I’ve been getting a bit bored of city life and wanted to take the kids for some fun in the country. The thing is, I don’t like long car journeys, with or without kids.
A friend recommended to visit the Granja Educativa (Educational Farm), which lies just 45 minutes from Santiago.
The farm is situated in an area called Lonquen in the Isla de Maipo district. Already on the road, you feel you’re escaping to the country.
You’ll need a car to get there, and there are a few dirt tracks to navigate to the main entrance.
The main attraction is of course the animals. We saw Koi fish…
…and sheep…
…and goats…
…and cows…
…and ostriches…
and we raced against dogs.
The sun was shining.
There were plants to see and to buy…
but we were having too much fun in the playground…
exploring little houses…
and making clay scupltures…
which some people took a little too seriously in my opinion…
We also made bread…
and ate it…
but we had to fend off the competition…
The farm is a wonderful place to escape city life. For kids (and adults) to take some time to relax in the open.
And it’s a great place for tractor lovers. My two year old is obsessed and played for hours on tractor…
after tractor…
after tractor…
after tractor…
until it was time to go home.
Top tips for your visit:
Pack a picnic. The cafeteria only serves snacks such as hotdogs, empanadas, ice creams and sweets, and the restaurant is a short drive away from the main entrance. There are picnic spots throughout the farm, and while we did get some four legged farmyard beggars, it certainly made for a fun day.
Take wipes and antibacterial lotion. There are sinks for washing your hands throughout, but when we were there most had run out of soap.
Don’t wear white. Even if the sun is shining and it isn’t muddy, prepare to get a little mucky.
Skip the milk. There are several (free) workshops on offer on the farm, most of which are great fun. But as for the cow milking session, I’d give it a miss. I’m biased as I don’t really ‘do dairy’ anyway, but the cow seemed to be in some distress and it wasn’t a nice show. Granja Educativa, if you’re listening, leave Daisy in the field, will you?
Take your swimwear and your time – there’s plenty to see and do on the farm, but if you’re going for longer, or with older children you might like to pack your swimwear. There is apparently a swimming pool and lake on which to kayak, although I can’t vouch for how good it is, as we were having too much fun on the farm.
Don’t forget the buggy – while my youngest was too excited to stay in a buggy, if you’re coming with a baby or small child then you’ll be relieved to hear that most the farm can be navigated with a stroller.
Leave it for the quieter days. While the farm is large so it didn’t feel too crowded for us I can only imagine how busy the entrance queue gets in the summer holidays, especially in the workshops.
Granja Educativa, Open Monday – Friday 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM. Saturday, Sunday and bank holidays 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM Tel (+562) 2 819 3049 or (+562) 2 855 9088, Camino las Parcelas 17 Lonquén, Isla de Maipo www.granjaeducativa.cl
