Yorkshire’s home to some fantastic petting farms, but we’ve rounded up our favourites. Check them out.
Adorable animals? Check. Soft play areas? Check. Tractor rides and cafes? Check and double-check – it can only be a day out at the petting farm! We have some cracking ones right across Yorkshire, so whether you want to feed a little lamb or cuddle a baby chicken, you can do all that and more. To help you plan a fantastic family day out, we’ve listed our favourite Yorkshire petting farms below.
Looking for more animal encounters across Yorkshire. Check out our guides on the best bird of prey centres in Yorkshire, as well as Yorkshire’s best zoos, aquariums and wildlife centres.
Piglets Adventure Farm
Credit: Piglets Adventure Farm
Little ones will love Piglets Adventure Farm. This Yorkshire petting farm offers loads of hands-on animal fun, from stroking soft rabbits and guinea pigs to visiting expectant mummy pigs in the Piglets Maternity Ward – you might even see new arrivals being born!
Springtime at Piglets is especially magical. When we visited, we held tiny, chirping chicks and bottle-fed sweet, wobbly lambs—so cute. But the fun doesn’t stop there. Enjoy bumpy tractor-trailer rides, explore the indoor soft play area and discover countless activities designed to make your family day out unforgettable.
Where? Towthorpe Grange, Towthorpe Moor Lane, Towthorpe, York, North Yorkshire, YO32 9ST.
How much? Children’s tickets start from £9.95 and adult tickets start from £8.95 when booked online.
When it’s open: Opening times vary throughout the year, but are typically from 10am to 5pm throughout spring and summer and 10am to 4pm in autumn and winter.
Get it booked: pigletsadventurefarm.com
Boston Park Farm
Boston Park Farm is a little different from other petting zoos in Yorkshire. The Chappell family have been running the working farm for nearly five decades now but in 2000, they decided to open it to the public. Over the years, they’ve grown, grown and grown some more, making space for all the adorable animals that now call it home.
So, who will you be meeting? Well, how about donkeys, alpacas, rabbits and so many more? A bag of animal feed from the cafe only costs £1.50, and with animal handling sessions every day at 11:30am and 2:30pm, you couldn’t ask for much more when it comes to petting farms in Yorkshire.
Where? Bawtry Road, Hatfield Woodhouse, Old Cantley, Doncaster, South Yorkshire, DN7 6DS.
How much? Toddler tickets start from £7, children (3-12 years) from £8 and adults from £5.
When it’s open: 10am to 4pm year-round (or until 5pm during May half-term, summer holidays, and weekends from May to September).
Get it booked: bostonpark.com
Graves Park Animal Farm
Graves Park Animal Farm may only be small, but the free admission and unique rare animal breeds make it one of Yorkshire’s stand-out petting farms. There’s no booking required, so just turn up and you can rub shoulders with Tamworth pigs, Highland cattle and Jacob sheep.
Feed comes in at £1.50 a bag, and sometimes there’s even carrot sticks, tomatoes and cucumber for feeding the guinea pigs! After you’re done, why not explore the wider 248 acres of parkland?
Where? Hemsworth Road, Norton, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S8 8LJ.
How much? Free admission, with a suggested donation of £3.
When it’s open: 10am to 3:30pm daily.
Get it booked: facebook.com/gravesparkanimalfarm
Beetle Bank Farm
The family-run Beetle Bank Farm has all you need for the perfect family day out. You’ll find it just on the outskirts of York, but it feels a million miles away from city life thanks to its quiet, tranquil setting. Little ones can stroke and feed animals in the barn, as well as meet creatures of all shapes and sizes, from alpacas and pigs to turkeys and even emus.
If you’ve got kids who need to let off some steam, a day trip here promises to do just that. They can whizz around on the tractor rides, bounce on the inflatables or just go wild on the adventure playground. They’ll definitely sleep well afterwards.
Where? Moor Lane, Murton, York, North Yorkshire, YO19 5XD.
How much? £8 for weekday day passes, or £6 for concessions, and £9.50 for weekend day passes, or £7.50 for concessions.
When it’s open: 9:30am to 4pm Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, and 10am to 4pm Saturday and Sunday. Closed Tuesdays.
Get it booked: beetlebankopenfarm.co.uk
Monk Park Farm
There are hundreds of animals just waiting to be stroked, petted and fed at Monk Park Farm in Thirsk. Set across a whopping 84 acres, you’ll find all the classic guinea pigs, rabbits, lambs and baby goats, but our favourite has to be the barrel ride that takes you up close with the wallabies, deer and alpacas.
Elsewhere, the outdoor play areas and The Monk Park Express train ride are great fun. There’s loads of seasonal joy to be had too, from meeting Santa at Christmas to attending spell classes at Halloween and hunting for Easter Eggs in the spring.
Where? Green Lane, Thirsk, North Yorkshire, YO7 2AG.
How much? Standard adult and child tickets start from £12.45, with tickets for under 1s at £3.
When it’s open: Opening times vary throughout the year, but are typically from 10am to 3pm Friday to Monday during term-time, and 10am to 5pm during school holidays and event days.
Get it booked: monkparkfarm.co.uk
Swithens Farm
Swithens Farm is not only one of the best petting farms in Leeds, but the whole of Yorkshire in our opinion. What started as a family-run working pig farm has transformed into a great day for the whole family, where you can meet and feed the animals, be it pigs and sheep or alpacas and meerkats.
If your little ones are under 10, make a beeline for The Play Barn. They can swing, slide and climb their way around the indoor adventure playground – it’s the perfect way to tire them out. When you head home, why not grab some locally-reared meat to take with you?
Where? Swithen’s Lane, Rothwell, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS26 0BT.
How much? Farm park entry from £11.57 for adults and children (2-16 years), with 1s and under going free. Play Barn entry is £3.16 per child.
When it’s open: 10am to 4pm Saturday and Sunday. Closed weekdays.
Get it booked: swithensfarm.co.uk
The Big Sheep & Little Cow Farm
Credit: The Big Sheep Little Cow Farm
Fancy bottle-feeding a lamb? How about brushing a miniature horse? Well, you can do all this and more at Bedale’s very own Big Sheep & Little Cow Farm! This small, family-run farmstead is somewhat of a hidden gem, but this Yorkshire petting farm has some of the most attentive staff and some of the cutest animals.
We’re talking goats, sheep, tortoises and even a snake – eek! The best part, though, has to be the farmer experience, where little ones can muck in for half a day on a real working farm. It’s a great way for them to learn animal husbandry and have fun at the same time.
Where? Aiskew Watermill, Bedale, North Yorkshire, DL8 1AW.
How much? General admission is £12 for adults and children, with children under 12 months going free. Play area access is £8 per child.
When it’s open: 10am to 5pm daily during school holidays, and 12pm to 3pm Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, 10am to 4pm Saturday, and 10am to 4pm during term-time.
Get it booked: bigsheeplittlecow.co.uk
