John P. McGovern Children's Zoo

The John P. McGovern Children's Zoo at the Houston Zoo is the reason Houston families keep coming back year after year. While the full Houston Zoo is impressive on its own, the Children's Zoo section is specifically engineered for the youngest visitors and consistently delivers one of the most complete zoo experiences for families with kids under 12 in Texas.

The Children's Zoo area features interactive exhibits scaled for small people, animal ambassador encounters where kids can touch and ask questions about zoo residents, and — the summer star — a splash pad area that turns zoo visits in June through September into a water play adventure. Parents who forget to bring a change of clothes on splash pad days learn that lesson once and never repeat it.

For infants and toddlers, the Houston Zoo is genuinely one of the better options in the city. The paths are wide and stroller-accessible throughout, nursing stations and changing facilities are well-maintained and plentiful, and the animal exhibits engage even very young children who can't yet read exhibit signs. Kids as young as 12–18 months light up at giraffes and elephants.

For elementary-age kids, the full zoo offers the depth to sustain 4–5 hours of genuine engagement. The African Forest, Natural Encounters building, and various animal keeper talks throughout the day add layers of content that go beyond just looking at animals.

The Houston Zoo annual membership is one of the best value deals in the city for families who visit more than once per year — it pays off after two visits and includes reciprocal benefits at other AZA-accredited zoos nationwide. Buy tickets online to avoid the box office line, and arrive at opening time on weekdays to get the best animal activity and avoid heat and crowds.