Children's Farmyard
Stanley Park
Vancouver, BC
http://www.city.vancouver.bc.ca/Parks/parks/stanley/#railway

Location:
The Children's Farmyard is located in Stanley Park near the Aquarium. There are signs throughout the Park. The easiest entry to reach the Aquarium is off Georgia Street.

General Information:
The Children's Farmyard is a petting zoo in Stanley Park. It allows visitors to get up close and personal with our myriad selection of common and rare breed domesticated animals.

Age Group:
All ages, especially children who love animals!

Babies: This is not an activity designed for infants, however they'll enjoy seeing the animals if they come here with older siblings or friends.

Toddlers: Toddlers will enjoy walking through the pens and petting animals, checking out the barnyard animals and learning a bit about how these animals live. You can compare the animals to some of those that appear in books your kid are familiar with.

Older children: Older kids will also enjoy the up close and personal with the animals.

Hours of Operation:
Daily 11:00 am - 4:00 pm

February 4 - March 12 Open weekends only, weather permitting
March 13 - 17 Open every day (Spring Break)
March 18 - April 13 Open weekends only, weather permitting
April 14 - 17 Open every day (Easter)
April 18 - May 19 Open weekends only, weather permitting
May 20 - September 4 Open every day
September 5 - 17 Open weekends only, weather permitting

Cost: (Currently)
Children's Farmyard or Miniature Railway

Children: (2 yrs – 12 yrs) $2.50
Youth (13 yrs – 18 yrs) $3.70
Seniors: $3.45

*Includes GST
*Ask for rates for both Farmyard and the train to get a combo price!
*Note that hours and admission prices are subject to change without notice.
*Pricing is more during SPECIAL EVENTS; Christmas Train…
Parking rates:
*October-March - $1/hr or $3/day.
*Meters accept coins, Visa and Mastercard.
*Rates in effect 7 am to 6 pm daily.

What is there to Do and See?
Well you are at Stanley Park, you can visit the Aquarium, see the park, go on the Miniature Railway and/or take Traffic School!
You'll see goats, sheep, cows, ponies, chickens and pigs, as well as unexpected critters such as reptiles, snakes, exotic birds and even a llama. This is a great place for kids to get up close to animals they may not have the opportunity to otherwise see.

Tips:
1. Please wash your hands thoroughly after touching any animal or surface and before eating. Little hands can get dirty, particularly if they're petting animals. There are washrooms nearby, but you may want to have wipes handy. Kids may not want to leave the scene to go to the washroom to wash up. But remember, wipes are not antibacterial, so it is best to wash with soap.

2. Parking is available adjacent to the Aquarium and throughout Stanley Park. If the adjacent lot is full, there are many options close-by:
*Near the Info Booth (4 minute walk).
*Near the Children’s Zoo and the Miniature Train (4 minute walk).
*In the Central Parking Lot off Pipeline Road (7 minute walk).

3. During the summer months, there's a free shuttle service that runs through Stanley Park and stops at the major attractions. There is a stop at the Children's Farmyard.

4. Ticket price during specific seasons can include entrance to the Miniature Train too.

5. Special Events: each day, half the tickets for that train night's rides will be reserved to go on sale at noon, on a first-come first-served basis. If you don't buy tickets in advance-- if you arrive early, you should have a good chance of riding the train that night. While waiting for the train ride you can play at a nearby playground, stroll the seawall, or even drive to a nearby restaurant and return for your time slot.

6. There is a concession stand in the Children's Farmyard, as well as picnic tables in the area.

7. Be aware of your children's limitations and preferences. Stick close to them in the petting areas as some kids can be overwhelmed by the animals. If they're afraid of animals at close range, stay outside the pens.

8. The area is stroller-accessible, but you can't take your stroller inside the animal pens. There is stroller parking just by the entrance.

9. Since the Children's Farmyard is in Stanley Park, there are tons to do in the area to make a day of it. Right by the Farmyard is the Miniature Train, the Aquarium and not far is the Lumberman's Arch Waterpark and the Playground. And, of course, there are many other things to do in Stanley Park.