Educational farms
Educational farms: pick what suits you. Options for beginners, families or groups, in the finest settings there are.
Duration
A few hours to a day
Difficulty
Easy
Location
Farms, country smallholdings and farmland
Season
Spring to autumn; some places are open all year
What are educational farms?
Educational farms are organised visits where you get to know farm life, the animals and the work of the land.
They put learning together with hands-on activities and time spent in the countryside itself.
They are often used for school trips, activities for children and days out with the family.
Right for
Children
Learning activities set to the age of the children.
Families
Learning and time off together.
School groups
Learning programmes arranged for pupils.
Nurseries
Simple activities for finding out about plants and animals.
Organised groups
Themed outings for groups.
What you do on the farm
Meeting the animals
Watching farm animals and getting close to them.
Feeding the animals
Hands-on activities under supervision.
Plants and gardening
Finding out about plants and how food is grown.
Harvesting
Joining in the farm work of the season.
Traditional activities
Demonstrations and activities drawn from country life.
Types of educational farms
Farms with animals
Time spent with farm animals and poultry.
Organic farms
Seeing how farming can be done sustainably.
Market-garden farms
Activities to do with plants, fruit and vegetables.
Traditional smallholdings
Getting to know how people live in the countryside.
Themed farms
Learning programmes built around one subject.
How a farm visit runs
Welcome
An introduction to the farm and the programme.
Learning session
Talks about the animals, the plants and the farming.
Hands-on activities
Joining in with activities suited to the age group.
Getting involved
Direct contact with the life of the farm.
Wrapping up
Bringing the learning programme to a close.
At a glance
How long the programme runs
Usually a few hours or a full day.
How old you have to be
Activities set for children, families and school groups.
Activities
Animals, plants, farming and hands-on work.
Supervision
Activities are run and overseen by the farm staff.
Food and local experiences
Farm produce
Tastings or presentations of what the farm makes.
Picnic laid on
Meals outdoors in the areas set aside for them.
Traditional produce
Local food, offered but never compulsory.
Dietary restrictions
Tell the farm about allergies or preferences before the visit.
Keeping children safe
Supervision
Activities are run by the staff, with responsible adults present.
Meeting the animals
Contact with the animals follows the farm's rules.
Keeping clean
Advice on washing your hands and handling produce.
The farm setting
Participants should be told about the natural ground and the farmland.
What to bring
Comfortable clothes
Clothes that work for time spent outdoors.
The right footwear
Worth having for country ground and farmland.
Cover for the weather
A rain cape, sun protection or whatever the season calls for.
Personal things
Water, snacks or anything else you need for the day.
Frequently asked questions about educational farms
The activities can be set for small children, pupils and families.
Yes — educational farms suit organised school trips.
Yes, if it is part of the programme and done by the farm's rules.
Yes — some farms run programmes for children's private parties.
Yes — they go well with workshops, adventure or time outdoors.