Enabling Environments: City Farms - Field days

Tucked away from the congestion of city life graze sheep, goats, cows and ponies - just some of the animals at Kentish Town City Farm, in north London.

The farm is one of 15 across the capital - with more than 60 throughout Britain. Friendly and fun, urban farms provide a rich learning environment and a totally new experience for many young children. And when it comes to early learning, 'real-life experience is what it's all about', says Nick Swarbrick, programme lead in the School of Education at Oxford Brookes University.

'There's nothing quite like stroking a cow. It's something you just can't get from either seeing pictures in a book or on a YouTube video, or even from seeing an animal from a distance. Visiting a city farm can help early years practitioners develop different aspects of their children's learning.'

Urban farms started springing up in London and across Britain in the 1970s, following the rise of community gardens in the US a decade earlier. These community-managed projects provide services for a whole range of people, from toddlers to adults with special needs. Many offer a dedicated educational programme and guided tours, and although entry is usually free to the general public, nursery and school visits are normally charged.

REAL ATTRACTION

Kentish Town City Farm, established in 1972, boasts a creche, runs art, singing and baking sessions for children aged five and under and offers pony rides at weekends for those aged four and over.

The farm attracts more than 100 nurseries and schools every year. Entry is £1 per child and £1 per accompanying adult. A fan and regular visitor is Susan Barbara, manager of nearby Queen's Crescent Community Nursery. She makes five trips a year to the farm with eight twoand three-year-olds. The visit, which lasts an hour and a half, is led by the farm's education co-ordinator.

As well as bringing children closer to nature and teaching them about animals, Ms Barbara feels that such visits can teach children important values about caring for animals.

'It's a lovely little farm that takes you back to nature and gives children an opportunity to see how animals live. We were able to stroke the horses and look at the chicken eggs.

'The children now understand that animals need to be fed and cared for, and that when they touch the animals, they've got to wash their hands afterwards. So they learn about hygiene too.'

A visit can also have a powerful effect on the children's well-being, she believes. 'The children were happy to be out and to see different animals that they might have seen in a book, but not necessarily up close.

'Once I had a child who didn't speak a word. When we went to the farm, he was so emotionally awakened by it, he started talking. I was quite shocked.'

PROFOUND EFFECT

A visit to Surrey Docks City Farm, near the River Thames, had a profound effect too on some of the children at Little Blossom Day Nursery in south London.

Every year, around 25 nurseries visit this farm. Here, children can go on a guided tour that involves looking closely at the various animals, touching and feeding them and talking about where they live and what they like to eat.

Recalling his visit with 11 of Little Blossom's twoto four-year-olds, team leader Tunde Oladokun says, 'The farm tour brought out (the children's) curiosity.'

After the visit to the farm, Mr Oladokun conducted interactive sessions with the children about what they saw. 'To my surprise, some of the little ones, below three, could actually recollect their experience at the farm. They could recognise the animals,' he explains. 'One said that the sheep was gentle and quiet, but the goat was always trying to go towards the food. Another said the goat was greedy.'

ORGANISING A TRIP

Visit the farm in advance to carry out your own risk assessment both of the farm and the route to it. Ask the farm managers about:

• Health and safety - after a visit is booked, Surrey Docks Farm, for example, sends the nursery its health and safety instructions.

• Activities - be aware that not all farms can allow children to touch and feed the animals, due to lack of funding and, hence, staff to supervise these activities. City farms rely heavily on local authority funding.

• Educational programmes and guided tours - for example, at Surrey Docks Farm, a guided tour, with animal feeding and classroom activities, costs £120 per nursery group. Self-led visits are £15.

• Eating areas - depending on the farm's rules, nursery groups should be able to have a picnic there.

Allow plenty of time to prepare the children for the visit by talking through what they will see, what will happen on the day and explaining how they should behave - for example, not running or shouting as it will scare the animals.

CITY FARMS: THE LEARNING BENEFITS

Through farm visits, children:

• can explore, investigate and enjoy the challenge of new experiences

• learn about the needs of animals and how to care for them

• develop respect for animals

• enjoy sensory experiences by handling or stroking the animals

• learn about the natural world and the lifecycles of animals

• learn about sources of food and where milk and eggs come from

• build confidence, self-esteem and communication skills

• learn about the importance of hygiene after touching animals.

MORE INFORMATION

• To find a city farm near you, visit: www.farmgarden.org.uk

• www.visitlondon.com/attractions/outdoors/city-farms

• Kentish Town City Farm, www.ktcityfarm.org.uk

• www.surreydocksfarm.org.uk