Rhonda Dunaway
07-21-2007, 10:58 PM
A Day at the Lincoln Children’s Zoo
Review by Rhonda Dunaway
Running out of ideas for summertime outings and activities? Be sure to schedule a day trip to the Lincoln Children’s Zoo before school starts up again. You and your kids will be glad you did.
When I tell people how much my family loves the Lincoln Children’s Zoo, they’re always surprised. The typical reaction I receive is, “We’ve got a great zoo here in Omaha. Why do you need to go all the way down there?” There are many reasons to visit the Lincoln Children’s Zoo, but the main reason is that the entire zoo is designed with a child’s comfort and perspective in mind.
The Lincoln Children’s Zoo is built on a much smaller scale and is much more accessible for families with young children than the Henry Doorly Zoo. I love Henry Doorly, but at times, especially on hot summer days with cranky kids in tow, touring the Omaha zoo simply feels overwhelming, especially when you’re trying to push or drag a wagon or stroller up one of those killer hills. This is not the case with the Lincoln Children’s Zoo. The Lincoln Children’s Zoo has a compact layout with level paths that are densely shaded by gorgeous botanical gardens.
The Lincoln Children’s Zoo is also designed to give kids an up-close and personal view of all the zoo’s animals. My son was thrilled to find himself eye to eye with a red panda, a leopard, kangaroos, emus, and more. The zoo also houses a butterfly pavilion and a bug exhibit, both of which seemed to be a big hit with the kids who were present that day.
Other fun zoo activities included sand play areas, a giant rope spider web made for climbing, a play firehouse complete with a toy fire engine for kids to play on, pony rides, and a petting zoo where we met an enchanting Nubian goat named Clarabelle. We capped off our day with refreshments beside a dinosaur fountain.
For more information about the Lincoln Children’s Zoo, including directions, days and hours of operation, and admission, visit the zoo’s website at www.lincolnzoo.org (http://www.lincolnzoo.org/). The Lincoln Children’s Zoo has a reciprocal arrangement with the Henry Doorly Zoo so that if your present your Henry Doorly Zoo pass, you will receive reduced admission.
Review by Rhonda Dunaway
Running out of ideas for summertime outings and activities? Be sure to schedule a day trip to the Lincoln Children’s Zoo before school starts up again. You and your kids will be glad you did.
When I tell people how much my family loves the Lincoln Children’s Zoo, they’re always surprised. The typical reaction I receive is, “We’ve got a great zoo here in Omaha. Why do you need to go all the way down there?” There are many reasons to visit the Lincoln Children’s Zoo, but the main reason is that the entire zoo is designed with a child’s comfort and perspective in mind.
The Lincoln Children’s Zoo is built on a much smaller scale and is much more accessible for families with young children than the Henry Doorly Zoo. I love Henry Doorly, but at times, especially on hot summer days with cranky kids in tow, touring the Omaha zoo simply feels overwhelming, especially when you’re trying to push or drag a wagon or stroller up one of those killer hills. This is not the case with the Lincoln Children’s Zoo. The Lincoln Children’s Zoo has a compact layout with level paths that are densely shaded by gorgeous botanical gardens.
The Lincoln Children’s Zoo is also designed to give kids an up-close and personal view of all the zoo’s animals. My son was thrilled to find himself eye to eye with a red panda, a leopard, kangaroos, emus, and more. The zoo also houses a butterfly pavilion and a bug exhibit, both of which seemed to be a big hit with the kids who were present that day.
Other fun zoo activities included sand play areas, a giant rope spider web made for climbing, a play firehouse complete with a toy fire engine for kids to play on, pony rides, and a petting zoo where we met an enchanting Nubian goat named Clarabelle. We capped off our day with refreshments beside a dinosaur fountain.
For more information about the Lincoln Children’s Zoo, including directions, days and hours of operation, and admission, visit the zoo’s website at www.lincolnzoo.org (http://www.lincolnzoo.org/). The Lincoln Children’s Zoo has a reciprocal arrangement with the Henry Doorly Zoo so that if your present your Henry Doorly Zoo pass, you will receive reduced admission.