I always have Mondays & Tuesdays off work at the moment, to look after my darling toddler, who it’s becoming increasingly important to try and wear out during the day. It’s better for both of us if we get out of the house but it can be a bit of a struggle during the winter months to find somewhere open (lots of places are closed on Mondays!), child friendly but still interesting for me and that’s not going to break the bank. It would be my worst nightmare to have to go to a soft play centre every week….
One of the few attractions in the Leeds area that ticks all the boxes is Meanwood Valley Urban Farm – it really is an inner city haven. It’s a charity and as well as creating a nice place to visit they support the local community helping people with learning disabilities and teenagers struggling at school to develop gardening skills. I love seeing the allotments and greenhouses and Millie loves being up close to the animals. There’s usually donkeys, cows, sheep, goats, chickens, ducks and rabbits to see and occasionally hedgehogs as well! They all look well kept and well fed, and you can buy bags of food to feed them as well if you like.
There’s a cafe (closed Mondays) and a shop where you can usually buy farm fresh eggs and plant cuttings to take home for a small price – we bought a chilli plant for £1. There’s also a cute outdoor play area that’s nice and safe for the little ones.
It’s only £1 admission and there’s free parking on site, but you can choose to put some extra cash into a piggy bank outside the shop if you want to lend more support to this great charity.
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