Farms & Petting Zoos in Kent – Meet Animals & Discover Farm Life
Experience the joy of meeting friendly farm animals at Kent’s outstanding farms and petting zoos. From bottle-feeding lambs and cuddling rabbits to watching pig races and learning about rare breeds, Kent’s working farms and animal attractions offer hands-on experiences that delight children and connect families with agriculture. Discover award-winning farm parks, traditional working farms, rare breed centres, and seasonal experiences including pumpkin picking and lambing events.
Types of Farm Experiences in Kent
- Farm Parks: Large attractions combining animal encounters with play areas, tractor rides, and entertainment
- Petting Zoos: Close encounters with friendly animals including goats, rabbits, guinea pigs, and chickens
- Working Farms: Experience real farm life with tours, feeding sessions, and agricultural education
- Rare Breed Centres: Discover endangered livestock breeds and conservation efforts
- Alpaca & Llama Farms: Meet these gentle South American camelids with walking experiences available
- Farm Shops: Working farms with shops selling home-grown produce and local products
Animal Encounters & Experiences
Kent’s farms offer incredible animal interaction opportunities. Bottle-feed baby goats and lambs, groom ponies, cuddle rabbits, collect freshly-laid eggs, watch sheep shearing demonstrations, meet rare breed pigs and cattle, hand-feed friendly alpacas, and learn about animal care from expert farmers. Many farms offer special encounter experiences bookable in advance.
Seasonal Farm Activities
Spring – Lambing Time
Visit during lambing season (February-April) to see newborn lambs and kids. Many farms offer bottle-feeding experiences and behind-the-scenes access to lambing areas.
Summer – Farm Fun
Summer brings outdoor activities including tractor rides through fields, maize mazes, outdoor play areas, and extended opening hours for maximum family fun.
Autumn – Pumpkin Picking
October transforms Kent’s farms with pumpkin patches, Halloween activities, harvest celebrations, and apple pressing demonstrations. Pick your own pumpkins and enjoy Halloween trails and events.
Winter – Christmas on the Farm
Festive farm visits include meeting Santa in the barn, Christmas crafts, winter animal care talks, and special seasonal activities.
Educational Farm Visits
Kent’s farms provide valuable educational experiences teaching children about agriculture, animal welfare, food production, and countryside management. Many offer school visit programmes aligned with national curriculum, farm safety workshops, and conservation education. Perfect for understanding where food comes from and the importance of farming.
Play & Activities
Beyond animal encounters, farm parks feature extensive play facilities including adventure playgrounds, sand pits, go-karts, trampolines, indoor soft play areas, zip lines, and toddler zones. Many provide all-weather facilities ensuring fun regardless of conditions.
Facilities & Refreshments
Farm venues typically offer excellent family facilities including cafés serving local produce, farm shops with fresh products, baby changing areas, accessible toilets, and picnic spaces. Many welcome packed lunches in designated areas.
Birthday Parties at Farms
Celebrate birthdays with farm party packages including animal encounters, tractor rides, party rooms, and dedicated hosts. Options range from petting zoo parties for younger children to hands-on farming experiences for older kids.
Pick Your Own (PYO) Farms
Experience the joy of harvesting your own produce at Kent’s PYO farms. Pick strawberries in summer, apples in autumn, pumpkins in October, and Christmas trees in December. Many farms combine PYO with animal attractions for complete family days out.
Accessibility & Special Needs
Many Kent farms provide excellent accessibility with level paths, accessible facilities, and sensory-friendly sessions. Some offer dedicated sessions for families with children who have additional needs, providing quieter environments and specialized support.
Conservation & Rare Breeds
Several Kent farms specialize in rare breed conservation, protecting endangered livestock breeds. Learn about conservation efforts, see animals you won’t find elsewhere, and understand the importance of genetic diversity in farming.
Planning Your Farm Visit
Check opening times as farms often have seasonal variations. Wear appropriate footwear (wellies recommended) as farms can be muddy. Book animal experiences in advance where required. Consider visiting during quieter weekday periods to avoid weekend crowds.
More Family Fun in Kent
Combine your farm visit with other family activities including country parks, beaches, and adventure parks for the perfect Kent day out.