3 Interactive Animal Experiences for Kids

Zoos and wildlife parks give kids a chance to see native and exotic wildlife, but, at some of these, family travelers can get even closer to animals. Here are three to look for in your family’s travels:

At Tanganyika Wildlife Park in Goddard, Kansas, children can not only watch free-ranging animals, but they can also get even closer to more than a dozen exotic species. Kids can feed penguin chicks, rhinos and even African lions, as well as go behind the scenes to meet cheetahs, lemurs, monkeys and capybaras.

Especially exciting for kids is the chance to pet a sloth or a kangaroo, or have an art adventure with animals, taking home a work of art created by otters or a Pygmy hippo. Tanganyika Wildlife Park is the only place in the country where kids can swim with penguins.

In Bonsall, California, Wild Wonders is a private wildlife education and conservation center, home to more than 100 animals from all over the world.  Kids love the Wallaby Walkabout, where they can meet these appealing animals and their neighbors, even feeding them treats. Similar programs introduce the tiny Fennec foxes with their comical big ears. These “Behind the Scenes” animal experiences are led by professional keepers and educators.

At Marineland Dolphin Adventures in St. Augustine, Florida, your family can help care for animals and their aquarium habitats, as well as interact with animals at the water’s edge. Kids love to paint with dolphins and porpoises, and the ultimate thrill is to swim with dolphins.