Savvy Toddler Mom

Thanksgiving Point’s Farm Country
Location: Just north of Lehi, Utah - 30-40 minutes from downtown SLC
Cost: $3.50 for adults, $2.50 for children, Free for 2 and under - Additional “rides” are available for $2
What to bring: camera, picnic lunch, sunscreen, antibacterial wipes (maybe toddler harness)

Yesterday, the toot and I ventured to Thanksgiving Point and visited the Farm Country area they have there.  We had a great time!  The biggest draw is their outdoor “petting farm” — they have horses, cows, pigs, goats, llamas, rabbits, peacocks, and chickens in accessible pens for your kids to pet!  Not the ideal place for a germ-phobic, but perfect for curious toddlers!  The toot had a BLAST, especially with the goats.  He kept yelling, “Hi, goat! Hi, goat!” to each of them.

Right now, there are lots of baby animals (it’s the spring, right?) and they are SO adorable.  Baby goats, bunnies, and chicks… just sweet as can be. They also had some interactive indoor exhibits having to do with farming (we mostly skipped those) and a cute gift shop with farm-related toys.  Very, very cute stuffed animals, puzzles, etc. 

We didn’t take the camera (unfortunately) since I thought I would already have my hands full.  Sorry, no pics this time.  I was going to take our big stroller (Graco Quattro Tour - more about that another time), but wound up taking the umbrella stroller ($2 at a garage sale - most about that another time too).  Since we didn’t know what to expect as far as walking distance, toddler-friendly areas, etc., we didn’t wind up with the right gear when we needed it.  This experience is what spawned the idea for this blog.

To illustrate, this is what I brought:

• Umbrella stroller
• Insulated lunch box with snacks and drinks
• Sunscreen
• My purse
• Water
• Diaper bag (left in the car)

What I wish I had brought instead:

• Toddler harness (definitely more about THAT another time)
• Camera 
• Sunscreen
• Picnic lunch (left in the car until the end of the activities)
• My purse
• Diaper bag (left in the car) - but bring the antibacterial wipes!

If I had made these few changes, I not only would have some fun photos to share, but I also would have been less frazzled trying to balance all that stuff on my stroller, push the stroller, and trying to chase my running toddler at the same time.

No Stroller. Farm Country turned out to be great for 1-4 year-olds to walk around — no stroller needed.  The area isn’t very big and they aren’t likely to get lost.  It wasn’t even that crowded when we went.  I would have much rather held the toot’s hand, or, for a more rambunctious child, on a toddler harness.  (Not to say that the toot isn’t rambunctious, but that he’s getting older and better at holding hands and listening when Mom yells “STOP!!!!”)

Note: if you don’t feel comfortable having your child out of the stroller, what is the point?  I mean, really?  If they can’t walk and see and touch and EXPLORE, what is the point of going?  Also, your child will get a lot more tired if they are walking.  I have two goals for these kinds of outings: 1) have a good time and 2) get the toot as tired as possible.  He takes better naps, sleeps better at night, and is so much healthier for the exercise.

Camera.  I haven’t mentioned yet that admission to Farm Country ($3.50 for adults, $2.50 (I think for kids), and free for children 2 and under) also includes a choice of “ride.” There is a wagon ride available, or, for the braver kids, a pony ride.  It’s one of those things where they have the ponies set-up to walk in a circle.  Now, if you don’t think your child will be brave enough to get on a pony, then he does, and he loves it so much he cries when he gets off and you don’t have your camera to capture the whole thing… you are a sad person.  I was a sad person yesterday.  Bring your camera!  I almost always have it, but randomly didn’t want to bring it yesterday and I sorely regret it.

The ponies were cute, but my son with a HUGE grin riding one was priceless.  We are just going to have to go back.

Sunscreen.  Put sunscreen on your children everyday if they are going outside.  Reapply frequently.  Enough said.

Picnic lunch.  They have the Farm Country set-up in a square area outside and there is a section of grass in the middle (near the ponies) that is perfect for a picnic.  We wish we had brought a picnic and blanket and done that after seeing the animals, etc.  Also, there was no point in having snacks along, since everyone’s hands were filthy the majority of the time.

Antibacterial wipes.  This is God’s gift to germ-phobic mothers.  After all those animals, etc., you want to get your child’s hands clean before they decide to put them in your mouth.  I wish I had brought mine in the stroller (they were in the car).  Next time, I will grab a travel pack and stick it in my purse.

To their credit, Thanksgiving Point did have a hand washing station inside, right off of the animal area and a whole thing about the proper way to wash hands and how many germs animals had.  We washed our hands there, but I didn’t distribute any snacks until we were back at the car and the antibacterial wipes had gone around first.

We will definitely go back to Farm Country… I promised the toot another pony ride.