Therapeutic, educational, and cute as anything – a trip to a petting farm has something to offer all ages
Manchester has loads of places to get up close with animals and reconnect with nature, ranging from the free-entry petting farms at Heaton Park and Wythenshawe Park, to full days out at places like Tatton Park and Smithills Open Farm.
Toddlers love seeing all those farm animals they’ve been singing about in real life. Imagine laying your eyes on a horse or a chicken for the first time – a farm really is a place of wonder when you’re with little ones. Meanwhile older kids can learn about food production and animal biology and even have a go at being a farmer themselves.
And who doesn’t love stroking something small and winsome and furry? Before cat cafes and puppy yoga there were petting farms. (And most of them have coffee on hand too).
The ConfidentialGuides.com team have put together a list of the the best petting zoos and farms near Manchester - read it here.
![2024 07 15 Smithills Open Farm Animals](/uploads/imager/299deb39facbb0c50fa0371390d9cd0c/1284959/b05f20e96342079ffcc9d0504692e8ac.jpeg)