Five reasons to get kids involved in farmyard fun
There are plenty of reasons to head over to your local farm and see your favourite furry friends.
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Aug 22 2022
It's always a great time to get outside and involve the little ones with farmyard fun. From taking part in a superhero themed trail at Manor Farm to feeding the animals at Staunton Farm, there is something for everyone.
1. Being outside lifts your spirits
Exploring nature is a great mood booster, keeping us emotionally, psychologically and physically healthy. According to Mind, being outside supports good mental health and can improve your confidence and self-esteem, which is why we’ve got plenty of natural spaces for kids to explore and enjoy as they learn.
The den building space at Manor Farm offers an opportunity for little ones to engage in natural play, creating shelters from the branches provided onsite. While you’re outside, look out for wildlife, as this peaceful area is a great place to spot birds, squirrels and other creatures.
2. Spending time with animals helps children to develop empathy
As reported by the BBC, spending time with animals is a brilliant way to nurture empathy – an important part of a child’s development. Even though animals can’t speak, they can still communicate. This non-verbal communication is a superb way to help kids understand the world around them. Staunton Farm has plenty of cute animals for kids to see – from pigs, sheep, goats and chickens to more unusual animals like llamas and alpacas.
Get close up to some of our cuddly creatures and find out more at regular animal encounter sessions. Animal feed is available to buy at reception and in the shop; little ones can feed the animals via our special feeding tubes found around the farm.
3. Farms are a great source of screen-free time
It can be difficult to find screen-free ways to entertain kids. When the sun isn’t shining, it can seem easier to settle them down in front of a film rather than convince them to play outside. The University of Suffolk has reported that screen-free time can reduce stress and improves sleep schedules. So, while screen time can be a great source of entertainment, it’s good to break it up with fun things to do away from digital media.
A visit to a farm offers a full day of enjoyable activities that are an alternative to hours spent in front of a screen. From ponies to llamas, ferrets to reptiles, and many more classic farm favourites, there are plenty of chances to meet furry friends. As well as adorable animals, there are loads of educational and fun things to do, like story trails.
If it’s raining a bit too hard to spend time outside, then pop into the Play Barn at Manor Farm to let your kids run off some energy while you enjoy a relaxing cup of tea.
4. Farms teach your children about food
From seeing how tasty tomatoes are grown to how hens produce eggs, Natural England has stated that farms are great ways to teach children about where food comes from. Seeing the food cycle in action can help kids to visualize concepts and learn that food comes from other places other than supermarkets. At Manor Farm, you can take a stroll through our traditional cottage garden, planted with flowers, vegetables and herbs. This garden once supplied fresh produce to be used in the farmhouse kitchen (which dates back to the 1400s) and herbs for medicine and cooking. Today, the garden is enjoyed by humans and animals alike, and is a hub of wildlife for all kinds of bugs and insects.
You can also check out our tractor barn for the more mechanical end of food production.
5. Spending time at a farm helps develop sensory skills
Research by the University of Gloucestershire found that going to a farm exposes children to new textures, sights and smells, helping their sensory development. Kids who visited farms experienced improvements in their memory function and reminiscence ability. From hearing a herd of cows mooing to feeling the wiry coat of a goat, there are plenty of unique experiences that can only happen at a farm. At Staunton Farm, you can get up close and personal with some of the farm animals, use your senses in our Sensory Explorers activity, and seek out creepy crawlies on a Minibeast Safari.
