📍 longcot
Farmer Gow's
Hands-on small farm near Faringdon with animal handling, indoor play barn and pony rides.
✦ We visited
We went on a weekday morning and had the lamb feeding almost to ourselves. Go early so the toddlers get a turn before the school groups arrive.
Farmer Gow's is a small working farm just outside Faringdon that is built around getting children close to the animals. Families bottle-feed lambs and kid goats in season, handle guinea pigs and rabbits in the cuddle corner, hold chicks and meet pigs, ponies, sheep and alpacas in the pens. There are timed animal-encounter sessions through the day, so it helps to arrive in the morning and plan around them.
The site is compact and easy to manage with little ones. As well as the animals there is an indoor barn for wet weather, sand play, a pedal-tractor track and a play area, plus seasonal pony rides. It is one of the better local choices for toddlers and pre-schoolers because the distances are short and the staff are used to nervous first-time animal handlers.
It is not a huge day out, but it is a calm and genuinely hands-on one. Quieter times and a smaller scale make it a sensible pick for families who find bigger parks overwhelming.
Good for: animals, outdoors, sensory, send-friendly. Ages: 0–2, 3–4, 5–7, 8–11.
Good to know
Is Farmer Gow's good for toddlers?
Yes, the compact site and hands-on animal sessions are aimed squarely at toddlers and pre-schoolers.
How long do you need at Farmer Gow's?
Around half a day is plenty, especially built around the timed animal-encounter sessions.
Is there parking at Farmer Gow's?
Yes, there is free on-site parking close to the entrance.