Top 4 Petting Farms
With summer approaching, petting farms are perfect places to entertain the kids. A day spent at a petting farm is fun, educational and also inexpensive. There is no entry fee, but donations on your way out are always welcome.
Amsterdam’s petting farms are dotted all over the city. Many farms offer special activities in the summer months; arts and crafts, cheese making, helping to care for the animals or simply mucking in.
Baby animals have a draw and charm like nothing else. The kids are thrilled when they cuddle one of the animals. Petting farms are special because all animals have a gentle temperament combined with a curiosity about people.
Petting farms provide a fun-filled afternoon for families and friends. Guinea pigs, bunnies and baby goats are attractive even when they are sleeping. Farm animals are always cute and cuddly. If you want to take that special photo, bribe a goat with flattering words and a handful of freshly picked grass. It works wonders.
Here are four petting farms with lots of fun for the little ones (and their parents).
WHAT: Kinderboerderij De Werf
WHERE: Archimedeslaan 59, (map)
OPENING HOURS: daily 11:00 – 17:00
De Werf is a true animal paradise and also an animal hotel. Loud grunting and sniffing means that Bonny and Dirkje, two shiny pink pigs, are enjoying themselves. They like to be stroked behind their ears. Ponies, donkeys, sheep and goats beg to be cuddled. Chickens and peacocks strut about. The rabbits live in their own cuddling home and love attention. When you go on a holiday, book a spacious room for your rabbit or guinea pig in De Werf’s animal hotel where pets enjoy a dream holidays. Playing with animals makes hungry. The canteen serves freshly brewed tea and coffee, fizzy soft drinks and lots of ice-cream.
WHAT: Kinderboerderij Bos en Lommer
WHERE: Wachterliedplantsoen 2, (map)
OPENING HOURS: Monday – Saturday 11:00 – 16:30
Geese, sheep, goats and chickens amble about Bos en Lommer. This petting farm is the perfect place to befriend a farm animal, also the chickens like a cuddle. Tropical birds flutter in the aviary. Ferrets and guinea pigs sit in roomy cages, but not for long because all visitors want to cuddle them. The kids absolutely adore the place. Seen enough animals and tired with stroking them? No problem, the children’s playground is the perfect place to spend the next few hours. All year round there are lots of activities to take part in: arts & crafts afternoons, kids’ bingo and disco and lots more.
WHAT: Kinderboerderij De Pijp
WHERE: Lizzy Ansinghstraat 82, (map)
OPENING HOURS: Mon – Fri 11:00 – 17:00, Sat and Sun 13:00 – 17:00
Would you expect to find a petting farm next to Okura Hotel, in the heart of ? Ponies, sheep, goats, chickens and many more farm animals have their home next to this chic hotel. Tuesday and Wednesday from 16:00 – 16:30 and Saturday from 15:00 – 15:30 it is cuddling time. Rabbits, guinea pigs, chickens and tortoises have the time of their life when they sit on the lap of a youngster who spoils them by petting and pampering. The animals love their fur being brushed (the brushing activity excludes tortoises and chickens for obvious reasons). On Wednesday afternoon kids are lining up for the pony ride.
WHAT: Geitenboerderij Ridammerhoeve
WHERE: Nieuwe Meerlaan 4, Amstelveen (map)
OPENING HOURS: Wed – Mond 10:00 – 17:00, closed on Tuesday
Ridammerhoeve is different from a petting farm because it is a biodynamic goat and chicken farm. Every Saturday, you can learn how cheese is made and watch part of the process. The farm shop sells goat yoghurt, goat cheese and freshly laid egg. While the kids are roaming about and bottle feeding young calves and goats, parents can relax over a goat milk cappuccino, a goat cheese sandwich or goat milk ice-cream.
Visiting a petting farm is a great way to spend a half day when you are tired with Theme parks and would like to do something more real and peaceful.
photo credit: ripperda @
Tags: kids, petting farm
