
Tour Stops
Honey Bees
Amphibians
Reptiles
Carnivores
Urban Farm (Optional)
Seasonal Changes (Elementary Science - Grade 1: Topic B & E)
3 kits available
Curriculum Links: Grade 1 - Topic B and E
Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter! Did you know you can explore our zoo in every season? Use this educational kit to learn more about how animals change throughout the year. Come and find out which animals migrate, hibernate and change their appearance when the seasons change!
Kit Contents
Custom zoo map with a suggested tour route
Tour resource guide
Scavenger hunt
Reindeer antler artifact
Sichuan takin hair
Bee life cycle artifact
Tour Stops
Polar Extremes
Reindeer
Sichuan Takin
Honey Bees
Carnivores
Senses (Elementary Science - Grade 1: Topic D)
3 Kits available
Curriculum Links: Grade 1 - Topic D
Get ready to sharpen your senses! Which animals have amazing eyes that let them see in the dark? Do birds have a good sense of smell? Are your senses different from the animals? You’ll learn the answers to all this and more with the Senses Educational Kit.
Kit Contents
Custom zoo map with a suggested tour route
Tour resource guide
Snow leopard fur replica
Snake shed
Scent activity
Sense of touch activity
Colour vision activity
Tour Stops
Grevy’s Zebra
Reptiles
Nocturnal Wing
Carnivores
Makira Outpost
