Best Animal Farm Days Out in the UK
Are you ready for a day of fun and adventure in the great outdoors? We certainly are!
As a family-run team passionate about the wonders of the countryside, we're excited to introduce you to some of the best farms in the UK for unforgettable family days out.
Think about it – the sun on your face, the breeze of fresh countryside air, and the sound of laughter echoing across the fields. That's the kind of magic you'll find at these amazing farms.
But it's not just about the scenery. Oh no, these farms are bursting with so much more! From cuddling adorable animals to zooming down slides and racing on pedal tractors, there's something for everyone, young and old.
So if you're looking for the perfect way to spend a day with your little ones, look no further. In this blog post, we're sharing some of the best places to take the kids, each offering a brilliant selection of animals, from pigs and cows to alpacas and even reindeer!
Top Farms to Visit with Children
Please note that every effort has been made to provide the correct information here below, but we advise referring to the official websites or social media platforms for each place to stay up-to-date.
Cotswold Farm Park - Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
- Meet over 50 breeds of British farm animals, including playful Golden Guernsey goats and impressive Highland cattle.
- Enjoy seasonal events, like sheepdog shows and summer flower festivals, adding extra excitement to your day out.
- Wander through scenic woodland trails, relax in inviting picnic areas, and let the kids run wild in sprawling play areas.
Fishers Farm Park - Wisborough Green, West Sussex
- Experience daily farm shows, animal handling sessions, and visits to the undercover Animal Barn, offering kids opportunities to learn and interact.
- Enjoy the excitement of Sky Fall, a sky-high jump, and explore the farm aboard a Tractor and Trailer Ride. They also have the Splash Attack for April to October.
- Let the kids burn off energy with the climbing wall, giant jumping pillows, enchanted wood, and so much more!
Farmer Palmer's Farm Park - Poole, Dorset
- Interact with a variety of friendly animals including alpacas, birds, cows, deer, donkeys, ponies, goats, pigs, sheep, and more.
- Enjoy attractions designed specifically for young children (under 8s), including pig racing and the Dinosaur Roar discovery trail.
- Feed the deer, ride the bumpy tractor-trailer, and explore the farm on pedal tractors. Plus there's a sand playground for messy fun.
Piglets Adventure Farm - Towthorpe Moor Lane, York
- Visit the Piglets Maternity Ward to meet new arrivals, explore the Baaarn, and get up close with various animals.
- Enjoy fantastic shows in the Show Marquee during school holidays, featuring everything from thrilling Dinosaur shows to hilarious Pantomimes.
- Acres of exciting outdoor play including thrilling slides, imaginative play areas, tractors, diggers, bouncing pillows, crazy golf, go-karts, and more!
Mead Open Farm - Billington, Bedfordshire
- Hand-feed sheep and goats, groom ponies, and stroke rabbits for an immersive farm experience that the kids will love.
- Enjoy go-karts, crazy golf, sand play in Digger Village, and swings, slides, and climbing frames in both the huge indoor Shaggy’s PlayWorld and the Topsy Turvy Towers outdoor adventure playground.
- Join in the fun with regular events such as Lambing is Back, Easter, Dino Week, Summer Festival of Fun, Freaky FunFest, and The Magic Of Christmas throughout the year.
National Forest Adventure Farm - Burton Upon Trent, Staffordshire
- Take a stroll around the paddocks to meet and feed a variety of animals including chickens, sheep, ponies, donkeys, cows, goats, and alpacas.
- Kids can go on a tractor ride, enjoy the climbing wall, and even dig for dinosaur bones in the sandpit! For the adventurous little ones, they can go on the mega slide mountain.
- Don't miss the chance to see reindeer on the tractor route, and there are plenty of animals indoors too - including pigs and rabbits.
Walby Farm Park - Carlisle, Cumbria
- The kids can have so much fun in Milecastle 62, a fun three-level Roman fort, that's all undercover so perfect for unpredictable British weather!
- Meet rabbits and guinea pigs for cuddles, and enjoy activities like sheep racing, ferret shows, pony grooming, and seasonal feeding sessions with the lambs.
- Say hello to the three Alpacas - Amber, Inca, and Alvis - known for their quirky habits like humming! And there are also lots of ponies, horses, and donkeys, including a miniature Mediterranean donkey named Flint!
Attwell Farm Park - Redditch, Worcestershire
- Meet a variety of animals including donkeys, miniature horses, baby chicks, llamas, reindeer, and even meet Sonic the Hedgehog!
- Ride on tractors, jump and spring on the Outdoor Giant Jumping pillow, enjoy the outdoor play area, and take a relaxing paddock walk to discover all the farm's fantastic animals.
- Milk Mooana the Milking cow and interact with other animals in the petting barn for a hands-on farm adventure.
Ash End House Children’s Farm - Middleton, Tamworth
- Children receive a bucket of animal feed and can participate in various activities like a bumpy tractor trailer ride, bunny stroking, chick chat, egg collecting, and pony sit-on and grooming.
- Explore the Creepy Critters Barn and enjoy falconry displays as part of your visit to this family farm.
- Have a blast in the huge indoor play barn, perfect for all-day fun rain or shine!
Smithills Open Farm - Smithills Dean Road, Bolton
- Learn about the milk production process and meet the Pedigree Holstein Cows of the Carldanton Herd, including prize-winning champions. Plus, help feed the adorable calves with giant bottles of milk and don't forget to head to the ice creamery!
- Meet lambs, goats, alpacas, owls, rabbits, and guinea pigs for cuddles and interaction.
- Enjoy a tractor ride uphill to the top of the farm, where you can feed friendly donkeys slices of bread or carrots.
Cantref Adventure Farm - Cantref, Brecon
- Enjoy hours of entertainment in the huge heated indoor soft play area, with a separate toddler play area for the little ones.
- Watch bottle feeding lamb or kid goat shows, ferret racing, sheep shearing demonstrations, and Mr Ev's Show in the on-site theatre. Wander round the Pet Barn and Big Animal Barn to meet more cute animals!
- Experience Europe's longest sledge ride for exhilarating fun, and join in the Jungle Swamp Adventure Boat Ride for a team-based adventure with stunning views of the Brecon Beacons.
Pennywell Farm - Lower Dean, Buckfastleigh
- Snuggle up with the world-famous Pennywell Miniature Pigs and experience the unique thrill of Pennywell Miniature Pig racing, where these pint-sized porkers compete to triumph over Bacons Brook!
- Get up close and personal with Pennywell's tame Red Deer herd, and hand-feed these beautiful creatures.
- Enjoy tractor rides, the red rocket ride, rainbow railway ride, pond dipping, indoor play, and visit the miniature pony paddocks for even more fun.
Streamvale Open Farm - Belfast, Northern Ireland
- Cuddle with adorable baby animals, including chicks, bunnies, and puppies! Enjoy informative shows running through the day, where you will be given food to feed the animals, as well as learn a few more farm facts.
- Check out JED, the family pet, who performs every day at his Dog Agility show!
- Children can burn off all their energy at the Farmyard Playground, enjoy barrel rides and tractor rides, and pretend to be a builder at the Digger Zone.
Folly Farm - Kilgetty, Pembrokeshire
- Explore over 100 different zoo species including lions, rhinos, giraffes (the only ones in Wales!), and penguins up close.
- Enjoy 17 funfair rides including dodgems and the Golden Gallopers, as well as Carousel Woods, featuring a huge indoor play area with wooden climbing structures, slides, tubes, and soft play sections for all ages.
- Meet miniature ponies, donkeys, lambs, giant rabbits, alpacas, and more!
Tweddle Farm - Blackhall Colliery, Hartlepool
- Visit the Baby Barn to meet friendly animals like miniature donkeys and lambs. Keep an eye out for occasional appearances by alpacas, llamas, ponies, and pigs!
- Hop on a Tractor Ride or barrel ride around the farm, or race around custom go-kart tracks in electric or pedal karts.
- Meet animals of all shapes and sizes at daily petting sessions and enjoy feeding them at your own leisure.
Lancaster Park & Animal Farm - Chadderton, Oldham
- Children can interact with a variety of animals, from giant rabbits to friendly rats, and also enjoy feeding animals like horses and goats on the Nature Walk.
- Zoom around the field on the caterpillar ride, race on the Rooster rally track, and dig in the sand pit at Digger Corner. Plus, enjoy swings, slides, and zip wires at the play parks.
- On Wednesday and Saturday afternoon, the little ones can help bathe the giant tortoises (who apparently love to splash around!)
Godstone Farm - Godstone, Surrey
- Explore the farm and see animals like pigs, sheep, goats, cows - to name just a few!
- Enjoy Wiglets Play Village, with a fun Ball Zone, and The Play Barn, featuring a huge mainframe and separate areas for toddlers and babies.
- Check out the outdoor play areas including a huge adventure playground, sandpits, and ride-on toys. Don't miss the World of Dinosaur Roar! Discovery Trail or Kate’s Garden for wilding play fun.
Farm Parks in the UK
The places above are just the tip of the iceberg!
We've also included a list below of more fantastic farms you can visit across the UK.
|
Place |
Location |
| Jimmy's Farm and Wildlife Park | Suffolk |
| The Hop Farm Family Park | Kent |
| Finkley Down Farm | Hampshire |
| Manor Farm Park and Woodlands | Leicestershire |
| Odds Farm Park | Buckinghamshire |
| Avon Valley Adventure & Wildlife Park | Bristol |
| Occombe Farm | Devon |
| Hatton Adventure World | Warwick |
| DairyLand Farm World | Cornwall |
| Cannon Hall Farm | South Yorkshire |
| Fairytale Farm | Oxfordshire |
| Puxton Park | Somerset |
| Heads of Ayr Farm Park | Ayr |
| Streamvale Farm | Belfast |
| Briarlands Farm | Stirling |
| Willows Activity Farm | St Albans |
Summary
All these farms specialise in experiences for children, providing them with the opportunity to learn more about animals while having an absolute blast.
With activities like bouncy castles and outdoor activities, these family friendly farms make for perfect days out, especially during the summer holidays when you're looking to burn off some energy and spark your kids' curiosity.
We're always on the lookout for hidden gems and new experiences to share with our community. So, if you're planning to visit any of these farms or have some recommendations of your own, we'd love to hear from you! Drop us a line in the comments and let us know about your farm adventures.
About the Author
Robert Coates is no stranger to the world of farm clothing! Residing on his family farm in the heart of the Cheshire countryside, he understands the importance of durable, practical garments for those who work the land. Whether he's discussing the latest innovations in waterproofing or sharing tips for selecting the best wellies, Robert's expertise is built upon his daily interactions with the challenges and rewards of agricultural life.
