CAT Saturdays Programme

Edinburgh Zoo is running its CAT Saturdays Programme, a series of conservation sessions for children that run on the second Saturday of every month from September 2026 through to June 2027. The next one is on Saturday 14 November, and if you're just starting out, it's worth knowing how the whole thing works before you sign up.

CAT stands for Conservation Action Team, and the zoo describes it as a programme all about having fun while learning about conservation. The sessions are aimed at children and are booked as a block rather than one-off days. Participants work in a team and get their hands dirty helping local biodiversity on site at the zoo, connecting with nature in a range of different ways. It's a practical, outdoorsy way of getting involved with the environment right here in the city.

Because it's a block, you're signing up for the full run. The sessions fall on the second Saturday of every month: 12 September, 10 October, 14 November, 12 December, 9 January, 13 February, 13 March, 10 April, 8 May, and 12 June. That's ten dates in total, stretching from the start of autumn right through to the middle of next summer, so it's something that stays on the calendar for a good while rather than a one-and-done afternoon.

Each session runs from 09:30 to 16:30, so it's a full day out. The whole programme costs £150, and you'll find it at Edinburgh Zoo, 134 Corstorphine Road, Edinburgh West EH12 6TS.