This year, there have been many new animal exhibit and baby animal presentations, making 2009 the perfect year to visit a children’s zoo. Predators of the Serengeti opened at the Oregon Zoo, Teton Trek opened at the Memphis Zoo, Fantasea opened at Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium, McNeil Avian Center opened at the Philadelphia Zoo and San Diego opened their Elephant Odyssey display, which marks the biggest project in zoo history. With low prices and year-round special events, zoo trips are the ideal way to have family fun.

The top children’s zoo, according to Child Magazine, is the 56-acre Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa, Florida, where your child can see 1,614 exotic animals. The Australian-themed petting zoo lets the kids feed pet kangaroos and wallabies, mimic sheep herding and visit a water-play area with animal fountains and statues. Your kids will love the Safari Africa exhibit, featuring giraffes, elephants, zebras, warthogs, bongos and African ground hornbill birds. The “Spirit of the Skies” show features high-flying hawks, bald eagles, vultures and owls. Kids can hold lorikeets and feed them nectar, pet koi fish, ride on a camel, feed sting rays and act at a summer camp. With 35 educational programs designed to leave lasting impressions on youngsters, you can be sure your kids will never forget this trip to the zoo. For more information, visit www.lowryparkzoo.com.

The Oklahoma City Children’s Zoo was another top contender in the Child Magazine “Top 10 Zoos for Kids.” With 1,520 animals on 110 acres, you will see one of the best butterfly gardens amid 15,000 plants and a “Great EscApe” animal exhibit containing a realistic tropical rainforest complete with waterfalls and fallen trees. Their free family activity packet gives you a fun list of activities for kids to complete, including finding colors and patterns throughout the zoo. Their monthly stroller safari is designed especially for toddlers, who can see insects, leaves, plants and animals at eye-level. Their brand new Jungle Gym is a stunning $1.1 million playground that includes underground burrowing tunnels, a snow leopard climbing wall, a giant bird’s nest and an elephant trunk slide. Kids will enjoy the array of artistic sculptures throughout the park as well. For more information, visit www.okczoo.com.

The Cincinnati Zoo is another ideal children’s zoo for your family to experience. Here you can check out the award-wining “World of the Insect” exhibit, the animatronic “Dino Zone” exhibit, the five-acre baby animals display (containing Dexter cattle, Jacob’s sheep, mini donkeys, pot-bellied pigs), the Otter Creek underwater viewing area and the Discovery Center (with animal sculptures, climb-in tortoise shells and rope spider webs). The second-oldest zoo in the country offers “Ask Me” stations where kids can get their questions answered and they will enjoy Zoo Babies special events, where they can see the newest additions to the zoo. “We’re an oasis in the center of Cincinnati for parents and children to escape from their busy lives and come spend time with each other,” says Gregg Hudson, the zoo’s president. For more zoo info, visit www.cincinnatizoo.org.

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