This small world zoo is one of the first small worlds I ever created and it’s a true beauty if I may say so myself. I went all out in adding little details and it’s those surprising little elements of everyday materials that make this small world zoo so charming.

Have a look and see how it all came together.

How to create a Small World Zoo

When we set up small worlds, we always work in layers and keep adding to it until we feel like we’re done. The collage below shows the process really well.

We started allocating spaces to the animals first, added our cardboard trees, then looked for fabric scraps (or clothes!) to fill the enclosures and add a bit of texture. We thought about what the animals need, like the octopus needs water, the crocodile needs a river, the lion a rock, the koala a tree and so on. I then got carried away making little cardboard fences, which are easy to make and look very cute.

Once the basic zoo structure is set up, you can start adding details: nature foliage, loose parts, Playmobil items and all kinds of random things you have lying around. As per Theory of Loose Parts: more is more.

Touring the Small World Zoo

Let me take you on a tour of our small world zoo. Admission is free and everyone is welcome.

Be sure to look at the little details, the collection of small crafts and addition of random items which make this small world zoo so lovely. You’ll find monkeys in the trees, food in all the trays, benches to rest, bins for the rubbish, sign posts so you wont get lost and so much more.

Enjoy.

Small Worlds, perfect for encouraging imaginative play

The reason I love small worlds so much is because they encourage creativity and spark the imagination of little ones. Small worlds don’t have to be this elaborate to be good. In fact, simple is often best, especially for toddlers. But going all out once in a wile is fun for Mom and Dad too and I bet the older kids will have a great time designing their own small worlds when you tap into their interests.

If you like to read more about small world play: what, why and how, you’ll love this article. And feel free to check out the small worlds we’ve made so far here.

This small world zoo was originally written for Best Toys 4 Toddlers as part of their month-long theme: less toys, more play (when less is more).

I hope you enjoyed it, wishing you lots of fun playing,

Ann*

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