Space Farms Trip

I wanted to take the kids on a trip this summer. But with my nerves, I needed it to be small, and I had to be able to bring them by myself. When memories of Space Farms came to mind, I kicked myself that I hadn't thought of it sooner. Space Farms is less than an hour away from my house, and it's small enough to do alone with the kiddos not crowded.

I remember this zoo being one of the field trips we took in school. It was like a right of passage. One, my older two were able to experience, but not my little two. I remembered there being open spaces for the kids to run and check out the animals they were super excited to see. Plus, they had some indoor museum-type stuff where you got to see old cars, bikes, toys, and a small crystal display.

With two very excited little boys and their big sister, we arrived, met by chickens. The boys shouting, "Look! See the goats!" and "Mom, look, there is an alligator!" made me smile. They could not wait to see everything.

We walked around, checking out bears, a calf, black panthers, peacocks, a mountain lion, tigers, a sleeping lion, monkeys, and so many deer. The boys smiled and ran from one cage to the next. They loved checking out the old toys and bikes, choosing which one they would want. Does Santa deliver toys this old? They stopped to take a picture with a plastic bison, which my youngest insisted was real and wasn't fond of AT ALL, and took a little break on a small bench outside a "frozen in time" store. We ran searching for prairie dogs that we couldn't find and spend some time checking out a goat with no ears. As we walked through the indoor museum my daughter pointed out the apple dolls, dolls with faces that were rotten apples, and other somewhat scary items on display. Neither boy noticed that the huge animals inside were real and stuffed. they just walked past with wide eyes. Taking it all in.

I couldn't help feeling sad for the animals and, to be honest, had moments of panic looking at the rust on parts of the cages, praying we wouldn't be part of the news that night. The headline being, "Tiger escapes and eats family." I even had moments that made me wonder if it was like The Tiger King behind the scenes. Which literally made me laugh out loud.

It made me realize how differently we see and experience things as adults. My kids were enjoying running around calling out to the animals. Throwing cookies and corn, excitedly watching the animals snatch up the snacks. They were overjoyed to throw a penny in the wishing fountain and check out old toys they had never seen before. My daughter said things were so much smaller than she remembered them the last time we came—another reminder of growth and how it changes things.

I am glad my children get to experience things I did as a child. It helps to remind me of the wonder I have lost as an adult. Something we should all work on bringing back into our grown-up lives.