At Leaning Post Acres, children don't just learn about the farm—they experience it.
Our youth programs bring together animals, nature, sensory experiences, agricultural science, hands-on work, and real farm life to create opportunities for children to Learn • Explore • Care • Grow.
Each program is designed with the child's age and stage in mind, but our approach remains the same: children are given opportunities to be curious, make choices, try new things, take on meaningful responsibilities, and learn through doing.
Learning Beyond the Classroom
A working farm offers a different kind of learning environment. A goat needs to be brushed. A garden needs to be watered. Eggs need to be collected. A chicken needs to be observed. Seeds need to be planted. Problems need to be solved.
These everyday experiences create natural opportunities to build confidence, independence, communication, problem-solving skills, responsibility, and connection.
Children can move, explore, get their hands dirty, interact with animals, experience different sights, sounds, textures, and smells, and take a moment to slow down when they need to. We encourage participation at each child's comfort level and look for ways to make meaningful farm experiences accessible to different learners.
Not every lesson needs a worksheet. Sometimes the learning happens while brushing a goat, watching an insect, carrying a bucket, working alongside a friend, or discovering, “I can do this.”
What Children Can Explore
Depending on the program and age group, experiences may include:
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Animal Care & Science — animal behavior, breeds, anatomy, nutrition, health, and responsible care
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Plants, Soil & Gardening — seeds, growing food, soil, composting, pollination, and desert gardening
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Agricultural Science — livestock, poultry, crops, food systems, and how farms provide the resources we depend on
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STEM on the Farm — experiments, observation, measurement, building, investigation, and problem-solving
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Nature & the Sonoran Desert — insects, wildlife, weather, habitats, ecosystems, and the natural world around us
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Farm & Homestead Skills — animal care, gardening, food skills, farm chores, projects, and practical everyday skills
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Sensory & Experiential Learning — hands-on exploration through animals, soil, water, plants, movement, textures, sounds, and other real farm experiences
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Social & Emotional Growth — cooperation, communication, boundaries, confidence, independence, responsibility, and learning to work alongside others
From a first visit to becoming a regular Farmsteader, children have room to grow with the farm—and the farm grows with them.
Learn • Explore • Care • Grow
Learn — Build knowledge through agricultural science, nature, animals, and real-world experiences.
Explore — Follow curiosity, ask questions, get hands-on, and discover how things work.
Care — Develop responsibility by caring for animals, plants, the land, ourselves, and one another.
Grow — Build confidence, independence, practical skills, and a deeper connection to the world around us.
Toddler Tuesdays Ages 5 & Under
Sensory Learning • Animals • Nature • Play
Toddler Tuesdays is a gentle, hands-on introduction to farm life designed for our youngest visitors. Children ages 5 and under can explore the farm at their own pace through sensory play, animal experiences, nature exploration, and simple hands-on activities.
There isn't a right way to experience the farm. Children are encouraged to observe, explore, touch, move, play, and interact at a pace that feels comfortable for them.
What We Might Explore
Each Tuesday is a little different, but activities may include:
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Animal Encounters — Meet and gently interact with our goats, chickens, rabbits, pigs, and other farm animals.
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Sensory Play — Explore textures, colors, sounds, and materials through sensory bins, water play, bubbles, sand, soil, hay, and other farm-inspired activities.
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Hands-On Farm Activities — Simple age-appropriate activities such as planting, watering, collecting eggs, brushing animals, or helping with small farm chores.
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Creative & Messy Play — Farm-inspired crafts, art, building, and open-ended activities that encourage curiosity and imagination.
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Child-Led Exploration — Plenty of opportunities to simply play, observe, move, and discover.
More Than Play
Toddler Tuesdays are designed to give young children meaningful experiences in a real farm environment while supporting early learning and development through play.
Children can practice sharing, communication, confidence, independence, gentle animal handling, and following simple routines while experiencing the sights, sounds, textures, and rhythms of farm life.
Toddler Tuesdays
Ages: 5 and under
Day: Tuesdays
Time: 9:00–10:15 AM
Ready to join us?
Little Farmsteaders
The Next Step After Toddler Tuesdays
Little Farmsteaders is designed for children ages 5–8 who are ready for a little more structure, independence, and hands-on farm learning.
Think of it as the next step after Toddler Tuesdays. Little Farmsteaders keeps the same welcoming, sensory-rich, hands-on approach, but activities are designed specifically for young children who are ready to take on more responsibility and explore farm life in greater depth.
Children will continue to experience animals, nature, sensory exploration, and play—but with age-appropriate farm skills, simple science, problem-solving, and meaningful jobs woven into each session.
What We Might Explore
Activities will change with the seasons and what's happening on the farm, but may include:
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Animal Care — Safely meeting, brushing, feeding, and observing our animals while learning what they need to thrive.
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Gardening & Growing — Planting, watering, exploring soil, observing plants, and discovering where food comes from.
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Farm Science — Simple experiments, observations, measurements, and questions inspired by real farm life.
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Nature Exploration — Discovering insects, plants, weather, wildlife, and the Sonoran Desert.
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Hands-On Farm Skills — Helping with age-appropriate chores, using simple tools, and learning how everyday farm tasks get done.
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Sensory Learning — Exploring hay, soil, water, plants, animals, textures, sounds, and other natural materials.
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Creative Farm Projects — Building, making, experimenting, and creating projects inspired by the farm.
Growing Into a Farmsteader
At this age, children are ready to begin moving from “watching and exploring” to “helping and doing.”
They may collect eggs, water plants, help feed an animal, carry supplies, complete a farm project, or work alongside a friend. These small responsibilities help children practice following directions, communicating, cooperating, solving problems, and discovering that their contribution matters.
We encourage children to ask questions, make choices, try new things, and learn at their own pace. Some children will jump right in, while others may need time to observe before participating. Both are welcome.
As children grow and are ready for deeper agricultural science, STEM, animal science, and greater independence, they can continue their farm journey into Future Farmsteaders.
Little Farmsteaders
Ages: 5–8
Designed as the next step after Toddler Tuesdays
Future Farmsteaders
Growing Skills. Building Confidence. Learning Agriculture.
Future Farmsteaders is our hands-on agricultural science and farm skills program for children and teens ages 8–16 who are ready to take their farm learning a little deeper.
Building on the hands-on experiences of Little Farmsteaders, Future Farmsteaders gives children more opportunities to investigate, ask questions, solve problems, take responsibility, and understand the “why” behind what they're doing.
This isn't learning about farming from a textbook. The farm is the classroom.
Children learn through real animals, plants, soil, tools, projects, seasonal changes, and the everyday challenges and discoveries that come with a working farm.
What We Explore
Our activities change with the seasons and what's happening on the farm, but Future Farmsteaders may explore:
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Animal Science & Anatomy — Animal anatomy, behavior, breeds, nutrition, health, reproduction, and responsible animal care.
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Plants, Soil & Gardening — Seeds, plant growth, soil health, composting, pollination, gardening, and growing food.
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STEM on the Farm — Science, technology, engineering, and math through experiments, measurement, observation, building, and real-world problem solving.
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Agricultural Science — Livestock, poultry, crops, soil, water, food production, and the systems that connect them.
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Nature & Ecology — Insects, wildlife, weather, habitats, ecosystems, and the Sonoran Desert environment.
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Food & Farm Systems — Exploring where food comes from and the connections between animals, crops, farms, and the food we eat.
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Homestead & Farm Skills — Animal care, gardening, farm chores, practical projects, food skills, and everyday farmstead knowledge.
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Critical Thinking & Problem Solving — Making observations, asking questions, forming ideas, testing solutions, and understanding why things happen.
Learning Through Responsibility
Farm life gives children real reasons to learn.
A Farmsteader might help care for an animal, investigate a change in the garden, measure ingredients for a project, observe animal behavior, solve a problem with a farm system, or take responsibility for completing a task.
As their skills grow, so does their independence.
We encourage Farmsteaders to think for themselves, ask questions, make observations, make mistakes, try again, and find solutions rather than simply being given the answer.
The goal isn't
Fall Farmsteaders Camp
Join us October 5–9, 2026, for a hands-on Fall Break Farmsteaders Camp designed for ages 9–16.
9:00 AM–1:00 PM
Campers will spend the week exploring animal care, agriculture, gardening, homesteading skills, nature, and practical farm life through hands-on activities and real farm experiences.
Each day offers a different focus, giving campers the opportunity to learn, explore, build confidence, and develop a deeper understanding of what it takes to care for animals and a working farmstead.
Full-week enrollment is $295, with single-day options available for $65.
SPACE IS LIMITED
Camp Highlights
This five-day farm camp immerses kids in the daily rhythms of life at Leaning Post Acres. Each day features a unique theme designed to build local knowledge, practical skills, and a deeper connection to nature.
Monday — Farm Life & Animal Care
We begin the week learning the daily chores that keep the farm running, from feeding and watering to understanding animal needs.
Tuesday — Growing & Gardening
Hands-on time in the dirt, learning how we grow food in the desert, managing soil, and planting seasonal crops.
Wednesday — Chickens, Eggs & Food
From the coop to the kitchen. Campers explore poultry care, egg gathering, and the journey of farm-fresh food.
Thursday — Livestock & Horsemanship
Learning the gentle skill of horsemanship and safe practices around large animals and livestock.
Friday — Farmsteader Skills & Celebration
We wrap our week by mastering traditional skills and celebrating our collective journey as Farmsteaders.
Group Visits & Field Trips
Bring your group to the farm for hands-on learning and real farm experiences.
Bring your homeschool co-op, classroom, playgroup, youth organization, community group, or other educational group to Leaning Post Acres for a farm experience designed around your group's age, interests, and learning goals.
Our visits can include animal encounters, agricultural science, gardening, homesteading skills, nature exploration, sensory experiences, seasonal farm life, and hands-on farm activities. Experiences are adapted to the age and size of your group, giving participants opportunities to learn, explore, care, and grow while experiencing life on a working farm.
Whether you're looking for a traditional educational field trip, a hands-on homeschool outing, or simply an opportunity for your group to spend time with animals and experience the farm, we'll work with you to create a visit that fits.
Group visits and field trips are available by appointment.
Plan Your Visit
Tell us about your group, the ages of your participants, what you'd like to explore, and the dates you're considering.
PLAN A GROUP VISIT →
Birthday Parties
Celebrate With Animals, Nature & Farm Fun
Make their birthday a farm adventure!
Celebrate a little differently at Leaning Post Acres!
Make their birthday a farm adventure with animals, hands-on activities, and plenty of room to have fun!
Little Farmer Birthday Party — $350
2-hour farm birthday experience • Up to 15 children
Includes:
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Animal experience
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Hands-on farm fun
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Tables and chairs
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Designated party area
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Adults attend free
Additional children: $15 each
Maximum: 25 children
Little Farmer + Bounce — $450
Everything included in the Little Farmer Birthday Party, plus:
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Jumping castle provided by AZ Bounce Co.*
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Animal experience
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Hands-on farm fun
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Tables and chairs
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Designated party area
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Adults attend free
Additional children: $15 each
Maximum: 25 children
*Specific jumping castle is subject to availability.
Add-On Experiences
Want to make the celebration a little sweeter?
Cotton Candy Experience — $40
Snow Cone Experience — $40
Each Additional Child — $15 each
Cotton candy and snow cone experiences are not included in the base birthday packages.
🎉 Ready to Celebrate?
Check Availability & Start Planning →
Stay Connected to the Farmstead
There's always something happening around the Farmstead. be the first to know, Get updates about Farmsteaders, animal stories, and upcoming events at Leaning Post Acres.