Fun Virtual Zoo Field Trip Options – Explore for Free
I earn a commission from products purchased through links in this post.
Updated 6/26 Fun field trips to the zoo are awesome, but sometimes it just isn’t possible to go. That is okay, though! As long as you have access to the internet, you can take your kids on a virtual zoo field trip at any time.
Maybe the zoo you want to visit is too far away. Or maybe one of your kids is sick. Sometimes the weather doesn’t cooperate. Perhaps zoo admission tickets are just not in your budget right now.
Whatever the reason, a virtual zoo tour for kids can be a great alternative to a traditional field trip.
A virtual field trip has lots of advantages:
- It is free – some zoos offer a virtual zoo tour rate, but every zoo listed here offers free online options
- You can visit multiple zoos in one day, regardless of location
- No traffic
- See just the animals you are interested in via live videos
- No need to pack a bag full of snacks, bottled water, and sunscreen
- You can ‘visit’ every day
- You are not limited to zoos just in your area
- It is quicker – there is no traveling, walking around, or time spent dealing with crowds
- See wild animals from the comfort of your own home
- It is a great way to see different animals in real time
- See exotic animals that are not native to your area
Taking a virtual zoo field trip can be a great motivator for kids if they are animal lovers. I admit that sometimes I offer this ‘reward’ for finishing schoolwork. They finish their lesson and then go on a virtual zoo field trip to visit their favorite animals.
Virtual zoo field trips can include webcams, live feeds, and live streams on their Facebook page. The virtual zoo field trips listed here are hosted on the zoo website. I prefer not to let young children have access to YouTube videos because it is too easy to click away to a different screen
Take a Virtual Zoo Field Trip
I listed the animals that are featured on webcams at each zoo because, if your kids are anything like mine, they want to see a specific animal. It is also handy for times when kids love different zoo animals. You can see many animals in a short time during a self-directed virtual tour.
1. Smithsonian’s National Zoo
(Planning an in-person visit to the National Zoo? We went all the time when we lived in Northern VA! Check out my post full of tips to make the most of the National Zoo.)
Check out these animals on the National Zoo live cams:
- Naked Mole Rats
- Lion
- Giant Pandas
- Black-footed Ferret (This is an endangered species)
- Elephant
The zoo offers printable zoo webcam bingo cards to encourage kids to watch the wild animals for a while.
2. Greenville Zoo
- Giraffe
3. Milwaukee County Zoo
- Hyenas
- Tigers
- Humbolt Penguins
- Lions
- Lake Wisconsin
4. Chattanooga Zoo
- Meerkat
- Snow Leopard
- Tamari
- Two-toed Sloth
- Red Panda
- Giraffe
The Chattanooga Zoo offers a free unit study on the hellbender salamander.
5. Houston Zoo
- Giraffe
- Rhino
- Elephant (most visible between 10:30 am and 3:00 pm CDT)
- Gorilla
- Chimpanzee
- Giant River Otter
- Flamingo
6. San Diego Zoo
- Ape
- Baboon
- Burrowing Owl
- Condor
- Elephant
- Giraffe
- Hippo
- Koala
- Panda
- Penguin
- Platypus
- Polar Bears
- Tiger
Related Post: Great And Tango Makes Three Penguin Book Activities
7. Oakland Zoo
- Sun Bear
- Black Bear
- Grizzly Bear
- Condor
- Mountain Lion
- Giraffe
The Oakland Zoo offers a variety of free lesson plans for multiple grade levels. Tip – always check out the teacher resource section of the website for any field trip location.
8. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
- Giraffe
9. Kansas City Zoo
- Polar Bear
10. Woodland Park Zoo
(We visited the Woodland Park Zoo when we lived in Washington. Don’t let the small number of webcams fool you. It is a huge zoo! Check out my tips for a successful visit to the Woodland Park Zoo if you live in the Seattle area.)
- Update – Woodland Park Zoo no longer shares animal webcams on its website. I left them on the list because they still offer free printable zoo-themed worksheets.
Woodland Park Zoo offers downloadable educator resources to help students of all ages learn about these amazing animals.
11. Alaska Zoo
- Polar Bear
An educational polar bear activity packet is available to download.
12. Detroit Zoo
- Sea Otter
- Penguins
- Japanese Macaque
- Reptiles
The Detroit Zoo offers free lesson plans, available under the Education tab:
13. Zoo Atlanta
- Gorilla
14. Bronx Zoo
- Lemurs
- Western Lowland Gorillas
- Giraffes
- Sea Lions
- Sea Otters
- Sharks
The Bronx Zoo offers a few great digital resources. My favorite are the Quests. Kids click on an interactive map to learn about a region of the world and the animals that live there.
15. Edinburgh Zoo
- Penguins
- Tigers
- Koalas
- Lions
- Giraffes
The Edinburgh Zoo offers teacher resources on its website.
16. Zoo Miami
- Meerkat
- Wild Bald Eagle
Many zoos also offer virtual programs for small groups hosted by zoo educators, but they can come with a steep price. I suggest taking advantage of all the free educational resources first. Find all of the activity ideas by visiting the education department section of the web page. This is sometimes labeled:
- Learn
- Teachers
- Educators
- Education
- School Resources
If you decide to book an official virtual program to learn about ocean animals, get together with a few other families to make the expense more reasonable.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Keep reading . . .