Farm Stays kids will love

When I feel like I need to fill my cup, there’s only one thing I want: the farm. Nothing resets me like a farm stay. The kind of place where the mornings are quiet, the air smells like something alive, and the days unfold slowly, without a plan. But finding places where kids can truly be part of it, where they can feed the animals, collect eggs, roam freely, and feel like they belong to the rhythm of the land, that’s the tricky part. So I set out to find the best farm stays in the Western Cape (and a little beyond).

I wasn’t after perfection. I was after something real. Open spaces. Fresh air. Kids racing down gravel paths, climbing trees, and learning where food actually comes from. A place where you come home with muddy socks, tired legs, and stories worth telling.

And I’m not even going to pretend this list is complete. But these are the places I’ve found that actually get it, the ones that welcome curious little hands, barefoot mornings, and families who just want to slow down and reconnect with something simple and true.

Vrisch Gewagt – Family-Friendly Olive Farm Stay Near Prince Albert

Tucked into the silence of the Karoo near Prince Albert, Vrisch Gewagt feels sacred before you even arrive. At first you might wonder if something is wrong. There is nothing but stillness. No traffic hum. No distant music. Just the sound of your own breath and the quiet heartbeat of wide open land. You will feel the weight of the world lift off your shoulders.

This is a farm with roots. For generations, stories were written here in dust and dawn light. Today, two old farms once separated by family feud are one again, with Vrisch Gewagt and Paradys rejoined to form a stretch of land so wide you can barely see its edges. More than fifteen hundred hectares of quiet space and sky, home to olive trees, wild grasslands and a kind of peace that cannot be bottled.There is a romance here that runs deeper than the architecture, though that too will stop you in your tracks. Karoo stone, restored ruins, wood burnished by sun and time. High ceilings hold cool air in summer. Fireplaces glow warm in winter. It is beauty, yes, but also something more. It is soul.

This is not a stay. It is a pause. A permission slip to do nothing and call it everything. Here, kids do not need screens. They can milk the cow, bottle feed lambs, collect eggs, fish in the dam or picnic on the floating deck. They can swim, nap, stargaze and watch the wind ripple the olive trees. Families can learn how the olive oil is made, sit together at long wooden tables and feel, perhaps for the first time in a while, truly unrushed.

Accommodation stretches across the farm like chapters in a quiet novel. There is the grand old Manor House with its four generous bedrooms, private pool and sweeping views. Then there is the Artist River Cottage, Birdwatcher River Cottage, Library Cottage, Cook’s Cottage, and Paradys Huis. Some sleep two, others up to six. Inside you will find fireplaces, full kitchens, wide verandas and tall windows that open straight into the landscape. Everything here feels lived in, welcoming and deeply connected to the land around it.Meals are slow and wholesome, often featuring what grows on the farm. The olive oil pressed on site makes its way to the table with fresh bread and honest produce. There is wine, and laughter, and time to truly enjoy both.

At night, when the fires have died down and the children are finally asleep, you will find yourself looking up. The sky here is not just a backdrop. It is a show. Stars hang close and bright. The moon lights up the veld like morning. Some nights the space station floats by. Other nights, it is just you and Orion, breathing together in the dark.

Vrisch Gewagt invites a different kind of escape. Not the kind with swim up bars and screens glowing late into the night, but one where slow walks, early stars and deep breaths become the main event. If you need to remember what it feels like to truly rest, to really see your children playing, to walk through wild Renosterveld and feel time slow to a whisper, then this is exactly where you are meant to be. To explore more of this soulful Karoo escape, visit the official Vrisch Gewagt website or follow them on Instagram for a daily dose of Karoo beauty, olive harvests, and farm life magic.

Photo courtesy of Vrisch Gewagt's official website.

Landrani – Glamping Getaway With Lamb Feeding in the Klein Karoo

In the quiet outskirts of Oudtshoorn, tucked into the vast stillness of the Klein Karoo, Landrani feels both refined and rooted. This is not just a farmstay. It is a place that welcomes you with the warmth of sunbaked earth, the hush of the mountains in the distance, and a slower rhythm that settles in the moment you arrive.

Landrani is a working Meatmaster sheep farm, run with deep care for the land and the animals that call it home. The mornings begin gently, often with the sound of lambs bleating nearby and the light catching on the lodge roof. Guests are invited to join in on the daily rhythm of feeding. Lambs wriggling close for bottles, hands busy, laughter easy. It is an experience that connects you in a way you do not expect. One of those quiet moments that land deep without making a fuss.

Later in the morning, families are invited to help feed the sables and other game. These interactions are real and unscripted. A glimpse into the daily life of the farm, where care and connection matter. Watching your children fully present, curious and wide eyed, is a reminder of what these trips are really for.There is a three kilometre nature walk that loops around the farm and offers space to stretch your legs and clear your thoughts. The trail winds through fynbos and veld, with moments that open up into wide Karoo views. It is gentle enough for little legs but grounding enough to feel like time well spent. The pool, set against a long sweep of horizon, becomes the centrepiece of the afternoon. Swim, read, rest, repeat. No rush, no background noise, just family time unfolding in the sun.

Accommodation at Landrani feels calm and considered. The cabins are modern but rooted in their setting, with earthy tones, natural textures and wide glass doors that let the landscape in. Beds are soft, showers warm and the decks catch every last inch of sunset. It is comfort that lets you settle rather than distract.You can venture into Oudtshoorn if you feel like exploring. Ostrich farms, wildlife ranches and the famous caves are all within reach. But most guests stay close. The animals, the pool, the view, the light changing on the veld. It all has a way of pulling you back to the here and now.

Landrani holds the balance beautifully. It is peaceful without being quiet. Luxurious without being overdone. And full of the kind of moments that stay with you long after you leave. To cuddle lambs with mountain views or see what slow family travel feels like, Landrani is just a click (or scroll) away.

Photo courtesy of Landrani's official website.

Oakhurst Farm – Horse Rides & Cow Milking for Kids in Wilderness

Tucked away on the lush forested slopes of Wilderness, where mist drapes the treetops like a sleepy morning shawl, a story unfolds. It's written in mud splashed gumboots, the crunch of gravel under bike tyres, and the sound of kids actually playing outside. Welcome to Oakhurst Farm Cottages, where your stay is more than just a weekend away. It's an invitation to slow down and press pause.

Oakhurst is a working dairy farm still lovingly run by the Crowther family, who’ve been here for generations. The farm stretches over lush pastures, pine forests, and wide gravel roads, all waiting to be explored. Kids can feed the farm animals, collect eggs, swing from trees, and race along the bike trails while the grown ups breathe in the quiet and watch it all unfold from a shady stoep. There are forest walks, horse rides, rivers to splash in, and plenty of places to get a little lost in the best kind of way. It’s a place that gently reintroduces you to stillness. Not forced, just found.

When it comes to staying over, Oakhurst does family accommodation beautifully. Not as an afterthought, but as a focus. There are five charming Farm Cottages named Kween’s Kaya, Awies Attic, Leenies Lair, Hans’s Hollow, and Nick’s Nook. Each sleeps up to six with two bedrooms and cozy farm style living areas. Expect timber walls, fireplaces, full kitchens, and big wooden decks overlooking the countryside, complete with wood fired hot tubs and braai spots.

There is also the Schoolyard Units, transformed from the old farm school into three connected cottages named Landon’s Loft, Holly’s Hangout, and Anna’s Apartment that sleep up to five. With interleading doors, they are ideal for larger families or friends travelling together. These are right near the dam and communal play areas, which means the kids can run free while you enjoy that morning coffee in peace.

And then there is Africamps at Oakhurst, eight boutique canvas tents dotted across the farm, with views stretching out over rolling green pastures and the Outeniqua Mountains beyond. Two of the tents sit beside a quiet farm pond rich with birdlife. Each tent sleeps five, with two queen beds and a single bunk. There is aircon for hot days, electric blankets and fireplaces for chilly nights, a wood fired hot tub, and a wide deck for stargazing or braaing at sunset. It is glamping, yes, but in that down to earth, family friendly Oakhurst way.

Oakhurst is tucked just outside Wilderness along the Garden Route. Close enough for a weekend getaway, yet far enough to feel completely removed. Whether you are bringing the kids, the cousins, or just your need for fresh air and a reset, this is the kind of stay that lingers long after you have driven away. The kind that reminds you what slow living actually feels like and why it is worth chasing again. To book your stay or see more muddy-booted magic, visit Oakhurst online or scroll through their daily farm life on Instagram.

Photo courtesy of Oakhurst Farm Cottages' official website.

Skeiding Guest Farm – Ostrich Feeding & Farm Life in Heidelberg WC

Tucked high in the hills near Heidelberg, Skeiding Guest Farm sits in a quiet kind of beauty. The kind that creeps in slowly with the mist and lingers long after you have left. Days begin early here, with soft light stretching over the fields and the steady hum of a working farm already in motion. This is not a place you simply stay at. It is a place you become part of.

The farm has been in the same family for four generations, passed down with muddy boots and early mornings. Neels and Elsa, along with their two children, now run it with the kind of hands on, wholehearted care you feel as soon as you arrive. The pace is unhurried, the welcome is warm, and the life lived here is the real kind. Honest, busy, and grounded in the land.

Each morning, just after sunrise, families gather for the daily farm tour. Kids are given buckets and invited to feed the ostriches and cattle, while the sheepdogs show off their skill with quiet focus and wagging tails. Neels shares stories about the animals and the land that carry a kind of quiet authority. The kind that comes from doing the work every day. It is not just a demonstration. It is a proper morning on the farm.

After the tour, the Skeiding Olympiad begins. It is a simple, silly joy. A challenge to balance on an ostrich egg without cracking it. There is always laughter, a bit of wobbling, and sometimes fierce little competitions between siblings. It is the kind of thing kids talk about long after the holiday ends.And then the day opens up. There is a jungle gym tucked beneath the trees, a saltwater pool to dive into, a labyrinth for slow walks and a hammock that rocks gently in the afternoon breeze. A one hole golf course curves through the grass, perfect for barefoot rounds with no scorecards and no hurry. The beauty of Skeiding is in how much or how little you feel like doing. Either way, it always feels just right.

The accommodation is quiet and comfortable. Family cottages and guest rooms are set apart, each with its own stoep overlooking the fields. Inside, you will find soft bedding, full bathrooms, wood fireplaces and the kind of peace that makes early nights feel easy. The cottages have kitchenettes for slow breakfasts or snacky suppers, and everything feels looked after and easy to settle into.Meals, if you choose to have them, are served around a big table with other guests, and feel more like a family gathering than a guesthouse dinner. The food is generous and full of flavour, rooted in what the farm grows and what the family shares around their own table. There is also a little shop with farm made jams, knitted socks, baked treats and other things to tuck into your bag on the way out.

Skeiding is just off the N2 between Cape Town and Knysna. Many arrive thinking it is just a stopover, but leave knowing it is something more. It is a place where your children rise early with purpose and fall asleep full of new stories. Where you drink your coffee slowly on a quiet stoep and feel your shoulders start to drop. And it is the kind of place that calls you back, even before you have left. To see what farm life really looks like — sunrise, sheepdogs and all — head over to Skeiding online or browse their story on Instagram.

Photo courtesy of Skeiding Guest Farm's official website.

Glen Eden Farm – Goats, Donkeys & Eco Cabins in Montagu

Tucked into the wide open stillness of Route 62, just outside Montagu, Glen Eden Farm feels like the kind of place where childhood stretches its legs. Mornings start quiet, with sunlight spilling over the Langeberg mountains and the soft sounds of a farm waking up. There is no rush here. No noise but the wind, the birds, and the occasional splash of boots in damp grass. This is the kind of stay where you do not just look at farm life, you step right into it.

Every day, children are invited to help feed the animals. Not just one or two, but a whole crowd. Donkeys, alpacas, cows, goats, pigs, rabbits, ducks, geese, turkeys, sheep, peacocks and pheasants. They gather at the fence line with the familiarity of routine and the friendliness of animals that are used to being loved. Kids get stuck in. Buckets in hand, smiles wide, questions flying. It is messy and real and just the right amount of wild.

In between, there is always something to do. A shiny red tractor sits proudly near the animal pens, and it is almost never without a child perched on it. There is a jungle gym shaded by trees, a clear swimming pool lined with daybeds, and space, endless space, to run, ride and roam. You can take a slow walk down a dirt trail, paddle a rowing boat across the dam, try your hand at archery, or join a guided kayak outing if the weather allows. And when everyone is hot and happy and sun tired, there are pizzas and milkshakes waiting at the Beaney Peanut bar.

The accommodation is thoughtful and well kept, designed with real families in mind. The cottages, named Sugar Bird, Honeybee, Fish Eagle, Blue Crane House and House on the Hill, each come with a private garden, a splash pool, a braai area and a wood fired hot tub. Inside there are fireplaces for cooler nights, televisions for quiet moments, and full kitchens for slow breakfasts and easy dinners. The cottages are spaced far enough apart to feel private, but close enough that kids can drift between them without ever leaving the safety of the farm.

And then there is the Ranch, where glamping becomes something quietly magical. Painted wagons and canvas tents sit tucked beneath trees, each one a little different. Some have simple outdoor kitchens, others have small stoves and raised decks, but all carry that same sense of barefoot calm. These are the kind of stays that make a memory before you even arrive.

What stands out most about Glen Eden is not just the activities or the scenery or the novelty of feeding a peacock before lunch. It is the pace. The welcome. The way the farm gently invites you to let go of your list, watch your children disappear into the fields, and remember how good it feels to do nothing that matters deeply.

It is a place you do not want to rush. And when it is time to leave, you will already be planning your return, probably with more cousins, more bikes, and more time to stay longer next time. For alpacas, pizza nights and endless country calm, Glen Eden’s got you covered,  online and on Instagram.

Photo courtesy of Glen Eden Ranch's official website.

So if you’ve been craving space to breathe, somewhere your kids can run free and you can actually hear yourself think, I hope this list gives you a place to start. These are the farms that opened their gates with heart. Where the days stretch out, the air feels cleaner, and the simple things suddenly feel like the most important. Maybe you’ll find your new favourite place here. Maybe you’ll find more to add. Either way, I hope you go. Pack the gumboots, leave the rush behind, and follow the quiet. That’s where the good stuff lives.