Children's Zoo - Lincoln Park Zoo

The Children's Zoo is temporarily closed to protect endangered black crowned night heron nesting.

The Children's Zoo has a couple of great play areas, especially for elementary-aged kids, and some fun animals: otters, wolves, bears, and beavers. You may not see all of the marquee animals, however: all of their enclosures have space that's hidden from view, and animals are often back there. For kids in early elementary and younger, I think The Farm is a better children's space, with more room for active playing, and animals that are closer and easier to see.

For the animals, the otters are the most reliable to spot, especially from the window inside the building. There is a nice glass area to look into the bear exhibit, if there are bears nearby there or along the fence, you'll get a great view. The wolves are often hidden by trees, and the beavers are typically the hardest to spot. There even video monitors of the beaver den inside the children's zoo building to make it easier to spot them (go to the back right of the building as you go in, and then turn to face the entrance to find the monitors), although even with the monitors you won't necessarily find the beavers.

The bathrooms in the children's zoo are inside the building, and pretty good sized, with nice space for strollers inside the bathrooms and just outside them as well. There is also a separate family restroom in the same area. There are no tot toilets, and the hand dryers are moderately loud.

 

 

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