Why you should take a trip to White Post Farm - The perplexed Aunty

I remember taking several trips to White Post Farm during my years growing up. The memories I have from spending endless days there holding snakes, feeding lambs and stroking ponies are very fond to me as they were spent with my grandparents who are now sadly no longer here.

You could guarantee we would visit at least once during every school holiday for several years and my Grandad and I would splash about in puddles, run to stroke the animals and talk about it for days, as my grandma looked on at us - usually wondering what mayhem we were about to cause.

I'd like to say its where my love for animals probably started, and now, with my own herd of different animals at home I often recall those precious memories.

So when last year, when I became an Aunty to Annie-May I vowed that's where we would go to spend our days getting her used to the animals and making our own memories for her to share with others later on in her life.

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In the last few months since she's been able to walk we've visited twice already and what's great about Annie not being at school yet, it means we've visited during term time and practically had the entire farm to ourselves!

As you walk in to pay there's an option to buy some food for the animals, and at £1 a bag, its not a bad deal. My sister looked at me the first time questioning whether I'd be allowing Annie to hand the animals food. Erm of course, and so off we trotted with some two-legged, four-legged AND reindeer food - both of us quite dumb-founded that reindeers like to eat moss. Everyday's a school day...

Anyway, so as you get in, the first big decision is which way to turn! There's the bigger animals outside at grass, the duck pond, outdoor play, indoor play and then various animals inside - including the baby ones!

The first time we visited we headed over to the duck pond where Annie squealed and proceeded to try and copy what noise the ducks make as we stood feeding them. Even at 1 years old, she does quite a good duck impression!

Next we headed over to the outdoor animals to look at the goats, sheep, deer, and rather large pot bellied pig! My very girly and non-outdoors type sister looked rather uncomfortable as Annie and I found a large puddle and I taught her just how fun it is to jump up and down. My sister, looking very uncomfortable at the thought of Annie getting dirty now shouts "Sian, that's her new outdoor suit, she's going to get it mucky...!" Oh dear..

We spent absolutely ages outside, feeding the various animals, walking around the fields and Annie loved having the freedom to run into the mud, squeal as she ran away from us and interact with the various animals.

My favourite place is indoors, with all the mums-to-be and baby animals. The first time we went we saw some very pregnant looking animals, and were delighted when the second time we went back, we were treated to being able to watch some very cheeky young goats! One little guy kept jumping out of his pen, so Annie and I had great delight in picking him up for a cheeky cuddle. It took some serious will-power not to smuggle him in my jacket and take him home, he was absolutely adorable and so tame.

With the animals inside being a little smaller they're more appealing to the younger children and Annie eventually grew confident enough to feed the goats by herself - not bad for a one year old. I think we spent over half an hour taking the food out the bag, one-by-one and giving the same goat bits of food. He was rather gentle with Annie and had the patience of a saint, even when she wasn't quite giving him the food quick enough!

If you want a break from the animals (you crazy people!) then there's also the option to head on into another barn for the kids to enjoy some soft play and a couple of slides. I lost count of how many times Annie and I trudged up and down the slides as she kept wanting to go again. In the same breath, I don't think I've spent an hour in soft play for a while, but she loved it!

Then when you're all feeling a little peckish and need some hot food to warm you up, there's the option of heading into their cafe which serves a good option of both hot and cold food and drinks, to suit all ages, and at reasonable prices.

After dinner, the perfect place to head to whilst your food settles is into the fish section. Annie is obsessed with watching fish and every time she sees one will shout "SSSSHHH", so this is the perfect place for her to run about and watch all the fish she wants! Beware though - there's a slightly large snake in there, so if you're afraid, don't look behind you!

Overall, White Post Farm is a great day out for all ages. I think between us, my sister and I, plus Annie all had the same amount of fun! My only regret is not buying the year pass, but I wasn't aware it existed the first time I visited. However at just £9 for an adult, its well worth it! Next time we go though, we'll all be buying the years entry pass so we can go back and forth as many times as we want.

I must say, we're all rather excited about lambing season now and getting to feed the baby lambs!

For more information visit www.whitepostfarm.co.uk - we highly recommend it!

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Labels: Annie , annie may , days out , days out with toddlers , goats , Nottingham activities , Nottingham days out , perplexed aunty , PerplexedAunty , toddler , White post farm