Learn With Animals
Come and become part of the farm.
A fun, hands-on session for children who love animals and the outdoors. Children get properly involved in caring for our friendly animals, learning about feeding, handling, welfare, rare breeds and life on the farm.
Sessions are educational, but the focus is on learning by doing. Children build confidence, responsibility and practical countryside skills in a relaxed farm setting.
What A Session Will Look Like
No two sessions are quite the same, but they're always hands-on and shaped around the animals and the season. Children might spend time with:
-
our herd of ponies and horses
-
our rare breed Royal Guernsey Goats
-
our rare breed Oxford Sandy & Black Pigs
-
our friendly Zwartbles Sheep
-
our pack of farm dogs
-
our mixed flock of chickens
They'll learn not just facts about these animals, but how to be around them: how to observe, how to communicate and how to care.
Sessions run for about 1.5hr.
Possible activities
-
Preparing feeds
-
Feeding selected animals
-
Grooming ponies
-
Handling goats and sheep where appropriate
-
Learning about rare breeds
-
Animal welfare
-
Stable management
-
Seasonal farm jobs
-
Countryside education
-
Fun practical activities
-
Teamwork and confidence building
Groups are kept small on purpose. It's what makes the hands-on approach possible and keeps every child properly involved.
What Children Gain
Through hands-on time with our ponies, horses, goats, pigs, sheep and chickens, children build confidence, responsibility, communication and teamwork skills. They learn to problem-solve, take initiative and work as part of a team, developing a real sense of achievement along the way.
As they progress, children pick up a genuine understanding of animal care, welfare and life on a farm, alongside growing confidence in their own abilities.
Who's It For
Learning with Animals is a great fit for:
-
Home educating families looking for structured, hands-on outdoor learning
-
Children who simply love animals and want to get stuck in
-
Families looking for meaningful time outdoors, away from screens
-
Children who find a calm, practical, non-classroom setting brings out the best in them
We're also very happy to welcome children with additional needs. If your child has specific requirements, get in touch beforehand so we can talk through what might work best.
Learning with Animals is primarily aimed at children aged 6 and above. Get in touch to talk about suitability for younger children.
Upcoming in September
Weekly small-group farm sessions return this September. Little Farmers, Farm Rangers and Farm Friends meet every Tuesday, giving children the chance to build confidence, learn practical skills and grow real friendships with our animals over a whole half-term, not just a one-off visit.
You're In Safe Hands
Sweetlands Farm is a licensed, safeguarded environment run by an experienced riding school team with years of hands-on experience teaching children about animals and the countryside. We're DEFRA licensed, ABRS approved and an approved AQA Unit Award Scheme Centre, so you can relax and let your child get stuck in.
Optional Next Step:
AQA Unit Awards
For children who'd like to take things further, Sweetlands Farm is an approved AQA Unit Award Scheme Centre. This means the skills and knowledge children build here can be formally recognised with a nationally recognised certificate, covering areas like animal care, farm animal husbandry and practical countryside skills.
The AQA pathway is entirely optional and sits alongside our sessions. It's there for families who want it, not a requirement to take part. Additional enrolment fees apply £XX.
Important Information
Before participating all participants must:
Complete a Registration & Consent Form
-
Sessions run for approximately 1½ hours
-
Kept small and hands-on by design
-
Suitable for home educators, animal-loving children and families seeking outdoor learning
-
You're welcome to stay in The Farmer's Rest café during the session, or drop off and collect at the end
-
If your child has additional needs, you may prefer to stay nearby in The Farmer's Rest