Best Children's Farms In Or Near London For Seeing Cute Animals

Spent hours Googling children's 'farms near me' and eagerly awaiting their reopening? Look no further - here's your list city farms in and around London that are gearing up to reopen from this July 2020.

Come rain or shine a family trip to the farm - be it local or further afield - is always a bundle of fun. Whether your little ones want to see some adorable, fluffy bunnies, pet some cheeky guinea pigs or even wander amongst flocks of chickens and geese, our pick of the top farms near London will have the whole family feeling like Old MacDonald.

There's endless benefits to taking time out to visit your local farms; they are a great way to encourage children to understand where our food comes from and why animals are so important. The farms below are all taking careful measures to make sure they can open as safely as possible following the COVID-19 pandemic, so be sure to keep up to date on their websites and with government guidelines before you visit. Now don your wellies, don’t forget your cameras and hop on down to these family-friendly farms!  

Based in Barnet, Lewis of London is the free, local gem you didn’t know you needed until now! They will be announcing the Ice Cream Farm 2020 season opening dates soon and advise customers to keep checking their social pages. You can also keep an eye out for events recommencing in August with their Alice in Wonderland Maze, plus Dino Day and Open Farm Sundays coming in September. Lewis of London is first and foremost a dairy farm with ever-developing delicious flavours, so don’t forget to grab a homemade ice-cream or two whilst you're there - we recommend the chocolate!

A big Kidadler favourite, Aldenham Country Park is one of North West London’s hidden gems and is set to reopen from June 20th! Head over to the farm any day of the week from 9am to 6pm where you’ll find plenty of furry farmyard animals including rabbits, ferrets and guinea pigs. Aldenham are taking lots of measures to keep their farm attractions safe which you can find details of on their website. Their public toilets and Farm Shop will also be reopening seven days a week, with cashless payments and four people only restrictions, but for now their Adventure Playground remains closed. Immerse yourself in some much needed wildlife as you cycle, scoot or stroll around the children's farm, and afterwards you can even head over to 100 Aker Wood, the home of Winnie the Pooh and pals, to see some familiar furry faces!

Not technically a children’s farm, but we just couldn't resist including Golders Hill Park! With its large expanse of greenery, it’s the perfect place for a picnic and some animal spotting. Golders Park is home to a large pond with both black and white swans, a deer park, butterfly house and even a small but free zoo where you can meet exotic birds and mammals including laughing kookaburras and ring-tailed lemurs - so there’s no shortage of animal fun here! Just please note that the Butterfly House and zoo at Golders Hill Park are currently still closed as of June 2020 and will make further announcements regarding their opening.

The recently refurbished Belmont Farm in North London's Mill Hill is a great children’s farm that’s home to thirty different animal varieties! Belmont are now reopening with new daily entry times of 11am to 3:45pm, and have made some changes in accordance with government guidelines regarding COVID-19. Their petting sessions, tractor rides and feeding opportunities are currently suspended, but you can still come and view plenty of cows, ponies, sheep and piglets and enjoy the beautiful Belmont Valley!

Kentish Town City Farm is not only London’s first ever city farm but it is also completely free! You might have spotted this children’s farm if you’re a frequent commuter on the Overground, but now’s your chance to meet the animals in person (plus it’s super easy to get to on public transport). Kentish Town City Farm is home to horses, donkeys, goats, sheep, pigs, a cow and free-ranging geese & chickens, and they are taking plenty of new measures to make sure your family are ultra safe whilst visiting. Kentish City Farm London will begin their phased reopening from June 22nd with pre-booked time slots only, limited to six people and including a five-minute health and safety introduction before entering the farm.

Amongst the hustle and bustle and nestled between Vauxhall and Oval Underground stations lies Vauxhall City Farm. Injecting some rural life into the city, Vauxhall City Farm has managed to pack in everything from Shetland ponies and guinea pigs to turkeys and even alpacas! Plus, there’s a lovely duck pond located next to The Old Dairy Café and Farm Shop where you’re free to watch the ducks whilst you enjoy a delicious lunch. Vauxhall City Farm has sadly been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, and warmly welcomes any donations or volunteers at this time. Whilst the farm has been closed until June 2020, they are hoping to reopen in July after installing advised social distancing measures and working through lots of deep cleans of the farm.

Whose childhood is complete without a visit to the infamous Willows Farm? This family farm based in St Albans provides endless farmyard attractions for all ages and interests! Willows children's farm has just announced that they are working to reopen in early July 2020, easing in with Members-only to limit the numbers of visitors. Indoor farm attractions will remain closed for now, but keep an eye on their platforms for updated measures. Now that a trip to the beloved Willows is on the horizon one thing’s for sure - there won’t be any mooo-dy faces from its eager-awaitors!

Head south of the river and explore Deen City Farm in South Wimbledon - a five-acre piece of countryside in the city. From paddocks to pens, catch a glimpse of the beautiful birds in the aviary, pet some cheeky rabbits, play around with the ferrets and even get to know the farm cats! Plus, most of the fields and stables are largely wheelchair accessible meaning all the family can get involved in the farmyard fun! Deen City Farm are keenly set to reopen from July 4th and currently putting in place plenty of enhanced safety measures including timed admission slots, PPE supplies, barriers and risk assessments.

The farms below sadly still remain closed due to COVID-19, but do keep checking back with them for any updates on reopening.

Head back into London to get up close and personal with Hackney City’s flock of farmyard animals. Don't be fooled by its rather unusual location - Hackney City Farm is the happy home to loads of free ranging chickens, donkeys, guinea pigs, rabbits, goats and even fluffy sheep! Whilst the farmyard and cafe remain closed for now, you can still drop by the city farm to pick up some veg from Growing Communities, fish from Soul Share or shop at Get Loose.

Labelled ‘London’s Best Interactive Farm’, Hounslow Urban Farm in West London is ideal for a family fun day away from the city centre - and there's free parking (win). Home to everything from snakes and lizards to hamsters and goats, there’s certainly loads of variety here and it’s bound to please the whole family.

Escape the hustle and bustle of the city and head to Woodlands Farm Trust - the 89-acre working city farm in Welling. Complete with all your favourite farm animals - pigs, sheep, white cattle, Shetland ponies, guinea pigs, chickens and more, let your little ones roam wild around this unique city farm. With its Stick Man trail, inspired by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s children’s book and perfect for kids aged 3-7, plus the Young Farmers Club aimed at older kids aged 11-18, there’s endless entertainment to be had here!

Heading back into the city again, Spitalfields City Farm brings the country feel to East London. After you’ve strolled around Brick Lane, wandered through the vintage markets and stopped off to feast on some epic street food, take a trip to Spitalfields City Farm - a community space open 6 days a week. Visit the Bug Hotel (apparently there’s free Wi-Fly), hop about with the adorable rabbits and ferrets and come face to face with the impressive goats and donkeys.

With the mission of spreading happiness and joy by welcoming visitors free of charge, Freightliners City Farm just had to make our top 15! This urban space in Islington keeps a range of farm animals including cows, sheep goats and poultry and many of them are rare and traditional breeds, helping the diversity across national herds.

Stepney City Farm, located in the heart of Tower Hamlets, London, has been going for 40 years and is a small but mighty three-acre working farm. This rural oasis is not only home to some furry friends (including donkeys!) but prides itself on its educational value, with an array of incredible initiatives taking place throughout the year. Stepney City Farm take their growing seriously - see if you can spot their magnificent, colourful allotments as you wander around the farm!

Last but certainly not least, Crystal Palace Park Farm - just a stone’s throw away from Crystal Palace station - is a must-visit farm for many reasons. After you’ve strolled amongst the dinosaurs in Crystal Palace Park, head over to the free farm where you’ll be greeted by a range of animals. It’s a perfect place to ease children into greeting animals, with friendly pigs, Shetland ponies, chickens and fluffy sheep on offer. For the braver amongst the bunch, head inside into the reptile house where kids will be wide-eyed with wonder as they spot slithering snakes, lizards and even giant slugs!

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