Parents know that few other topics capture kids’ attention like animals. Dinosaurs, family pets, barnyard animals, zoo animals and exotics—you name it, children are obsessed with them (see your collective pile of teddy bears and plush animals) and often carry their love for animals through the rest of their lives. They’re catalysts for teaching kids about conservation and even developing their understanding of empathy.

Luckily Dallas-Fort Worth is home to a menagerie of drive-through safari parks, petting zoos, places to go horseback riding) and—most impressively—world-class zoos and aquariums accredited by the AZA. See below for a glimpse into the highly regarded and professionally-run zoos in and around North Texas and what you can expect to experience on your next outing with the kids.