Children's Zoo

My childhood petting zoos never involved petting lion cubs and sharing playgrounds with baby goats! Photos from the San Diego children's zoo, 1959 (SD), and Brookfield children's zoo, 1953 (B).

Allan Grant, LIFE © Time Inc.

A little girl meet a 2 month old camel named Barmey (SD). Source

Allan Grant, LIFE © Time Inc.

Petting lion cubs (SD). Source

Howard Sochurek, LIFE © Time Inc.

Getting to know a baby elephant. (B). Source

Howard Sochurek, LIFE © Time Inc.

Kids petting a baby kangaroo. (B). Source

Allan Grant, LIFE © Time Inc.

Playing with a baby guanaco (SD).  Source

Allan Grant, LIFE © Time Inc.

A little boy sharing his ice cream with a goat (SD). Source

Allan Grant, LIFE © Time Inc.

A capybara [the archive caption has 'calybara'--typo!] (SD). Source

Allan Grant, LIFE © Time Inc.

Watch out for the capybara! (SD) Source

Howard Sochurek, LIFE © Time Inc.

Kids petting a lion cub (B). Source

Howard Sochurek, LIFE © Time Inc.

Some animals bite. (B) Source

Allan Grant, LIFE © Time Inc.

A little boy feeds celery to a camel. (SD). Source

Allan Grant, LIFE © Time Inc.

Sharing a slide with a goat kid (SD). Source

Allan Grant, LIFE © Time Inc.

A girl plays with a snake, dubiously (SD). Source

Allan Grant, LIFE © Time Inc.

A zookeeper bonds with a gorilla (SD). Source

Allan Grant, LIFE © Time Inc.

Kids riding a Galapagos turtle. (SD). Source

Allan Grant, LIFE © Time Inc.

Playing with a guinea pig (SD). Source

Allan Grant, LIFE © Time Inc.

Kids pet and hold hands with a gorilla called Scoopy (SD). Source

Allan Grant, LIFE © Time Inc.

Little girl petting a camel (SD). Source

Allan Grant, LIFE © Time Inc.

Did someone give a guanaco a cigarette?? (SD) Source

Howard Sochurek, LIFE © Time Inc.

A bottle feeding for a baby kangaroo. (B) Source

Allan Grant, LIFE © Time Inc.

A gorilla on the slide (SD). Source

Howard Sochurek, LIFE © Time Inc.

Baby llamas, "too full from popcorn", being carried home at the end of the day (B). Source