Outdoor petting zoo FREE (open May to Dec, weather permitting). Birthday parties/ events, Horse Drawn Hay Rides – Sleigh Rides, Saddle Pony Rides, School Tours, Brownie & Cub Groups, Beaver Groups, Disabled Groups – Senior Groups. Tel: (905) 640-7669
Ages: All ages.
Major Intersection: Hwy 404 & Stouffville Road
Address: 11714 McCowan Road, Stouffville, Ontario
If you make an inquiry, please mention that you saw this listing on the Melanie On-The-Go / Kids On-The-Go website. Thank you!
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Activities We Did:
Fed the animals!!
Good to Go!:
It was fun for my little one walked around and tried to feed the animals. The animals look pretty happy there. We enjoyed it very much.
Not so Much/ Suggestions for Improvement:
Can’t stay long since no washroom.
Additional Ratings:
- Amenities: 2.5/5
- Value: 5/5
Activities We Did:
My child loves the wagon. She adores the animals and loves feeding them. It’s our favourite place.
Good to Go!:
A donation container is placed by the entrance/exit. This place is so worth it.
Quick Tips for Others: If you forgot to bring snacks or food for yourself and your kids, just drive on east on Stouffville Road and travel south on Markham Rd. to Walmart or A&Ws. It’s about a five minute drive.
Additional Ratings:
- Amenities: 3.5/5
- Value: 5/5
Activities We Did:
Fed the animals
Pony ride
Picnic by the road
Good to Go!:
It’s probably best to go on a cooler day since there is not much shade in the area. There are tons of farm animals to feed. I find for a 3 year old it is MUCH more manageable than the Toronto Zoo. The enclosed space allowed my daughter a little more independence to venture around on her own.
Not so Much/ Suggestions for Improvement:
Like the other comments – bring baby wipes, snacks and use the washroom before you go.
Again, make sure you go on a not so hot day as there are only a few shaded areas.
Quick Tips for Others:
Bring a head of lettuce for the animals.
We had a picnic lunch by the road and it was beautiful to get away from the city.
Additional Ratings:
- Amenities: 3.5/5
- Value: 5/5
Activities We Did:
Ran around, fed the animals, petted some of the animals, picnic lunch, played on the ‘farm equipment’ toys.
Good to Go!:
We had a great time! All the animals are very well behaved and quite gentle. They do sometimes challenged each other for food sometimes, but that’s just nature.
They where gentle when taking the food from both children and adults. I would use more caution with the horses, sheep & goats as they tend to get the most excited when they see food. The rabbits where a highlight for me: they nibbled at a carrot as I held it through the gate and my daughter could pet them gently as they ate. She also got to touch the donkey, calf, sheep, horse and the dogs…
The 2 farm dogs roamed freely, and where so sweet and quiet. My daughter is afraid of dogs since she was frightened by one last summer. But she LOVED these dogs! She even layer down in the grass with one, and later she gave big hugs to the other! That just shows you how friendly these gods are!
We played on the ‘farm equipment’ toys with other children, and that was a nice break from running around. There are 2 play sections: one at the back-right (next to the chicken coop) and the other at the front-left (next to the horses).
We will be back for sure!
Not so Much/ Suggestions for Improvement:
I don’t agree with Deer being kept in pens. I grew up on a farm in eastern Canada, and deer (to me) aren’t farm animals. They looked so sad in their pens, and I did not see them interact with anyone for the 3 and a half hours we where there.
No changing table, so come prepared with a changing pad.
Quick Tips for Others:
Free parking. If you plan on having lunch wile your there bring a blanket and what you need to wash your hands (tho, hand sanitizer is available at the entrance for free). Port-a-pot at the back of the petting farm. One of the owners saw us going in, and didn’t say anything, so I suppose it’s for public use.
There isn’t much shade (only at the back where the bunnies are) so come prepared. Sun hat, sunglasses, sunblock, and even an umbrella if you plan on having a quick picnic on the grass.
Bring mud boots if you have them since there could be a few muddy puddles along the gravel pathway around the animals.
Entrance is free, but there is a donation box at the entrance if you would like to donate. All money collected goes towards caring for the animals you have the pleasure of spending the day with
Lionel Farm does birthday parties and also hosts groups (like girl guides, or church groups and summer camps). You must call ahead and book with them for these services.
Additional Ratings:
- Amenities: 5/5
- Value: 5/5
Activities We Did:
Fed the usual farm animals, lots of different kinds of birds, bunnies, llama, deer.
Good to Go!:
We really enjoyed feeding the animals, definitly a fun way to spend few hours in the sunshine. It is all open air so it wasn’t as smelly as the usual farm. we’ll be back
Not so Much/ Suggestions for Improvement:
Wish there was a hand washing station or proper restroom.
Quick Tips for Others:
Bring enough snacks for you and the animals– the animals seem insatiable and baby wipes & hand sanitizer for cleanup and use the restroom before you come.
Additional Ratings:
- Amenities: 2/5
- Value: 5/5
Activities We Did:
fed animals (brought food from home according to their website specifications), ran around a lot, played in giant tractor tires laying in the play area, “drove” a skidoo (it’s almost embedded) and the wooden car w/ 4 steering wheels, ran more…
Good to Go!:
loved it. easy to drive to, the animals are so well accustomed to little people feeding them, they’re gentle even when fighting for the food. The space is a great size and it’s fenced in to let the kids run, but still keep an eye on them. The extra park-like features are a great idea Ie the wagon, the skidoo etc.
Not so Much/ Suggestions for Improvement:
I wasn’t a fan of the deer being there, i feel like they need more space for their accommodations. Only other downfall, I’d imagine it’d be a mad house in the summer!
Quick Tips for Others:
Check their website so you bring only the requested food, and please honour the requests! There’s a clean, surprisingly good smelling port a pot at the back, but as Melanie said, notsure if we were supposed to use it or not. There’s hand sanitizer pumps by the geese as you enter (didn’t realize that until we were leaving). Check their website so you bring only the requested food, and please honour the requests! Wear farm-appropriate footwear as there are some muddy areas. Bring snacks, hats, sunscreen, even a blanket for a picnic and lots of water.
Additional Ratings:
- Amenities: 4.5/5
- Value: 5/5
Thank you for reviewing Heather! Sorry for the earlier glitch. It’s been fixed! And thank you for pointing out the hand sanitizer. I am blind
Activities We Did:
Walked (ran) around, played on the tires, in the car at the front with 4 steering wheels, rocking ‘car’, and the big ‘wagon’ at the front.
Good to Go!:
It’s free so that’s a big plus Lots of animals in different caged or fenced in areas, all out in the yard (not in barns). We saw ducks, geese, goats, sheep, a cow, ponies, turkeys, chickens, peacocks, bunnies, a deer, and more. Bigger than Riverdale Farm.
There are a couple play areas – one in the back on the right side, and one in the front on the left side after you come past the entrance. My kids loved the wooden car at the front with 4 steering wheels.
It’s a good sized petting zoo with lots of room for your kids to run around on grass. The pens look well-kept and the animals well cared for (although the one deer looked lonely!).
Only about a 5- 7 minute drive from Hwy 404 & Stouffville. Basically around the corner from Bruce Mill Conservation Area.
Not so Much/ Suggestions for Improvement:
Of course it would be nice if they sold snacks and drinks (I always forget to pack for myself!), if there were picnic tables, proper washrooms, and a hand washing station, but it’s for free so can’t complain.
Quick Tips for Others:
I hear it gets muddy after it rains so bring rain boots and a change of shoes for the car.
Bring hand sanitizer (no hand washing stations here) and snack for your child since the don’t sell anything.
There’s one port-o-toilet (clean and there’s a child’s potty seat in it) but not sure if it’s for public use (it’s in the area for bookings only- i.e. birthday parties and school groups). So make sure your child goes before you leave the house and you also may want to bring a portable potty just in case.
There’s no shaded area so be sure to bring hats and sunblock!
Additional Ratings:
- Amenities: 2/5
- Value: 5/5
Activities We Did:
We fed all kinds of animals! Bring your own carrots and you can feed anything from goats to lambs to donkeys to rabbits… All the animals are penned so the kids can move around freely. It’s an exciting way to spend and hour or two!
Good to Go!:
for the past 2 years, my daughter has loved coming here. She loves the animals and the interaction with them.
Not so Much/ Suggestions for Improvement:
I am not sure whether or not there are accessible washrooms (you are in a farmers field – or front yard)
Quick Tips for Others:
Be sure to wear rain boots if it has rained recently.
Additional Rating:
- Value: 5/5