The FUN FARM at STA. ELENA: An educational & enjoyable hands-on farm experience for kids!
If you happen to be among those parents who are on the lookout for places to go and enjoy with your kids, ones that’ll offer them fresh, new, and interesting experiences, then first ask yourself if you’ve been spending too much time in the city. If the answer is yes, then checking out the FUN FARM in Sta. Elena (Cabuyao, Laguna) is just the thing for you to try.
With a “Neigh-Neigh Here and A Neigh-Neigh There…”
I was able to enjoy this “hands-on” farm experience with my husband and daughter last Sunday afternoon. We decided to take a drive out to nearby Laguna (actually, the Fun Farm is right by Cabuyao Exit, and once you get to Sta.Elena, you stay on the right, past the golfcourse, and enter the 2nd gate to find your way to the FUN FARM) after a late but heavy breakfast.
Since most of us are familiar with the nursery song “Old McDonald’s Farm,” it was so much fun to actually be spend time in one!
I wanted Drian to experience seeing farm animals up close, and with the help of the stablehands, we were even able to ride horses! But more on that later.
For P300 entrance fee, one gets to do the following activities at the FUN FARM in Sta.Elena:
- go horseback-riding
- go fishing
- go boating
- feed the farm animals
- experience a carabao-cart ride
It’s always best to check the weather before heading out to the fun farm, and it’s highly recommended that you go in the morning.
When we arrived, it was around lunchtime, and we actually got caught in the middle of a light rain. Thank God they had this sandbox-play area that was right underneath the shade of a leafy coconut-leaf roof, we were able to stay under the shade until the drizzle let up. Drian loved the sand and the little swing set that was inside.
We saw ducks, chickens, turkeys, hamsters, horses, rabbits, a pot-belly pig, and a huge carabao. Obviously these animals are ones you’d rarely find in the city (well, except for maybe your pet rabbits, and a few stray chickens or ducks), and seeing them up-close delighted our little toddler no end. It was also an open-ended opportunity for our child to ask questions and share her observations about the things she was able to see for herself.
“…And on this farm they had a duck…”
They had not just one, but a LOT of ducks. It was a lot of fun standing near the duck pond, seeing them quack about and happily roam on the grass. Our proximity to these pretty animals was what added to the overall farm experience, since most kids nowadays only get to see animals in Baby Genius kiddie videos or on television. And to hear a duck quack was just as interesting as seeing a live one so close.
Bunnies Were Having A Snack!
In this photo is the rabbit hutch, where little furry and fat rabbits were busy hopping about, waiting to be fed. One of the farmhands brought a big bulk of grass for the rabbits to nibble on, and we watched in awe. Being so close to the rabbits made my child laugh. It was also a great chance for us to explain how rabbits would feed, how they would eat grass and vegetables, and see for ourselves how they would play in their farm home.
“Bumping Up and Down On My Little Brown Pony…”
The highlight of our trip to the Fun Farm was Drian being able to experience riding a horse for the very first time. At a zoo, she was able to mount a little pony, but she had never experienced actually RIDING one. Finally, she was able to, and it brought me and my husband much joy seeing the look of accomplishment on her face as she sat on the saddle.
I appreciated how accomodating and reassuring the stablehands of the Farm were, and how they gently guided the horses we mounted and rode around. Even the few minutes we spent riding were totally worth it, since we were able to view the farm as we leisurely clip-clopped around.
It was also my child’s first time to see a carabao. I made sure we had a picture taken next to it. It’ll be a good springboard for sharing stories about Filipino stories of old, especially ones that feature animal characters like our local carabao.
Even though we weren’t able to try boating or fishing (we opted to forego both since it was getting cloudy towards the afternoon, and we didn’t want to get stuck in another rainshower), the things we were able to try were all worth that drive to Laguna—seeing various farm animals, watching close by as the rabbits ate their greens, and of course, being able to ride the horses.
After our afternoon at the farm, we enjoyed a heavy merienda at Italianni’s in Nuvali, just right after the Sta. Rosa exit. Our child couldn’t stop talking about her first riding experience and naming all the farm animals she saw at the Fun Farm.
A FEW TIPS IF YOU PLAN TO GO TO STA.ELENA FUN FARM:
- Eat a filling meal, or pack some food in a picnic basket, and plenty of water. There are no nearby stores so it would be wise to pack a cooler of iced drinks and maybe a few sandwiches and snacks, just to make sure no one would go hungry while at the farm.
- Wear something comfortable, like jeans and a light-colored top. It can get hot, so bring your shades and maybe a cap or a hat. An umbrella would come in handy just in case it gets too scorching, or it rains. Wear rubbershoes or sandals (there is a sandbox where kids can play), just make sure they wear comfy shoes, and if they’ll be wearing open-toed ones, make sure they wouldn’t mind getting some sand in them.
- If you have never been to a farm before, leave your expectations at home, and anticipate the smells of nature and animals. That way you’ll be able to embrace the experience without having to crinkle or turn up your nose at the smell of a horse.
- Have a bottle of mosquito or insect repellant in your bag. Since it’s an outdoorsy trip, it’s always wise to protect yourself, your child and your companions from insects.
- Bring a camera and/or a video camera. Nothing like being able to document your child’s wide-eyed reactions and his laughter and comments about his farm experience.
Enjoy and embrace this one-of-a-kind experience with your family!
To be able to pay a visit to this great place, call +63 670-01-57 or 0920 0131349 and look for Mrs. Wilma Villoso.
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