We were at a loss at what we should do with the day when Ben signed up for a Kent Pass which included a free child ticket for Kent Life and so off we toddled. Kent Life describes itself as a heritage farm park and is marketed as a family day out.
What I would say is that it is nice, it’s a nice day out. It’s not wet the bed exciting, it will involve queuing for things and it’s mostly outdoors so on the day we went it was cold. BUT that’s kind of what makes it nice, it’s simple. At is core it’s kids and animals and that is nice! It’s reasonably priced and is good for a family day.
https://www.kentlife.org.uk
Price
We went on an off peak day in the half term, adult tickets were £6.95 and children £5.95, under 3’s go free. A family ticket (2 adults, 2 kids) £21.95.
Money saving
As previously mentioned, we used to Kent Pass for free child entry. Initially the reception did not want to accept the Kent Pass but once we showed it to them there wasn’t an issue, so worth doing to save £6!
Parking and Accessibility
There is a good amount of parking available however it was busy so be aware you might not be too near. There is a small car park reserved for disabled parking if required which is right by the gate. The website is very helpful when talking about accessibility etc.
The accessibility of Kent Life varies, it’s a farm after all. Many areas are pathed, however some areas are muddy due to IT BEING A FARM! So be aware that if you have a pushchair you might need to occasionally park it and carry your baby, it may be helpful to bring a baby sling if you have one.
Toilets, toilets are important to me, sad as it is my bladder is like a peanut! There are a good amount of toilets dotted around, although I still did end up queuing for a baby change. The toilets were reasonably clean (again, you are on a farm so be realistic) and clearly are well maintained. My only complaint was that when I used the toilet by the cafe I had to leave Chloe’s pram up some stairs and it was a bit of a juggle lugging her around with the changing bag, but no real hassle.
Things to Do
- The obvious one is, see animals. There is a good variety of animals and they are very interactive and engaging which is nice for parents and kids
- You can buy a bag of animal feed for £1 and the animals were very receptive to being fed!
- Cuddle corner, where kids can stroke and interact with rabbits, guinea pigs, tortoises, chickens and baby chicks! FYI there was a queue for this all day, reason being that the woman who presented this really takes time to engage with the group and ensure every child gets time with the animals.
- Owl academy and bird displays
- Outdoor kids play area including a bouncy castle, a smaller play area is also located by the cafe.
- Indoor kids soft play area (very busy on a cold day!)
- Paint a pot, we didn’t go in here but would be a nice thing to do to extend the day.
- Train ride around the farm, again you will have to queue for this but it’s a nice addition to the day! The driver was very friendly!
- Vintage village (it’s very quaint) and nice to look around - would also be good for some instagram photos if you are into that, which clearly I am, however I was knackered and looked it lol so we can save that for our next visit!
- Big top (we saw an animal display), we timed it so we ate our lunch out of the wind then got to see a display with a skunk, a rare type of rat (which was surprisingly cute) and a big ass lizard thing, afterwards the children could come and touch the animals which was lovely. I have a new love of skunks!
Food
The main place to eat would be Dotty’s cafe which is situated up a small hill, it has a lovely outdoor area as well as space to eat inside. Prices for a kids meal are between £2.50-£4.20, an adults jacket potato is £6 with two fillings, which seems reasonable. Importantly, the coffee was good.
There are lots of locations for visitors to eat food they have brought along with them.
Random Other Stuff
Kent life seems like the kind of place where you can go lots of times and have different experiences, finding different things to look at. No doubt that in the good weather kids could spend a big chunk of time in the outdoor play area and really enjoy themselves. However it was bloody cold when we went so Tom didn’t use the playground for long!
A thing that I did notice was that all the staff were very friendly, they interacted really well with the kids and were knowledgeable about the animals. Things like that can really make or break a day!
Both kids enjoyed the day, although I would say that really Chloe only engaged with the cuddle corner and I think it would be better when she is toddling and can independently interact with the animals rather than from the stroller or in our arms.
Overall
As I said, Kent Life is a nice day out. If you are looking for some wholesome fun with animals then this may well be the place for you.
My parting advice would be, WEAR WELLIES! It was very muddy and muggins here didn’t think about that it was a farm and ended up with very muddy uggs!
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