Wow! I went to the Knies Kinderzoo in Rapperswil with my daughter recently and can recommend it to any parent as a great activity with kids or as a day trip with the family.
It’s just a five-minute walk from the main train station in Rapperswil. The zoo has so many things going for it: it is the perfect size, not so large that you spend all day walking your legs off, but it has quite a lot of animals including “fun” kids animals like zebras, penguins, giraffes and elephants. And pony-rides! For two CHF per round, lasting maybe two minutes, this was my daughter’s favourite attraction.
And after living in Switzerland for 20 years and never once seeing a snake in the wild, I saw a wild snake in the Rosenköpchen (Rosy-Faced Lovebird) cage. It turns out it was a Grass Snake (Natrix natrix) which is endangered here in Switzerland. Completely harmless!
The zoo has a daily sea-lion show that lasts about 30 minutes. My 3-year-old loved it. Some good play areas and three restaurants made it a nice place to spend a few hours. Make sure you bring cash because the zoo doesn’t accept credit cards at the entrance, only in the restaurants. In case you forget, there is a cash machine 20 meters from the zoo.
And yes, comfortable shoes and clothes is a must. Something like those overalls for kids from Engelbert Strauss. They are warm and highly practical and have several pockets in different sizes. Pretty perfect for little outdoor adventures not to mention for a day trip to the zoo with a dad who doesn`t fear mud.
Author PappiPa : Daddy blogger sometimes