Children in kindergarten learn about the world around them by using all five of their senses, especially their sense of touch. This means that having an area where visitors are allowed to pet the animals will be a great way for the children to learn about wildlife. It's good for children to have such hands-on experiences with animals because such interactions are becoming increasingly rare. According to Andi Norman, director of marketing and communications for The Toledo Zoo, "kids now are becoming more disconnected with nature...it's best to connect them with animals so they can gain an appreciation and understanding, then they're more likely to want to learn about and preserve wildlife."
Children in kindergarten also learn a lot about the world around them through their sense of sight, and they are often enthralled by new and interesting visuals (just witness the spellbound way that small children watch television). They will be keenly focused on a visual demonstration or performance involving animals, especially ones outside of their normal day-to-day experience. Such shows should involve a lot of the performer and/or the animal itself, with more emphasis on actions than words. It may be a good idea for the children to be able to pet or otherwise interact with the animal after the show, if possible.
Playing is another way for small children to learn, and incorporating play into an exhibit successfully will ensure that the lessons learned at the zoo will remain with them long after they leave. A good way to do this is to have an exhibit based on a certain animal's habitat with room to play in it. For example, the Toledo Zoo has an exhibit about bees with a large honeycomb that allows children to pretend they're busy bees. The zoo also has an exhibit about goats with large climbing rocks on which children can climb and pretend to be goats themselves.
When creating exhibits aimed at children in kindergarten, it's good to keep certain ideas in mind. Make sure that the exhibits are visually stimulating: use bright, cheerful colors. Remember that everything needs to be at eye level for the children, which roughly means knee level for adults; if not, the children will quickly lose interest because standing on their toes to see eventually becomes frustrating for them. These may seem like small details. but they go a long way toward making the exhibits welcoming and fun for their small visitors.