Field trips that grow curious humans.
A hands-on day on the farm where students meet animals up close, do real chores, and trade screen time for fresh air. We tailor the visit to your group's age, size, and curriculum.
Forget stuffy offices and couches .
Studies (like Jau & Hodgson, 2018) show that simply spending time with animals can be beneficial for reducing anxiety and helping kids regulate. A field trip to Gentle Giant Acres puts students in front of horses, goats, guinea pigs, ferrets, and rabbits in a controlled environment where they can be guided through real interactions, not just observation.
What students take home: a felt sense of how food and care actually happen, exposure to ideas about responsibility and accountability, and a quiet morning their teachers will recognize the value of by lunchtime.
A typical morning on the farm.
Every group is different, but most field trips share the same shape:
- Welcome and orientation at the gate, with the day's plan and the do's-and-don'ts for working with animals safely
- Refuge time meeting the small animals up close — brushing the Angora rabbit, watching the guinea pigs squeal at feeding
- Pasture walk with the gentle giants, the horses, and whichever curious goat appoints itself the tour guide that day
- Feeding frenzy at lunchtime, where students get to participate directly
- Reflection circle before departure, where the teacher's "what did you notice today" question lands surprisingly well
We can scale the day for K-3, 4-6, or 7-12 groups. Tell us your group's age range and any curriculum tie-ins you want and we'll shape the visit around them.
What you should know.
Who we work with: we host classes from Lethbridge School District 51, Holy Spirit Roman Catholic Separate Schools, Westwind School Division, Horizon School Division, and Palliser Regional Schools, plus home-school groups from across southern Alberta. If your division isn't listed, ask — we work with all of them and have hosted groups from Coaldale, Magrath, Raymond, Cardston, Taber, and Stirling.
Group size: we keep groups small enough that every student gets time with the animals. For larger classes we split into rotating sub-groups.
What to wear: closed-toe shoes that can get muddy, weather-appropriate layers, hats and sunscreen in summer. Mittens and warm boots in winter — we still go outside, the animals don't take days off.
Bring: water bottles, picnic lunches if you're staying through midday (we have picnic tables), and a teacher or chaperone ratio that matches your school's policy.
Booking and pricing: Check the calendar for available dates. Pick a slot directly, or get in touch first if you have questions about group size, accessibility, or special requirements.