REVIEW: ZooTown

'Learning through play' is an oft-touted phrase but the team behind ZooTown, the latest attraction at London Zoo, have come up with a masterclass.

Walk into the old reptile house, a long rectangular space, and you are met with a simple map - easy for a child to engage with. Turn left into Mane (geddit?) Street and follow the path round, through the Wild Way, and back along Tweet Street. There are twelve separate stations for you to stop at as you move round.

The first, the Vet Hospital, sets the bar high. Put on your vet's overalls (there is a good selection to fit kids from ages 3–8), and see what needs doing today. There is a poorly African wild dog lying on the table. Pick up the wooden ultrasound gadget and hover it over the animal and look, on the screen in front of you is a real ultrasound reading a real African wild dog's heart. It is ingenious, and likely to spark the imaginations of a generation of future vets.

Continuing round, the idea is that you experience all the different aspects of life at the zoo. The zebras' enclosure is likely to be a big draw as three zebras start pooping and you need to whiz round with a broom cleaning them up! Herbivore poop at the zoo needs to be collected and sent to local farms as fertilizer.

Stop at the Peckish Parrot cafe and grab a cup of barista-brewed coffee with sprinkles before sitting down for a slice of fruit. All the sturdy wooden food is beautifully made and kids will hardly notice that they are learning basic arithmetic and fractions as they play.

In the Wild Way Field Camp, put on a backpack and go exploring to learn about animals in the wild. Then package up some animal parcels at the Zoo Deliveries hub and deliver them for the posties. There is so much to see and do, your 45 minute session will whiz by. Everything has a link back to real life practice at a conservation zoo and is put together with imagination and, seemingly, with no expense spared. Which makes the cost of admission (at £1) worth every penny. Tickets are available online 3 days in advance. School visits are also an option so encourage your children's school to enquire about organising a trip.

Simply awesome, huge congratulations to everyone involved!

ZooTown is open daily. Tickets are released three days in advance at 10.30am and cost £1 per playing child for a 45 minute session. Ages 3–8. Main Zoo entry tickets also required.

Emily Turner 18 October, 2025