Is there a doctor in the house? And does he like sloths? If you’ve ever looked at your toddler and thought, “You’re great at making a mess, but could you perform a life-saving surgery on a sloth?”—well, London Zoo give all aspiring vets the opportunity to learn how it’s done.
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From 14 to 22 February, the world’s oldest scientific zoo is launching Vets in Action, a hands-on “field hospital” experience designed to turn your little terrors into literal life-savers. This event is part of ZSL’s 200th-anniversary celebrations, and a February half term is not fun without some Zoo fun!
The great frog heist
The stakes are surprisingly high. The mission? Rescuing the Darwin’s frog. These tiny amphibians are the ultimate “weird dads” of the animal kingdom. Found in Chile, they are the only species where the males brood their babies inside their own vocal sacs. Imagine your father carrying around in his throat for a few weeks!
Inspired by a real-life ZSL mission that rescued 53 frogs from a nasty fungus in South America, kids will have to:
- Track them down in a specially designed field hospital.
- Perform vital health checks on those tiny amphibians that weigh less than a 1p coin.
- Safely transport them back to the “Zoo” before extinction kicks in.
Sloth-side manner
Once the frogs are safe, it’s time for the “big” stuff. Young vets will participate in hands-on training sessions to health-check a sloth.
While the resident sloths, Marilyn and Leander, will be watching safely from the canopy of the Rainforest Life, the trainees will be working on realistic models to check vital signs. Pro tip: If the sloth isn’t moving, it’s probably fine. If it is moving quickly, you’ve likely mistaken a sloth for a very confused lemur.
The “ZooTown” hustle
If your child decides that the life of a surgeon is for them, they can head over to ZooTown, a hyper-real indoor role-play space. For just £1 extra, they can bounce between the Science Lab and the Vet Hospital, living out their Supervet dreams—minus the dramatic costs.
Because London Zoo is turning 200, they are being surprisingly generous with the wallet. Use LOVE30 special code when booking online (starting from 26 Jan) to get 30% off your tickets.
The history buff: On Saturday, 21 February, there’s a special heritage tour. It’s perfect for parents who want to learn about 200 years of pioneering research while their kids are busy trying to figure out where a frog’s pulse is.
The numbers: Over 8,000 animals to see. That’s approximately 16,000 eyes watching your child try to put a bandage on a toy tiger.
The verdict: It’s educational, it’s immersive, and it gets them out of the house. A day is not enough to make the most of this amazing space. Plus, if they learn how to do a “body condition score” on the sloth.
Vets In Action runs from Saturday 14th – Sunday 22nd February 2026 at London Zoo. The experience is included in the price of a zoo ticket and it is aimed at children aged 4 to 11 years old. Use LOVE30 special code when booking online to get 30% off your tickets.
Visit our events and activities area for more ideas of things to do with kids in London this season. or have a look at our theatre and dance page to see our selection of family friendly shows.