Small children's farm with open days and workshops
Open your farm to families and school groups to meet animals, join workshops and learn where food comes from.
- C$15k-75k
- Part-time
- Own premises
- Licence or permit needed
Estimates for a small start in Canada, not guarantees.
What it is
A small farm or hobby farm where families and school groups visit friendly animals such as goats, chickens, rabbits and sheep. You run set opening hours, guided animal-feeding sessions and simple workshops. Most farms open mainly in the warmer months and add a few indoor or seasonal events.
Your first three steps
- Check with your municipality about zoning and whether public visits are allowed on your land, and whether you need a development or temporary use approval
- Get quotes for commercial general liability insurance that covers visitors and animal contact
- Ask your local public health unit what it expects for handwashing, animal contact and any food service before you open
Who pays
Parents and grandparents on days out, schools and daycares booking trips, and families booking birthday visits.
How it makes money
Entry tickets per child and adult, paid workshops and school trip packages, birthday party bookings, and small extras like animal feed and farm-gate snacks (if permitted).
Skills that help
- Comfortable handling farm animals
- Good with children and parents
- Organized with bookings and safety routines
Watch out for
- Zoning and land use rules for agri-tourism: check with your municipality and province, as public visits may not be allowed on all farm or rural land without approval
- Business licence: some municipalities require a general business licence for attractions open to the public, so check with yours
- Commercial general liability insurance, and whether your insurer covers animal contact with children
- Animal health and hygiene: handwashing stations and guidance from your local public health unit to reduce infection risks from animal contact
- Food sales, such as snacks or drinks: requirements vary by province, but a permit or inspection from the local public health unit is often needed, so check before selling anything
- Animal welfare rules and vet care: check your provincial agriculture ministry or animal welfare body
- Winter and bad weather cut visits, so plan cash flow for the quiet months
- Accessibility, parking and washrooms may be required: check local building and accessibility requirements
Deep research report · Canada
Everything you need to start: small children's farm with open days and workshops
Researched with live web search for Canada: real startup prices, the licences and rules, what others charge, a break-even example, how to find your first customers and a 30-day launch plan. With sources.
- Startup costs with real prices
- Licences, registration and rules
- Pricing: what others charge
- Break-even example
- Finding your first customers
- 30-day launch plan
- Risks and how to reduce them
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to start a small children's farm?
Startup costs are typically around $15,000 to $75,000, depending on your land, animals, facilities and insurance. These are estimates, so price your own site carefully before you commit.
How much can a children's farm with open days earn?
Monthly revenue is typically around $2,000 to $10,000, depending on opening hours, bookings and workshops. Winter and bad weather cut visits, so plan your cash flow for the quiet months.
What rules should I check before opening a farm to the public?
Check zoning and land-use rules for agri-tourism with your municipality and province, as public visits may not be allowed without approval. Also check business licences, insurance for animal contact, public health guidance, food sale permits and animal welfare rules.
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