This May half term High Lodge Farm have opened their Big Bale Play. We went along on its opening day to check it out and had a brilliant time!
There are over 200 giant straw bales set out in a maze layout for kids to explore. There’s even a cool tunnel to crawl through! It’s a great place for playing chase and hide and seek. We went as a family but my kids quickly made friends with other kids there and played for hours.
A separate under 5s area has a smaller bale maze and loads of wheelbarrows. My youngest LOVED loaded up the wheelbarrow with straw and moving it from one place to another. There’s also a sand pit (under cover!) with toy tractors, buckets, spades, etc.
As well as the straw bale maze we really enjoyed the outdoor games. The giant snakes and ladders is fab. It’s made me want to make one for the garden! They also have giant draughts using painted stones and a large Tic Tac Toe. Great fun!
A large tractor and combine harvester are on display at the farm. The boys loved climbing up into the tractor cab and pretending to be farmers. This is a static tractor so no rides but still a very cool experience for them. My little tractor fan was very happy!
I was really impressed with the large number of picnic benches for families to sit and relax. Despite it being busy there was loads of space and we had no trouble finding somewhere to sit when the kids needed a rest. There is plenty of shade under the trees or under the large canopy near the entrance. I also loved the giant benches where large groups could sit together. Ideal for going with friends!
The food on offer at High Lodge Farm was really good and the prices reasonable too. We had some of the chips and ice cream. Plenty of other options too including burgers, hot dogs, cakes, drinks, etc.
The Big Bale Play event is open 10am-4pm daily until Sunday 4th June. Tickets cost £5 per child, £3 per adult when purchased online in advance or £1 more on the gate. There are toilets there in a cabin (although they could do with a clean!). Free parking and you can stay and play all day. We had a great time and highly recommend it for good simple fun! Book tickets on the High Lodge Farm website here: https://www.highlodgefarm.com/big-bale-play
For more ideas of things to do this half term check out what’s on in Oxfordshire here: https://mumsfamilyfun.com/blog/whats-on-in-oxfordshire-may-half-term-2023
