petting zoo

noun

1. a zoo, or a special part of a larger zoo, where children may hold and stroke and sometimes feed small or young animals.

Example Sentences

Touring a petting zoo just isn’t the same when done virtually.

From Fortune

Take a two-year-old that first learns to recognize a dog and a cat at home, then a horse and a sheep in a petting zoo.

From Singularity Hub 

At the Virginia rally, the armed participants were almost outnumbered by the press, creating a militia petting-zoo atmosphere.

From The Daily Beast