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Animals / Liverpool and beyond

Farms near Liverpool for kids: from the free one on Bidston Hill to the safari you drive through

Seven farms and animal days out within an hour of Liverpool, with what each costs, which ones need booking and which let under 3s in free. Includes the one that costs nothing and the one with lions.

By FamDays · Checked · Published 28 October 20262 hours to a full dayAll ages

The dovecote and paddock at Tam O'Shanter Urban Farm, Bidston

Every child goes through the farm phase. Some never come out of it. Merseyside is well set up for both, with a free city farm ten minutes from the tunnel, a cheap one in Kirkby, two proper farm parks up the Ormskirk road and, if you are feeling flush, a safari park and the zoo.

Free and nearly free

Tam O'Shanter Urban Farm beside Bidston Hill on the Wirral charges nothing, has level paths through every animal area, a cafe and free parking by the entrance, and opens every day except Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day. It runs on donations. Put something in the box; it is the best value morning in Merseyside.

Acorn Farm in Kirkby is a charity run farm with horses, meerkats, pigs, goats and rabbits, open every day 10am to 4pm, £4 for adults and £3 for children aged 1 to 16, under 12 months free. No booking for general entry. Animal petting and pony rides are extra and the tickets must be used on the day. There is no background music and a sensory garden, which makes it a calm one.

The farm parks

Farmer Ted's at Downholland, 30 to 40 minutes north, is the full day one: indoor soft play, a restaurant, farm animals, a Shaun the Sheep area, a maze and a tractor ride, with seasonal events and pumpkin picking in October. From £15.50 a person, under 1s free, and a family ticket for two adults and two children from £57 that is only sold online. It opens on selected dates on its calendar and is closed on many term time weekdays, so check before setting off.

Windmill Animal Farm near Burscough has animal handling sessions, a farm train to the lake and mostly undercover activities, open every day 10am to 5pm with the train from 11am. Booking is essential and prices are in the online shop; in October it sells only through the Pumpkin Picking event. Brimstage Farm on the Wirral is seasonal: the maize maze, play barn and ice cream parlour open daily in the summer holidays at £14.50 a child, under 3s free, with a ticketed Halloween event in October.

The big ones

Knowsley Safari at Prescot is a five mile drive through the animal reserves in your own car plus the Foot Safari with the sea lions and rides, all on one ticket: £26 for adults, £24.50 for children aged 3 to 15, £2.50 for a 1 or 2 year old and babies free, booked online in advance. Same day prices are £3 higher and online booking is described as essential. Closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and the drive shuts at 3.30pm. Chester Zoo, 40 minutes down the M53, is £25 online for anyone aged 3 and over on value dates, £2.50 for toddlers, free parking, and gate prices are £15 to £17 higher, so never turn up without booking.

Animals of a different kind

WWT Martin Mere near Burscough is the wetland centre with waterfowl gardens, paved trails, hides and adventure play, £11.12 for a child aged 3 to 17 and £48.11 for a family of four online, under 3s free, with winter hours from late October. Otterspool Adventure in south Liverpool has a small farm alongside the playground, soft play and go karts, £9 a child off peak and £19 at peak.

The FamDays verdict

Tam O'Shanter this weekend, Acorn Farm the next, and save Knowsley Safari for the birthday. Whatever you do, book the big ones online; the difference at the gate pays for lunch.

Everything families need to know before visiting

Which farm near Liverpool is free?

Tam O'Shanter Urban Farm on Bidston Hill, Wirral, which runs on donations.

Do farms near Liverpool need booking?

Knowsley Safari says online booking is essential and charges more on the day. Windmill Animal Farm says booking is essential. Farmer Ted's family ticket is online only. Acorn Farm and Tam O'Shanter need no booking.

Which farm is best for toddlers?

Acorn Farm for a calm, cheap morning with pony rides, Tam O'Shanter for level paths and free entry, Farmer Ted's for a full day with soft play.

The places in this guide

Live from our checked listings: prices, ages and when each one was last confirmed.

9 places
A cow in a field at Acorn Farm, KirkbyPhoto: Mike Pennington, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
From £3
All agesAdults £4.00, children aged 1 to 16 £3.00, under 12 months free of charge. Small animal petting and horse rides are charged extra and tickets must be used on the day of purchase. Groups of 15 or more must prebook a guided tour at an additional charge.
Checked by FamDays on 17 Oct
The courtyard at Brimstage Hall on the Wirral, where the farm and shops arePhoto: Rodhullandemu, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
From £13.50
All agesSummer day ticket: adult £13.50, child aged 3 and over £14.50, children aged 2 or under free; all activities and parking included. Tickets on the door cost a little more. Season ticket (adult £36.50, child £39.50) shown as sold out. Play Barn weekend entry: under 12 months free, children aged 1 and over £5, adults £2. Grimstage event prices not captured.
Checked by FamDays on 17 Oct
Three giraffes outside their house at Chester ZooPhoto: Photograph by Mike Peel (www.mikepeel.net)., CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Chester Zoo

Upton, Chester
From £25
All agesOnline prices including a 10 percent donation, Value dates: adult (16 and over) 25.00, child (3 to 15) 25.00, student 25.00, toddler (1 to 2) 2.50, baby free, carer free. Standard dates online: adult 38.00, child 28.00, student 30.00, toddler 2.50. Gate prices including donation: adult 42.50, child 30.00, student 35.00, toddler 2.50. Prices without the donation are about 9 percent lower (for example adult Value 22.72, toddler 2.27). The site does not explain which dates are Value and which are Standard. No family ticket is listed. price_from is the toddler ticket; the lowest adult or child price is 25.00 online on Value dates.
Checked by FamDays on
Two white rhinos grazing at Knowsley SafariPhoto: Photograph by Mike Peel (www.mikepeel.net)., CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
From £24.50
All agesAdvance online booking: adult (16 and over) 26.00, child (3 to 15) 24.50, toddler (aged 1 and 2) 2.50, baby under 1 free, concession (65 and over) 24.50. Same day tickets: adult 29.00, child 27.50, toddler 2.50, concession 27.50. A standard ticket includes both the 5 mile Safari Drive and the Foot Safari; the site does not sell them separately. Prices may vary at peak times and bank holidays. No family ticket is listed. price_from is the toddler price; the lowest adult or child price is 24.50 in advance. The Baboon Bus is an optional extra added at checkout, price not stated.
Checked by FamDays on
The high ropes course among the trees at Otterspool AdventurePhoto: Rodhullandemu, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
From £4.50
All agesOff peak: child £9, adult £4.50. Peak: child £19, adult £9.50. Peak may include weekends, event days, school holidays, bank holidays and other holidays; off peak runs during winter hours. Child ticket includes playground, adventure golf, indoor soft play, adventure farm, go karts, and weather or peak dependent bouncing pillows, racing rangers and boat ride. Adult ticket includes park admission, adventure golf, adventure farm and go karts. Age bands for child and adult are not defined on the prices page.
Checked by FamDays on 17 Oct
The dovecote and paddock at Tam O'Shanter Urban Farm, BidstonPhoto: El Pollock, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Free
All agesThe site describes itself as a free urban farm and asks visitors to make a donation or fundraise for the farm.
Checked by FamDays on 17 Oct
A cow at the fence of a field at Windmill Animal Farm, BurscoughPhoto: Christine Johnstone, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Price not listed
All agesTicket categories are adult (16 and over), child (1 to 15, under 1s free) and OAPs and carers, but prices are only shown inside the online shop and were not captured. Play Days are offered at a reduced price with adults free. October weekends and half term must be booked through the Pumpkin Picking event.
Checked by FamDays on 17 Oct
The visitor centre at WWT Martin Mere with birds on the grass in frontPhoto: Chris Denny, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
From £11.12
All agesOnline advance prices without Gift Aid: adult £17.10, junior (3 to 17) £11.12, family (2 adults and 2 children aged 3 to 17) £48.11, concession (65 and over, full time student) and young adult (18 to 24) £15.53, under 3 free, carers assisting disabled visitors free. On the day prices: adult £19.00, junior £12.35, family £53.45, concession £17.25. Prices with a Gift Aid donation are higher. The 10 percent online saving applies only to bookings made before midnight the day before the visit. Reduced price Universal Credit tickets available in advance.
Checked by FamDays on 17 Oct

Farmer Ted's Adventure Farm

Downholland, near Ormskirk
From £15.50
All agesGeneral admission from 15.50 per person for full day entry; under 1s free; children aged 1 to 3 get a discounted rate (amount not stated). Family ticket from 57.00 for two adults and two children, online only and not available on the gate. Toddler Day Ticket from 13.50 for one adult and one child under 5, valid on selected term time weekdays. An Afternoon Saver rate applies after 2pm (amount not stated). Farmer Christmas (28 November to 24 December 2026, selected dates) adults from 16.50 and children from 26.50. The homepage headline says a whole day of farm fun from under 15 pounds each, which is slightly below the 15.50 stated on the prices page. Proof of age is needed for 65 and over, 12 to 24 month and under 1 tickets. Separate adult and child prices are not listed on the page fetched.
Checked by FamDays on

Read next

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Local parent insider tips

Before you set off

  • Book the big ones, turn up to the small onesThe safari park, the big soft plays and anything with a timed entry sell out in school holidays. Parks, beaches, most museums and the libraries never do. Every card says whether you need to book.
  • Train beats car for the coast and the centreMerseyrail stops next to the beach at Crosby, Freshfield and Southport, and under the museums at Liverpool Central. Under 5s travel free and a Saveaway covers the day after 9.30 on weekdays and all day at weekends.
  • How we checkEvery listing is rechecked against the venue's own website every week, and each card shows the date it was last confirmed. If something has changed since, the Tell us link on every page reaches a person who fixes it.

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Prices and hours in this guide come from each venue's own website on the day we checked them, and the cards above update every morning. Always check with the venue before you set off.