The Children’s Zoo at Walton Hall and Gardens in Warrington, Cheshire, has announced that its hands-on zoo keeper experience sessions will return this Spring 2026. Families and children can book these supervised activities to help care for animals and get a behind-the-scenes look at how the zoo is run. These sessions are set to begin in time for the school holidays in March and April.
Participants will take part in a 90-minute session where they help with daily chores like cleaning out stables and preparing food. These activities are led by rangers from Warrington Borough Council and allow children to interact with animals including the alpaca musketeers, Jim, Mally, and Topaz. Those taking part are advised to wear old clothes because the work involves physical tasks like mucking out stables.
The sessions are designed to be educational for children aged between 5 and 12 years old. While the zoo is free to walk through, these paid experiences help the council raise money to maintain the 32-acre estate. This comes as the local authority looks for ways to cover costs while keeping the park open for the community to enjoy.
The zoo has recently grown its collection to include a red squirrel breeding group as part of a local conservation project. Visitors can find more information about the sessions or book a place through the official Walton Hall and Gardens website.
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