What better way is there to spend a summer's day with a small child than at a farm, surrounded by animals? Nicola Cutler and her two-year-old son Aidan sampled some of the those open to the public.

Hall Hill Farm, Lanchester, County Durham (01388) 730300

HALL Hill Farm is quite difficult to get to via public transport. We travelled by bus from Consett but apparently the service doesn't run very often. For those travelling by car, the farm has a large, free car park.

It was smaller than I imagined but was definitely big enough to entertain a two-year-old, especially as he was more than happy to play on the pedal tractors all day. Different sized tractors enabled small children to ride them, too. After over an hour's play I finally managed to persuade Aidan to see the rest of the farm. He enjoyed stroking the animals but wasn't so keen to feed them, as he didn't like their "slimy mouths". The baby goats and sheep were his favourites. Other animals on the farm were; donkeys, cattle, pigs, ponies, llamas, wallabies, turkeys, deer, chickens, guinea pigs and rabbits. Donkey rides were available to children over three and throughout the day, you could bottle feed the lambs, cuddle the pets or have a ride on the tractor and trailer. On admission, you are given a list of the daily events and a map.

After a quick look at the animals and a brief exploration of the adventure playground, it was back to the tractors. We both thoroughly enjoyed the day, although I did feel that we hadn't made the most of it as we spent most of our time in the tractor enclosure.

Facilities included baby changing, a gift shop and a tea room with highchairs and a selection of children's meals at reasonable prices. There were picnic tables, a picnic barn and plenty of seating around the farm.

Entrance fees were; adults £3.75, children over three £2.75 and under three's free.

Open 10.30am to 5pm, March till September.

The Whitehouse Farm Centre, Morpeth, Northumberland, (01670) 789571

AFTER two bus journeys and a taxi ride, we finally reached Whitehouse Farm, so travelling by car or on an organised trip is probably a better option. A free car park is provided.

On entering the farm, Aidan ran down the tracks to see the animals in the outdoor enclosures. There, you'll find sheep, goats, ponies, llamas, ducks, wallabies, pigs, and donkeys. A large indoor enclosure was home to pigs, goats and all of the small animals, which included rats, mice, hamsters, guinea pigs, rabbits, snakes, birds, turkeys and chickens. In this enclosure, children could hold an animal or play with the games and puzzles available.

Facilities included baby changing, a large caf which offered highchairs and children's meals at average prices, a soft play area, a picnic barn, outdoor picnic tables and a few shops.

Children could get involved in candle making or have their face painted. The pedal tractors had their own tarmac track but unfortunately, Aidan was too little to ride them as his feet didn't reach the pedals.

The impression I got from this farm was that it was aimed at older children as the giant slide, go karts and even the tractors and outdoor playground were too big for Aidan. Despite this, we still had an excellent day.

Entrance fees were; adults £4.20, children £3.20, and children aged two and under were free. Open Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 5pm, and also on Mondays in school and bank holidays.

Bill Quay Community Farm, Haningwood Terrace, Gateshead, (0191) 4385340

THIS farm had excellent transport links. It was situated just five minutes walk from the Metro and buses.

The farm had the atmosphere of a real, working farm, and even though we visited on a Saturday, there were very few visitors. The only thing was that Aidan kept asking for tractor rides, having been to the other farms first. Animals in the barns were goats, sheep, ponies, pigs and tiny piglets (which Aidan thought were big mice). Other animals included chickens, rabbits and a small enclosed wildfowl area. While Aidan was talking to the chickens, he turned to me and said "Mammy, I eat chickens," and before I had a chance to reply, he turned back to them and said "I eat proper chickens." (He meant like the ones in plastic or cardboard boxes.)

The caf is very reasonably priced and is open on weekends and throughout the school holidays. Wooden carvings could be found around the farm and there were plenty of walks to explore. Picnic tables overlooked the River Tyne. Other facilities available were a small shop and baby changing facilities.

Entry is free, although there is a recommended donation of £1.50. Open 10am to 5pm everyday.