Kent Life
Sandling, Maidstone, Mid Kent
Image: Kent LifeKent Life is a heritage farm attraction at Sandling, just outside Maidstone, home to more than 200 farmyard animals from pigs and goats to donkeys and alpacas. Stroll the nature trail, meet the animals and check the calendar for seasonal events such as hops and harvest, fireworks and Christmas. It is aimed at families with young children and is dog-friendly in most areas.
Highlights
- More than 200 farmyard animals
- Nature trail
- Seasonal events including hops and harvest, fireworks and Christmas
- Kent Owl Academy
- Indoor play
Good to know
- Dogs on short leads are welcome in most areas but not in catering areas, Farmyard Friends, indoor play or the Kent Owl Academy
- Dogs may not be admitted on some event days, so call 01622 763936 to check
- High season dates can book up, so book early
Getting there
Kent Life, Lock Lane, Sandling, Maidstone, Kent, ME14 3AU
Get directionsChecked on 15 October 2026 against kentlife.org.uk, kentlife.org.uk, kentlife.org.uk. Details change, so please confirm with the venue before you travel. How we check
Nearby
Cobtree Manor Park
Cobtree Manor Park occupies the site of the old Maidstone Zoo on the edge of Aylesford. More than 50 acres of parkland carry two waymarked walks and a sculpture trail, and there are two play areas, one themed on the former zoo. With a café, toilets and baby changing on site, it is a practical free outing for young families.
Image: Kent Wildlife TrustTyland Barn Nature Park
Tyland Barn is the headquarters of Kent Wildlife Trust, a restored 17th-century barn with a small nature park showing off Kent habitats from woodland and wetland to meadow. Follow the short accessible nature trail, look for bugs under logs and in the bug hotels, and finish at the Pond Café in the barn. It is an easy, buggy-friendly outing for families with young children.
Photo of Maidstone: John K Thorne, CC0Whatman Park
Whatman Park is an 18 acre riverside park half a mile from Maidstone town centre, part of the Millennium River Park along the Medway. Children can let off steam in the adventure play area, toddler play area and skate park, while a raised boardwalk winds through the trees and wildflower meadows. It is a handy free stop for an hour or two, especially with younger children.