38 zoos and aquarium spots for kids across all five boroughs of New York City, 2 of them free. Zoos, aquarium, animal farms. Includes Central Park Zoo and New York Aquarium.
A small zoo in the southeast corner of Central Park featuring sea lions, snow leopards, penguins and a tropical rainforest building. Admission also covers the Tisch Children's Zoo and a 4-D theater film.
Coney Island's aquarium features sharks, sea turtles, sea lions and penguins, including the Ocean Wonders: Sharks! building and live sea lion shows at the Aquatheater. Admission includes a 4-D theater film.
A compact, kid-scaled zoo in Prospect Park with sea lions, red pandas, kangaroos and a barnyard area where children can see farm animals up close. Easy to cover in a couple of hours with little ones.
A zoo in Flushing Meadows Corona Park focused on animals of the Americas, such as Andean bears, sea lions, pumas and bison, plus a domestic-animal area. It is small enough to see everything in a morning.
An active caregiver-and-toddler program at the Central Park Zoo where 2- and 3-year-olds move around the zoo, see animals up close and take part in themed activities. Offered as drop-in Sundays or a three-week Saturday series.
Caregiver-and-child classes at the New York Aquarium that introduce toddlers and preschoolers to sea creatures through songs, stories, crafts and exhibit visits.
Sleepover programs at the New York Aquarium where families spend the evening exploring exhibits after hours and bed down near the animals.
The aquarium's shark building, where families walk past huge tanks of sand tiger sharks, rays, cuttlefish and other marine life from the waters off New York and beyond.
Vacation-day camps at the Prospect Park Zoo where school-age children spend the day visiting animals, meeting educators and doing wildlife-themed activities.
A 47-acre historic working farm in Floral Park where kids see goats, sheep, alpacas, pigs, cows and chickens, feed sheep and goats with feed bought at the farm store, and ride on hayrides. Fall brings a giant corn maze and an agricultural fair.
Vacation-day camps at the Queens Zoo where children spend the day meeting animals and learning about wildlife of the Americas through activities and exploration.
A family-friendly Halloween celebration at the Bronx Zoo with costume-friendly activities and themed fun spread across the park, included with regular admission.
One of the largest city zoos in the country, with habitats like Congo Gorilla Forest and Tiger Mountain plus the Bug Carousel, Butterfly Garden and seasonal Wild Asia Monorail. Plan a full day and pick a few areas with young kids.
A seasonal walk-through garden at the Bronx Zoo where hundreds of free-flying butterflies flutter around visitors. Kids learn about butterfly life cycles and may get one landing nearby.
An immersive rainforest walk inside the Bronx Zoo where families watch a troop of western lowland gorillas through large viewing windows, plus okapi, mandrills and colobus monkeys along the trail.
An indoor Asian rainforest habitat where kids spot tree kangaroos, gibbons, gharials and tropical birds among waterfalls and dense greenery. A good warm stop on cold or rainy days.
An indoor exhibit in a restored historic building showcasing lemurs, Nile crocodiles, hissing cockroaches and other animals from the island of Madagascar.
A central pool at the Bronx Zoo where kids gather to watch sea lions swim and dive, especially during scheduled feedings.
A habitat where families watch Amur tigers roam, swim and play, with glass viewing areas that bring kids nose-to-nose with the big cats.
A seasonal elevated ride through the Bronx Zoo's Wild Asia area where kids spot elephants, rhinos, deer and other Asian animals roaming open land from above.
A classic indoor reptile house where kids see snakes, lizards, turtles and crocodilians behind glass, including venomous species from around the world.
The cold-climate exhibit at the Central Park Zoo where kids watch penguins swim and waddle through a big viewing window, with daily penguin feedings.
The centerpiece pool of the Central Park Zoo's Central Garden, where sea lions circle and dive while kids watch through glass; daily feedings draw a crowd.
A warm indoor rainforest at the Central Park Zoo with free-flying birds, monkeys, reptiles and frogs among lush plants, a good stop on chilly days.
LittleGotham lists 38 zoos and aquarium spots for kids in New York City.
Yes. 2 of 38 are free to attend, including Queens County Farm Museum, Earth Matter Compost Learning Center.
10 listings are indoors, such as New York Aquarium Sharks & Ocean Wonders, Central Park Zoo Polar Circle, Central Park Zoo Tropic Zone: The Rainforest.
the Bronx (13), Brooklyn (8), Manhattan (8).