Have a close encounter of the furred kind! There’s a host of new friends waiting to meet you at a zoo designed with children in mind. The Battersea Park Children’s Zoo offers an exciting animal experience that combines a zoo, animal encounters, a play area and a relaxing cafe.
From giant rabbits to miniature Shetland ponies, monkey mayhem to the mouse house – this is the zoo that gets you up close and personal. As well as lemurs, coatis, and the endlessly fascinating meerkats, there are capuchin and squirrel monkeys. There’s also a whole host of farm animals, including donkeys, and pigs as well as a chance for children to pet rabbits and other small creatures.
There are also talks throughout the day, in which keepers explain where the animals come from and how they behave (for instance, did you know there is always one meerkat keeping a lookout for the rest?).
One thing to keep in mind is that there are no snakes, creepy crawlies, scorpions, praying mantises or tarantulas, nothing gross, scary, or likely to make their mothers squeal. And there are no big animals. So if you have children who want to see lions, tigers, elephants and giraffes, you’ll want London Zoo in Regent’s Park, instead.
But for the younger children, this zoo is the perfect place. It’s compact, all on one level (so easy for strollers and little legs). It doesn’t get huge crowds, and the ambiance is relaxed; and most of the children visiting are aged from two to approximately six.
The playground is great with lots of interesting climbing things, a digger and a real tractor for kids to clamber around on.
There is a cafe, but unlike most tourist attractions, you’re encouraged to bring a picnic if you’d rather.
Young kids get bored easily with things their parents find fascinating – and vice versa. This can make finding the right sights to see in London difficult if you’re in a family group. However, Battersea Park Children’s Zoo is one way to save the day!
