Knie's Kinderzoo, Children's zoo in Rapperswil-Jona, Switzerland

Knie's Kinderzoo is a children's zoo on Oberseestrasse in Rapperswil, near the Seedamm and the railway station on upper Lake Zürich. Architect Wolfgang Behles designed it, and it holds around 330 animals of 27 species, including Asian elephants, Rothschild giraffes, southern cheetahs, ungulates, monkeys, rodents and birds. Its layout centres on close contact: visitors may stroke pets and feed goats with zoo food.

Knie's Kinderzoo was designed by architect Wolfgang Behles and opened on 10 June 1962 by brothers Fredy and Rolf Knie senior, of the fifth generation of the Circus Knie family. On 15 February 1963 the zoo announced Sahib-Fridolin, the first Asian elephant born in Switzerland, son of Ceylon and Siam; keeper Josef Hack bottle-fed him after Ceylon died. Trained dolphins Sindbad and Skipper arrived from Florida on 19 June 1965, and a permanent dolphinarium with an 800,000-litre pool opened on 25 July 1970.

The zoo belongs to the Gebrüder Knie AG and forms part of Circus Knie's winter quarters; some animals once travelled with the circus on its Swiss tour as a mobile zoo. Twice daily a show runs in Knies Zauberhut, and visitors can meet animal keepers at fixed points. Income supports a project protecting Asian elephants in Sri Lanka.

The zoo operates from March through October and provides two self-service restaurants alongside picnic areas throughout the grounds. The layout is relatively flat and straightforward to navigate, making it accessible for visitors of all ages.

The zoo's Steinwal rock is its landmark, and a cinema opened there in 2005. The zoo also runs Knies Zauberhut, a show staged twice daily, and supports a conservation project for Asian elephants in Sri Lanka through its takings.