Hezlett House may be small but it is bursting with history, stories and tales. Dressed for the late Victorian period typical for this Irish farmstead visitors can immerse themselves in that time and get hands on with many of the items experiencing life on the farm. The beautiful grounds have been lovingly restored including a small working fruit orchard and kitchen garden.
Early Years (2-4)
Early Years (2-4)
In recent years there has been a cultural shift in our society that has reduced the access and use of outdoors for many young children.
A number of factors are blamed, including increased fear amongst adults in relation to children’s safety, anxieties about the threat of abduction, and technological advances leading to an overwhelming prominence of more sedentary indoor activities, such as television and computer games. However, the developmental needs of young children have remained constant and the outdoor environment continues to be essential to their health, development and well-being. Therefore, regular opportunities for sustained periods of play in a rich and stimulating outdoor environment offer a wide range of benefits to babies, toddlers and young children.
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Curriculum, which covers children aged birth to the end of the Reception year, became statutory in September 2008 and places strong emphasis on the importance and value of daily outdoor experiences for children’s learning and development.
Learning outside the classroom supports the development of healthy and active lifestyles by offering children opportunities for physical activity, freedom and movement, and promoting a sense of well-being. It gives them contact with the natural world and offers them experiences that are unique to outdoors, such as direct contact with the weather and the seasons. Outdoor play also supports children’s problem-solving skills and nurtures their creativity, as well as providing rich opportunities for their developing imagination, inventiveness and resourcefulness.
And, of course, the outdoor environment offers more space than indoors and therefore is particularly important to those children who learn best through active movement. For many children, playing outdoors at their early years setting may be the only opportunity they have to play safely and freely while they learn to assess risk and develop the skills to manage new situations.
While many of these experiences will take place on-site, outdoor learning may also take place within the local community, for example a walk to the bakery, or past the building site on the way to the park. These off-site ‘expeditions’ offer both children and adults a catalyst for play and conversations. Ultimately, play and learning that flow seamlessly between indoors and outdoors make the most efficient use of resources and build on interests and enthusiasms. Forest Schools are growing in popularity across the UK and are increasingly offered as part of the early years curriculum in schools and settings.
Finally, parental involvement in children’s learning is particularly important in the early years as parents and carers are the child’s first educators. Early years settings, including children’s centres, are increasingly involving parents in developing and using their outdoor areas and in supporting other outdoor learning opportunities.
Suitable Venues
Welcome to our newly renovated education centre in a historic stable block, with purpose-built dipping pond, tree trail, arable fields and recently-planted orchard. Children can explore our 300 year-old farm and our varied woodland.
The South Devon Railway is one of Devon’s and the West Country’s best loved tourist attractions and is the longest established steam railway in the south west.
White knuckle and family rides, toddler fun and fantastic family shows, including live entertainment and animal antics. New Feature: Furry Friends Farm and Tractor Ride!
Pleasure Island Theme Park is still the best value day out on the East Coast with its fantastic package of over 50 rides and attractions including their newest feature Furry Friends Farm and Tractor Ride!
A diverse experience with a huge variety of animals but also trampolines, roller blading rink, crazy golf, maize maze, pony rides, indoor and outdoor playgrounds, fire engine ride and pedal kart track, plus seasonal activities like bottle feeding lambs.
A full programme of events throughout the day including: Meet and Feed the Animals, Free Tractor and Trailer Rides, Children's Craft Sessions, Animal Racing, 2 Acre Willow Maze and Indoor and Outdoor Adventure Play Areas. Themed weeks during school holidays.A great family day out, come rain or shine.
Superb facilities: indoor and outdoor animals and play zones, crazy golf, bouncy castle, ringo slope, tractor rides and much more.
Whoosh down the fake snow slopes on inflatable ringos! Dig to Australia in the giant sandpit, and get your rev on with the pedal tractors! All under cover!
The sanctuary has a 'cuddle corner' where adults and children may handle baby rabbits, chicks, ducklings, kittens and new born mice and gerbils (when in season). A great place to take toddlers, Early Yeears and Primary children in particular if you are looking for visits out in Oxfordshire.
With adventure play areas, zip wires, rides, a 25m bouncy pillow, stilt walking, a haystack mountain, pig racing, archery and our children's shows. There's plenty to keep children occupied all day at Apple Jacks! You can even challenge your opponent on the Eliminator!
Lambing weekends in the spring, monthly country food fayres, and we have our famous and unique 'living manger' prior to Christmas.
A farm with plenty of animals to meet and handle, such as piglets, lambs, pygmy goats and more. Adventure playground, go karts and tractors, indoor soft play, and pony rides. Under 2s visit free.
Norfolk’s wonderful museum of rural life and the Workhouse
This fifty-acre site with its magnificent Georgian workhouse invites you to explore two centuries of life on the land. There are recreations of shops and homes, extensive displays on farming and village life and the popular Collections Gallery - a real treasure trove.
Ash End House Children's Farm offer lots of friendly animals to feed and stroke. Three Play areas, Indoor Toddlers Barn, Family Games Yard, Crazy golf and lots of fun activities for the children. Plus Jumping Pillow, Tractor and Trailer Rides and visit our new Falconry Centre!
Working farm on the Old Yarr Estate with activities scheduled throughout the day including Animal Encounters, tractor and trailer rides, plus a giant sandpit and play area for younger children.
All our activity sessions are in small groups so you can enjoy a real personal touch and our friendly staff are always happy to answer any questions you have about our animals.
At Cantref we offer a fun filled day for the entire family! We have a large hearted indoor play zone, a farm house café with delicious home cooked meals with spectacular views.
Handle the fluffy young chicks, rabbits and guinea pigs in Cuddle Corner and laugh at the antics of the pygmy goats on Goat Mountain. You can feed the ducks, groom a pony, watch and get involved in the ever popular piglet race! So much to do here!
Here at Manor Country Park you can:
- Meet and feed the animals on our farmyard walk
- Help milk the cows
- Enjoy a river walk
- Walk through the woods
- Play at Barnfield, our extensive play area
Education
Boasts a wide variety of animals on the farm including pigs, cattle, sheep, chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, rabbits, guinea pigs and other small animals. Free to all.
A family run farm that offers open farm days, alpaca experiences and birthday parties. Abbots View Alpacas is an excellent place to learn about these inquistive animals and take them for a walk around the farm’s 22 acres.
There are also miniature ponies to meet, plus pigs, ducks, rabbits and guinea pigs.
The Farm Park is within Floralands Garden Centre, a place for all the family to visit. There is play equipment, a picnic area and a wide variety of animals to see and feed.
Foxburrow Farm is a mixed arable farm with a mosaic of wildlife habitats including ponds, woodlands, meadows and an old orchard alongside the cropped fields. The education facilities are centred on the traditional farmyard and include the barn classroom, toilets, covered activity areas and wildlife garden.
Belmont Children's Farm provides fun and education and easily accommodates school visits and parties.
Come and see the animals and at specific times participate in their daily care: you won’t even have to get your feet muddy! Kids can interact with the animals either in petting sessions or helping with their care, plus tractor rides available through the hidden valley.
This City Farm has lots of animals to cuddle, stroke and feed, horses to ride and they are a venue for birthdays too.
We are in the heart of London with all the sights, smells, sounds and experiences of rural life.
The collection of animals includes rare breed sheep, goats, alpacas and pigs, plus ferrets, rabbits and guinea pigs all ready and waiting for cuddles.
Mudchute Park and Farm isone of the largest inner City Farms anywhere in Europe. 32 acres of countryside in the middle of the Isle of Dogs to share with friendly furry and feathered creatures. There is also an outdoor play area in Milwall Park which is adjacent.
They have a collection of British rare breeds and over 200 animals and fowl on their farm!
Amerton Farm and Craft Centre and Playbarn is a farmyard with indoor adventure play area. It has a tractor track, rope bridge and barns on stilts connected with raised walkways. There is also a soft play area for children under 3 years of age, plus fun days and farm activities.
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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.
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