Gentle Touch Class at Westmoor Park

Did you know there is a place in West Hartford where children and adults alike can get up close and personal with farm animals and reptiles?  Did you know that visiting this farm is FREE and there are lots of opportunities to take classes for a minimal cost?

Well, we had heard of this place, but had never been.  It is called Westmoor Park and is a 162 acre environmental education center right here in our town.

Shawna and I decided to get ourselves, and the kids, introduced to this place through their Gentle Touch class.

This class is for kids ages 0-3.

Their brochure provides the following details:

Learn with your child to approach critters with a “gentle touch.” We will introduce you to the various animals on our farm and in the discovery room.

Sounds fun!

We arrived on a rainy Wednesday morning and met up with the other parents and kids in the main building {Well, actually Shawna and Boo participated in that part.  My crew was running a bit late, so we caught up with everyone in the barn}.

First stop for the class:  the Barn.

The day we were there, the animals were actually all in the barn awaiting a visit from the vet.  This was a perfect opportunity to see them up close.

The way the property is set up, during the day most of the animals can move freely between the barn and the fields {See the Momsense below for details on the best times during the day to catch the animals in the barn}. 

We started off by visiting the chicken coop.

{Disclosure:  My picture-taking skills were worse than usual on this outing.  I apologize in advance for the extremely blurry pictures 🙂 }

Our sweet instructor {who was awesome with the kids} let each child touch the chicken.

It is important to note that each person visiting the farm needs to follow the appropriate farm etiquette.  Here is the information on farm etiquette from Westmoor Park:

Please be kind to the animals.  They trust us and enjoy visitors.  However, if they are treated badly, they may become frightened or aggressive.

So please be sweet to the animals when you visit.  I mean, how could you not?  Look how cute this chicken is hanging out in the barn window . . .

The instructor checked the chicken coop for eggs, but none had been laid as of yet.  There was a sign notifying visitors that you can purchase the fresh eggs in the main office.

Then it was on to the horses, donkey, llamas, sheep and goats.

I learned a sweet story about the relationship between Ginger the horse and Sassafras the donkey.  Ginger is actually not allowed to roam the fields like the other animals because she is on a special diet {she doesn’t have enough work to do to keep her weight in line}.  Sassafras, the donkey, hangs out in the barn too, not because he has to, but because he and Ginger are best friends.  Isn’t that sweet?

Next we took a peek at Pickles and Potato Chip, the resident pigs.  A sign said that they are getting a little too big for their pen and will have to move out.  That means new piglets will be here next spring.  Can’t wait to see those cute things!

We met Star the cow. . .

Then geese, ducks and bunnies!

The instructor did take a few of the bunnies out of their cage for the kids to touch.  I just didn’t get a good picture of the activity.

Boo wasn’t too interested in visiting with the bunnies.  He preferred playing in the rain.

After meeting all of the barn animals, we headed back to the main building.  We gathered in the Hunter room as the instructor collected a few reptilian friends for us to meet.

First up, a cute turtle.

Then a blue-tongued skink.

I got a little nervous when the instructor went to place the skink on the floor so the kids could see how it moved.  Reptiles skeeve me out a bit.  She promised it moved slowly and, thankfully, she was right.

Before we left, we took a quick peek in the Discovery Room.  It contained a bird, more turtles and snakes.

Isn’t Boo cute in his rainy day outfit?

By this point, most of the kids were tired and ready to head home.

The class was a great introduction to this wonderful park and all it has to offer.  I’m sure we will be back again to visit all of the farm animals.  I also really want to explore some of the walking trails on the property.

(Pssst.  I did get a chance to check out the walking trails.  Read all about them here.)

What is your favorite class or activity at Westmoor Park?  Let us know!

THE MOMSENSE:

Westmoor Park – Gentle Touch Class

119 Flagg Road West Hartford, CT 06117
(860) 561-8260

www.westmoorpark.com

Get directions here:

General Hours:

• Office Hours: 9:00am – 4:30pm, Monday – Friday
• Weekend Building Hours:  9:00am – 4:00pm Saturday – Sunday
• Farm Hours: 9:00am – 4:00pm, daily
• Grounds Hours: dawn to dusk, daily

Visiting the Barn Animals:

If you are planning to visit the park on your own, here are a few things I learned about good times to go.

The animals are in the barn in the morning eating their food.  Then they spend the rest of the morning in the field.  Around 1:00pm, more food is placed in the barn and this temptation along with them being tired from the field, seems to draw them back into the barn for about an hour (great time to check them out).  Then, at around 3:30, the Westmoor Park staff heards all the animals back in the barn for the night.  You have about 30 minutes to visit with them before the farm closes at 4:00pm.

So, things to remember:

• The horses, donkey, ducks, chickens, geese, bunnies and pigs are always in the barn and available for viewing.
• The rest of the barn animals can usually be seen in the barn in the early morning and then around 1:00pm and 3:30pm.
• The animals in the Discovery Room are always available for viewing.

Gentle Touch Class Details:

• Age infant – 3 with a parent.

• Learn with your child to approach critters with a “gentle touch.” We will introduce you to the various animals on our farm and in the discovery room. Fee is per parent/child pair. One additional child at 1/2-fee.

• Dates and times remaining for the fall schedule
• Wed 10:45 – 11:45A 11/02
• Wed 10:45 – 11:45A 12/14
• Wed 10:45 – 11:45A 01/18
• Wed 10:45 – 11:45A 02/08
• Wed 10:45 – 11:45A 03/07

Other Classes:

• There are many other classes available at Westmoor Park for children of all ages.  Some classes are with a parent and some are drop-off classes {can’t wait until my kids can participate in these!}.  Check here for more information on the class/program options and check here for the Fall/Winter 2011 schedule.

Cost:

• The Gentle Touch class is $10 per parent/child for West Hartford residents and $11 per parent/child for non-resident.  You can bring one additional child for 1/2 the fee.
• Visiting the park on your own and checking out the animals in the barn, visiting the Discovery room, and exploring the property is FREE.  If you love it, though, you should definitely think about making a donation 🙂

Facilities:

• Restroom: There are several inside the main building.  A few are near the Discovery room and one is near the greenhouse.
• Changing station: No changing station, but the bathroom near the greenhouse has a long counter which could be used for changing.  {with so many kids visiting this place, hopefully a changing table will be made available in the future }

Tips/Things to Bring:

• Bring a wearable baby carrier or stroller if you are toting an infant.
• Wear comfortable shoes (preferably ones that you don’t mind getting a little dirty) for walking around the barn area.
• Dress for the weather and dress in layers.  You will be outside for part of the class and then inside for the other half.
• Make sure you are familiar with the Park Use Guidelines.

Why we like it:

• A range of activities suits various age groups.
• Reasonably priced classes and FREE access to the park.

COMING UP:

Check back on Thursday for our Halloween post with a guide to trick-or-treating with the stroller set.