From the first days of parenthood, the barnyard looms large. We sang "Old MacDonald", and read a gaggle of baby books, all of which featured characters that go quack and moo. Animal characters faded into the background as our kids grew older, but there's no age limit to learning how it feels when a pig wiggles its snout on your leg. We spent a wonderful day at Animal Acres, a farm sanctuary in Acton, California, where its founder rescues and cares for animals that are usually raised as food. Visitors are encouraged to cuddle up to many of the animals; our kids got to know a Brahma Bull, laughed at water fowl fighting over their food, and got cozy snuggling lambs on their laps. After making friends with barnyard denizens, we went home and screened Babe, a farmyard fairy tale about a pig with hidden talents. We highly recommend this clever, Oscar winning film for everyone in your family -- after enjoying the clever dialogue and wry humor, bacon will never look the same. Click here to learn more about the amazing woman who runs this unique animal sanctuary. Your local County Fair is also a great way to see farm animals up close and personal. The Orange County Fair is open until August 3rd.Visit the Kids Off The Couch Website for more great ideas on food literature, "before you go tips", discussion starters, movie red flags and much more. Sign Up today to have a kid-friendly adventure delivered to your inbox every week. We'd also love to hear back from you about your adventure!
