Visit Colchester Zoological Society for a magical workshop with your School Class
More details below:
Booking Details
Bookings are now open!
Any questions about the workshop, or want to check availability? Please email email education@colchesterzoo.org
To book your zoo trip and your Christmas Reindeer Educational Workshop fill in our online booking form:
Bookings, including dates and session availability, are only confirmed once you receive a confirmation email.
The sessions are available weekdays from Monday 17th November 2025 to Wednesday 17th December 2025.
Sessions are bookable on the hour at 10:00am, 11:00am, 12:00pm, and 1:00pm. Each time slot is for one class, a maximum of approximately 30 children.
Risk Assessments
See our general School Trip risk assessment page for our general school trip risk assessments and session risk assessment, which covers associated risks of live animals in sessions including the Christmas Reindeer Educational Workshop.
Parts of this session are outdoors, so please ensure all pupils and adult helpers dress appropriately for the forecasted weather.
Workshop Details
Take part in an enchanting Christmas educational school workshop at CZS! Your class will be welcomed by a merry elf, who requires your children’s help to learn about the fascinating world of reindeer. With a magical trunk, a scroll of tasks, and a trip through a magical Christmas forest you’ll discover some of their amazing winter adaptations. You’ll get the chance to see the herd of young reindeer up close before being joined by Father Christmas. The class will then have a photo opportunity with Father Christmas and each pupil will get a special gift* to remember this magical and informative adventure.
Suitable for EYFS, KS1, and lower KS2 classes with accompanying adults. The session can also be deliver for SEND groups working at these levels.
The session covers a wide range of learning about reindeer as well as the National Curriculum links as outlined in the below PLOs.
Please note there are outdoor elements as part of this session, therefore please ensure all pupils and adult helpers dress appropriately for the forecasted weather.
Due to the time of year, schools trips taking part in the Christmas Reindeer Educational Workshop will have access to an indoor lunch space. This will be at an assigned time scheduled around the workshop. Please note that outside of these timeslots, these lunch spaces may not be available.
*See below for specific gift pricing options. Photo above shows the cuddly toy reindeer gift.
Costs
All school visits to CZS must be pre-booked in advance, including this School Christmas Reindeer Educational Workshop. Costs are as follows:
Schools can choose between two different price points for this magical Christmas workshop.
For £5.50 in addition to the standard school entry fee, each pupil will receive a cuddly toy reindeer as a gift from Father Christmas.
For £3.00 in addition to the standard school entry fee, each pupil will receive a scratch-art ornament as a gift from Father Christmas
The entire group must have the same option for all children.
Standard School Entry Price
| Ticket Type | Cost |
| Nov-Dec School Pupil Entry | £7.00 |
| Supervisory Adults* | Free |
| Carers / Assistants* | Free |
| Additional Adults | £10.99 |
*Free adult places are provided for supervision. Ratios vary by age, see below for details. Adult prices do not change based on gift choice.
Then choose one of the following options for each child participant:
Gift Prices
| Type of Gift | Cost |
| Cuddly Toy Reindeer | £5.50 |
| Scratch-Art Ornament | £3.00 |
Schools are offered free adult places at a ratio of 1 free adult per 6 paying pupils. Any adults above this free ratio are charged at the additional adult rate. Please note that any pupils who qualify for carer places (as detailed below) are provided free adult carer at a 1:1 ratio and therefore these pupils will not count towards your free adult ratio.
* Adult carers are admitted free of charge at a 1:1 ratio for any pupils with physical or emotional disabilities, are the subjects of SEND statements or EHCPs, or can provide other evidence of specific needs. Please note that you must declare the need for these carers on the day of your visit based on the pupils who attend on the day. Carer places are offered at a 1:1 ratio for each disabled pupil. If your pupil requires a higher carer ratio, please contact us.
** School pupils can use Zoo Passes (Gold Cards) for entry to the zoo, but must purchase the Gift Option to participate. Zoo Passes must be shown on the day of your visit. If passes are not shown, pupils will be charged the full price.
All child participants must have a purchased gift, including passholders and those qualifying for free Carers/Assistants
All children in the class MUST have the same gift option. If you would like both gifts for your class this can be arranged.
