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Pumpkin Week at Down at the Farm

Writer's picture: Kelly Kelly


We were asked by Down at the Farm if we would like to attend The famous Pumpkin Week celebrations so we decided to send Rachel and her family along for a day of farm time fun.


Rachels Review

This Saturday I was leaning against a fence, face warm from the low Autumn sun, watching deer roam the hillside while my children bounced blissfully on a giant bouncy pillow.

I was relaxed (a rare commodity these days, and worth its weight in gold), breathing in the fresh air, and realised it was one of those parenting moments I will revisit decades from now when they’re grown and flown. If you’re looking for a relaxing day of Autumn fun with younger children, look no further than Down at the Farm’s Halloween event. I truly can’t imagine a more perfectly pitched event for families to celebrate the season.




What to expect...


Animals!

The animals were so relaxed and happy. The playfulness of the ferret, serene calm of the deer. My family collectively fell in love with the adorable fluffy rabbit we brushed at the small animal encounter.  

Outdoor play equipment

So many happy faces could be spotted on the outdoor play equipment, from obstacle courses, swings, and climbing frames to giant bouncy pillows and elaborate tunnels. The tunnels look like they’re made for giant gerbils, but my boys loved them and spent a happy half hour scurrying through them and popping out in unexpected places.

A pumpkin patch!

The pumpkin patch is on the smaller side but adorable, with Minions hay bales, child-sized wheelbarrows, and enough photo ops to fill your phone. There’s also a tent set up for carving/painting but they do mention in the confirmation email to bring your own carving kit.  

Face painting

We didn’t make it to the face painting but I saw so many kids living their best lives with brilliantly painted faces it still has to make ‘the highlight reel’  

Scarecrow building

This was a timed event and definitely one of our highlights. Families create full-sized scarecrows and the results are brilliant.  

Barrel ride

Children get a ticket for the barrel ride on entry. I went on with my littlest and while I’m not sure my knees have fully recovered it was well worth it to hear his giggles as we bumped around the little track.  

Pedal tractors and racetrack

In addition to pedal tractors, there’s a small, motorised car racetrack where you can pop £2 in to ride several laps around the track. Proud grins from my kids and husband on finishing their final lap  

Spooky maze

There’s a maze which has the only elements I might classify as spooky/scary at Down at the Farm. You get a pretty good sense of the vibe from the moment you enter so if you’re unsure maybe have a peek in first to see whether you think it’s something your littles would enjoy.  

Games

They have a few games set out – fun Halloween versions of skittles, a sack race, and witches hat toss. I raced my 6-year-old in the sack race and was suitably humbled.  

Lovely decorations

There is a beautifully thought-out mix of Halloween (vibe generally more spooky than scary) decorations and their regular decorations. We particularly loved all the Poppy and Sam art in the barn and the Minions guarding the pumpkin patch.   

Café

The food was lovely and reasonably priced, with enough options to satisfy the fussier eaters and vegetarians amongst us. The café has decorations up for Halloween and some picnic benches near the climbing frames in case you need to re-caffeinate while the kids play.  

A trail with a prize at the end

As you work your way around the site, keep an eye out for items on the trail. It’s a decent challenge to spot them all, and the kids seemed delighted with their well-earned prizes.



Top Tips   

Weather. We arrived mid-morning to some Autumnal mist which in no way diminished our enjoyment. By lunchtime the sun was shining and it was spectacular. My advice would be to dress for the outdoors, make sure you pack wellies (we didn’t need them but I can imagine it getting a bit muddy after a few rainy days). The event is largely outdoors so best to aim for a drier day to make the most of your time.  Keep an eye on the timetable (clearly posted when you first enter so take a photo on entering for easy reference). The pumpkin patch closes a bit earlier than the farm (3.30) so don’t miss last entry! The site. Nothing is a long walk but we also never felt crowded. Several families brought a buggy and didn’t seem to have a problem getting it around the site (handy for lugging pumpkins). The car park is also easily accessible if you pick up pumpkins earlier in the day and want to stash them while you play.  Speaking of pumpkins, you can order them in advance on the website, helpful if you have something specific in mind or worry they’ll be low on stock. We didn’t do this, largely because it’s hard to predict what’s going to catch the eye of a 3- and 6-year-old, and had no issue buying on the day.




Down at the Farm is open 10-4pm from the 26-31 October. We easily filled the day without feeling we had to rush through to fit everything in.

Tickets are £9.45 for children 2+ and £10.45 for adults. Budget in extra for pumpkins and food, both reasonably priced. If a special day out with the littles is in your budget for half term, you really can’t improve on Down on the Farm’s Halloween event




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Other Ideas for this weekend

Spring/Summer walk ideas (Still nice in Autumn and Winter)

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