Kids on the Go – Riverdale Farm – Toronto, Ontario

A farm in the middle of a big city…that’s what the Riverdale Farm is. We live in Toronto, Ontario and one of our favourite spots to explore is Riverdale Farm.

Riverdale Farm is a City of Toronto run farm. There is no admission, so everyone is welcome to come inside the gates and discover what you would traditionally find on a farm. The idea behind the farm is so important for kids living in the city. Some city kids will never actually step foot on a farm in their entire life. Visiting this “city” farm these kids are given the opportunity to understand where their food comes from. At the farm children come face to face with horses, cows, goats, pigs, chicken, turkeys and sheep.

You’ll also find plenty of vegetables and flowers growing in the numerous gardens. The farmers actually harvest these crops and use them. There is an outdoor pizza oven on site, where families can bake up a pizza. The farm is also the location of a very popular farmers’ market, which runs on Tuesday evenings.

However, the real beauty of the farm is found when you follow a trail down a large hill to the pond spaces. This is my favourite spot and my girls’ favourite spot too. There are a few large, natural ponds, connected by pathways and bridges.

This is where we love to quietly look for turtles sunning on the logs. Each time we visit we bring a note book and pencil, so we can count the number of turtle we see. We have also seen plenty of frogs, ducks and birds. It truly is a magical place to visit.

We have been visiting Riverdale Farm since my eldest daughter was born. In fact, the last few summers my girls have been attending summer day camps at the farm as well. It really is an incredible hidden gem in the city.

All the details…

Website - Riverdale Farm is the site where you will find all the information about the farm.

Getting there - there is plenty of street parking available on the streets around the farm, the farm is located a few minutes away from the streetcar stop if you are taking transit.

Getting around - the farm is entirely accessible, although to get down to the pond area you do have to walk down a long hill…it is doable with a stroller, but not the easiest walk.

Facilities - there are full washrooms on site and a small kitchen with yummy cookies and drinks…if you are looking for more treats there is a small shop located across the street…and the entire city is just a streetcar ride away.

Additional Information - there is a large picnic/green space located outside the farm’s main gate…in the summer months a small wading pool is open for kids to enjoy…for adventurous types, the farm connect to numerous bike and hiking trails along the Don River.

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