What is it?
Interactions with animals can vary immensely; they can range from big establishments with no animal contact such as zoos, small animals at a farm park.
What does it involve?
The basis of all encounters with animals is to interact with them! Sometimes it may be from a distance to ensure safety on both sides, but you can often get up close; you can train and even ride some animals.
Why do it and what are the benefits?
Spending time with animals has been proven to be beneficial in many aspects of life and development - it can teach things such as compassion, responsibility, and discipline for both yourself and others.
What equipment do we need?
Depending on what sort of animal encounter it is, the equipment involved will vary. For example, riding a horse requires a lot more specialist equipment than stroking a cat! Make sure to check with your destination to see if you need to bring anything.
Who is it suitable for?
Animal encounters are suitable for pretty much anyone - always be careful with smaller children though, as they may not understand how to handle them properly.
Costs?
Can vary from free to reasonably expensive. Grounds that are open to the public and free to enter can often have wildlife roaming around to admire, but more extravagant establishments such as zoos with many more animals will undoubtedly cost more!
Issues/Things to think about? (unsuitable for age groups, medical conditions etc)
Be aware of allergies when it comes to animal encounters; although mild allergies are much more common, the risk of a student having a severe reaction means you should exercise caution if there is going to be physical contact with an animal.
How do we include?
It will depend entirely on the type of animal encounter, but in general these kinds of activities will be great to include all students in, as everyone can interact with an animal in some manner.
Doing it abroad?
The variety of animals abroad will often vary greatly from our own, and encountering them can be a once in a lifetime opportunity! Foreign nature and safari parks can be great places to visit, so make sure to check out your destination thoroughly to see if there's one you can take a trip to.
Main website:
Check out individual websites for specific information on what's available for you to do!
BHS approved facility offering lessons from around 3, an equine swimming pool, scenic hacks, cross country riding and Pony Club. Toddlers can start with led woodland pony rides.
Scenic hacks of varying lengths and cross country rides available, plus dedicated Pony Club. Absolute beginners usually start with a Walk In The Woods, a led pony or horse ride through gentle terrain.
A large coastal nature reserve with easy access routes, bird watching hides, freshwater pools, salt marshes, 2 miles of beach, rare plants and wildlife.
Combining active learning with fascinating talks and an opportunity to have a close encounter with a variety of creatures. The Cornish Seal Sanctuary offers a hands-on educational visit like no other, offering an experience beyond the classroom.
The first county park in England, this has been gently entertaining and thoroughly inspiring young families for forty years. Interesting walks and gorgeous architecture.
Shustoke Reservoirs are a haven of tranquility with plenty of wildlife to observe. In the spring, the banks of the reservoir are covered in an impressive display of wildflowers, such as cowslips and lady’s smock.
There are a variety of walks including links to the Heart of England Way and Centenary Way. The North Warwickshire Cycle Way also links to the site.
The Upper Derwent Valley is situated in the stunning Peak District National Park in Derbyshire. The area is renowned for its spectacular scenery, with its deep wooded valleys and bleak, rugged moorland. It is the perfect place to enjoy some the UK's most beautiful landscapes and to experience the great outdoors and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
BHS approved facility best suited to intermediate riders, offering menage plus 3km of on-site hacking covering all terrains including walk-through streams.
Veiled underneath the drape of woody shades, the miniature forest offers an enthralling combination of history humor and entertainment.
Oxhill visitor centre has been granted VAQAS status (Quality Assured Visitor Attraction) and is home to adoption equines Dylan, Felicity, Will and dinky pony Wensley along with more than 50 rescued horses, ponies and donkeys.
The lake can boast a wide range of geese, ducks, water fowl and the resisdential swans. The recent environmental project has improved fishing stocks. There are also herons, gulls and kingfishers that visit the lake along with a host of woodland and garden birds.
Here you will see Macaws, Chameleons, Marmoset Monkeys and many more exotic animals. Our tropical zone allows for an all weather attraction for the whole family. Daily Shows and Free Parking.
A wide variety of animals for you to look at and feed. There is an outdoor play area for children under 8, a beach to play and build sandcastles for all ages, and an indoor ball pool and soft play for children under 5.
A lovely little range from guinea pigs to micro pigs, via parrots, horses and alpacas.
300 acre Parc Slip Wildlife Trust Nature Reserve with its Wildlife Trust Visitor Centre has something for everyone. A variety of different habitat types supporting many different species for wildlife enthusiast, a safe area for school parties to discover and enjoy nature.
An ancient story of vanished oceans and fossilised sea creatures is the reason why the Oswestry Hills are so rich in wild plants, including orchids.
Activity examples:
Butterfly surveys, tree investigations, bug hunting, pond dipping, habitat investigations, natural art, sensory explorers. John Muir Award (environmental award for KS2 upwards).
The imposing ruins of Peveril Castle stand high above the pretty village of Castleton in the heart of Derbyshire’s Peak District. Mentioned in the Domesday survey, Peveril Castle is one of England’s earliest Norman fortresses. The keep was built by Henry II in 1176.
The main footpath along the Stiperstones ridge goes straight down the side of The Hollies nature reserve. Few people step off the track to explore this ancient, scattered grove of hollies, but those that do soon fall under its spell. The trees are extraordinary characters, some of them three or four centuries old.
Activity examples:
The Royal Forest of Rockingham, a medieval hunting forest, is a beautiful patchwork of ancient woodlands and open agricultural land with historic features and attractive stone-built forest villages. Today the Forest offers visitors plenty of routes for walking, cycling and riding.
Schools
Has long provided the opportunity to become familiar with the country life of yesteryear. Its Historic Working Farm is a wonderful visitor attraction with daily activities and special events. You will see traditional 19th century farm life unfold daily, while the land around is worked by heavy horses.
Discover a woodland wonderland full of natural wildlife. From quiet walks to action-packed family fun with laser tag and adventure play, uncover nature at its best.
Rosliston Forestry Centre lies at the heart of The National Forest, a woodland haven offering outdoor activities, family fun and a range of events throughout the year.
Welcome to Center Parcs, the award-winning number one short break provider in the UK. Our five Villages are nestled within beautiful and secluded woodland, providing an ideal location for a unique short break to remember.
The Lake District Calvert Trust is a residential outdoor centre with over 35 years’ experience delivering challenging outdoor adventure holidays for people with disabilities.
The vast Ysbyty Estate lies just south of the picturesque village of Betws y Coed and is the largest single estate cared for by the National Trust.
Woolbeding is a modern garden of two halves, with the colour-themed garden rooms surrounding the house, plus a landscape garden. A gentle stroll over the open pasture land provides views of the River Rother and leads to the ruined abbey and on to the Chinese-style bridge and waterfall.
Please note that all visits to the gardens must be pre-booked.
Woolbeding Estate in West Sussex is quietly tucked away in the tranquil Rother Valley. With its wide horizons and intimate secluded places, this huge estate has an extraordinary blend of habitats.
The Bushcraft Company offer residential school trips with a difference, taking students into the wild and giving them real back-to-nature experiences they will never forget.
A 15-year-old boy fell 60ft over the edge of a cliff whilst on a geography school trip, miraculously only suffering minor injuries.