Travelling with children? Want a change of scene and a break from the non-stop activity of the larger theme parks? Why not visit the Green Meadows Petting Farm. Take a hay ride, milk a cow, hold a baby chick…it is a great family day out and good value for money. We have visited this attraction on our last two trips to Orlando and plan on going back again. It has a relaxing atmosphere and the kids are kept busy, what more could you ask for?
“Green Meadows Farm” is located at 1368 South Poinciana Blvd, Kissimmee. Don’t be put off by the fact that you have to join an organised tour for the 2 to 2 ½ hour wander around the farm. The tour guides are very knowledgeable and will happily answer questions from the children (and adults!). It also means that you get to experience absolutely everything on offer, and you can get up close and personal with all the animals, as you are allowed to go inside the pens. Make sure you grab a “Little Red Wagon” to pull the kids around in, or even just to put all the “stuff” in that you always seem to end up carrying.
There is a good variety of farm animals on display. As you take your tour, you are offered the chance to chase and catch a chicken (good luck!!). You can feed and stroke the goats and sheep. The opportunity to milk a cow was just too much for our 4 year old daughter, who looked quite astonished with the realisation of where milk actually came from! The children can have a pony ride. There are baby chicks and ducks to hold – as all the parents looked on hoping that their child would not be the one to either drop it or squash it from an over enthusiastic hug! There are donkeys, pigs, turkeys, geese…in fact every type of farm animal that you could think of!
At the mid point of the tour, you get to experience a tractor-drawn hay ride. We had a very enthusiastic bunch of people on our wagon and so it did not take long for a sing-song to start. “Old MacDonald’s Farm” seems to be a universal song! Don’t worry, singing is not compulsory but it did add a lot of fun, for both adults and children alike!
Towards the end of our tour, we went on the “Green Meadows Express” train ride around the farm. This was the highlight of the day for our 2 year old son…nothing beats a “choo-choo” train!
We have yet to experience this, as we have not visited at that time of year, but apparently if you go in October, you get to pick a pumpkin from the farm’s own pumpkin patch.
As your guided tour comes to an end, you are presented with a souvenir cup, and then you are free to wander around by yourselves. You can re-visit your favourite animals (don’t go inside the pens though), and there are several large play areas with climbing frames, slides, swings, and plenty of small ride-on toys for the kids to enjoy. Dotted throughout the farm are old tractors and other farm machinery to climb on, and even a fire truck to explore.
There is an undercover picnic area provided, if you want to take your own lunch. But you can also buy snacks and drinks from the farm shop, if you prefer.
Check out their website www.greenmeadowsfarm.com before you leave for Florida, or give them a call on (407) 846 0770 once you are there. The tours run from 9:30 am to 4:00pm. In April 2004, it was $18 per person/$14 for the more senior members of our family – and under 2’s get in for free. These prices include all the activities that are on offer, and you can easily spend a whole day there – we did!