A revitalization of the current wetlands boardwalk and building on the site of the zoo's former dinosaur trail will result in an amazing new Children’s Zoo and New England Trail that offers hands-on exploration and play for kids. The inter-generational experience will encourage family learning of the natural wonders of our region (and a reason to come back again and again and again!).

Plans for this entirely new  “zoo-within-a-zoo” include: 

• COMPLETE - the Feinstein Junior Scholar Wetlands Trail  opened in April, 2007! A complete renovation of the wetlands trail, a staple of the Roger Williams Park Zoo opened in 1980 and sanctuary for the unique plants and animals indigenous to New England, some of them threatened species.
• An "All Kids Can" tree house, accessible to people of all ages and abilities
• Play structures that resemble animal environments
• Hands-on play zones and unique sensory experiences
• Exhibits showcasing species native to our region interspersed with play and activity zones
• Approachable and engaging animals

Kids – and their families - won’t even realize how much they’ve learned about Rhode Island’s ecosystem and native species!

Timeframe and budget: $3.5 million;design is in progress and scheduled for completion in 2011.

What Will it Look LIke?

New England Trail and Children’s Zoo
(top left rendering)
The New England Trail is a two-fold project that includes a complete revitalization of the current wetlands boardwalk, and construction of a brand new Children’s Zoo in what has served as the zoo’s dinosaur exhibit area.  The Play Zoo can be thought of as a “zoo within a zoo” where sensory experiences will help kids learn through the means that teach most effectively – touch, exploration and movement. Both the New England Trail and the Children’s Zoo will incorporate hands-on play zones geared toward learning about our local environment and native species.

All Kids Can Tree House
(bottom left rendering)
Funded by

 A major component of the Children’s Play Zoo will be the "All Kids Can," accessible tree house.  The tree house, funded by a $500,000 grant from the CVS Caremark Charitable Trust, will be accessible to all the zoo's visitors, regardless of age or abilities, with the goal of enhancing their understanding of the natural world through play and exploration.

This unique attraction is being designed in collaboration with the Rhode Island School of Design, Multi Design for people, and FOREVER YOUNG, a private nonprofit organization dedicated to building universally accessible tree houses for children and young adults with special needs who are routinely confronted with barriers to fun and play in their daily lives. 

FOREVER YOUNG is working toward building an accessible tree house in every U.S. state by 2008 in order to fulfill their mission of helping everyone, regardless of ability, see the world differently and enjoy the freedom and peace that tree houses can provide.