One of my favourite kind of day out with my boy is visiting a farm or petting zoo. We’ve been visiting them since he was a toddler and they really are fun for all the family. Going on a day out to a farm is both a fun and learning experience. It doesn’t have to be an expensive trip out either. There are many community farms which are free to visit, or have a minimal admission fee.

Our local farm is Wythenshawe Community Farm and we love visiting. It’s small but has lots of animals to see and learn about. Plus it’s next door to a huge and very fun playground; there’s a nearby café and the farm shop is well worth a visit.

I’ve come up with a list of 15 Farm Days out in and around Manchester for you to explore this summer.

16 Farm days out in and around Manchester

Apple Jacks Adventure Farm, Warrington – More of an adventure playground with a maze than a farm or petting zoo. Lots of fun all the same.

Blaze Farm, Ice Cream Farm, Macclesfield – Famous for their homemade ice cream, Blaze Farm also has nature trails and a tea room on site. It is free to visit.

Canalside Farm, Adlington, Cheshire – A new petting farm in Cheshire. No booking required and only £4 per person to visit.

Cockfields Farm Park, Ashton-under-Lyne – Popular petting zoo with indoor and outdoor play areas, reptile shows and small animal handling sessions.

Heaton Park Animal Centre, Heaton Park, Manchester – The Animal Centre, set in the old stables, is a great free place to take the kids. You can meet many common farmyard animals; including chickens, goats, pigs, guinea pigs, rabbits as well as more exotic species such as alpacas.

Kenyon Hall Farm, Warrington – Kenyon Hall Farm is a farm shop, café, plant centre and pick your own experience near Warrington. It has a summer trail and pumpkin picking in the autumn.

Lancaster Park & Animal Farm, Oldham – Lancaster Park is a family run petting farm near Oldham which has farm animals to pet and feed, along with activities for all the family.

Matlock Farm Park, Derbyshire – Matlock Farm is a family-friendly day out with play areas, go-karting and a petting zoo with Highland cattle, llamas and more.

Mrs Dowsons Farm Park, Blackburn – This is a family-run dairy farm with a children’s play area, talks and activities and homemade ice cream!

Reddish Vale Farm, Stockport – Popular farm with horse riding and animals to meet and pet from cows to alpacas, plus a tearoom on site. Read about our visit here.

Smithills Open Farm, Bolton – The popular farm in Bolton has tractor rides, a pets’ corner where you can meet guinea pigs, chick, rabbits, lambs, deer, goats and many more animals. You can also enjoy ice cream and super-fun play areas.

Tatton Park Farm, Tatton, Cheshire – This 40 acre working farm is set in a corner of the park known as Tatton Dale. The farm is fun for all the family, meet some of the rare breeds; explore the farm and learn about some of the history of farming at Tatton.

The Donkey Sanctuary, Manchester – A seven-acre oasis of calm and peace in Manchester, the donkey sanctuary offers donkey-assisted learning services.

The Garden House, Marple, Stockport – The Garden House is a registered charity and community farm in Marple, Cheshire. They have a variety of animals, including pygmy goats, alpacas, Shetland ponies and pigs. Check out their website to see what’s on throughout the year.

Wythenshawe Community Farm, Wythenshawe – is a community farm based in Wythenshawe Park. The farm is a registered charity, and it is open all days of the week. It has a selection of farm animals including pigs, sheep, goats, cows and horses; and it often has baby animals on site due to its breeding programme. The farm’s walled garden grows fruit and vegetables which are available in the farm shop.

If you enjoyed this, then you might want to read about these 11 dinosaur days out in the North West.