Kent with Kids: Kent Life Farm Park Review, Maidstone

Table of Contents

Just a stone’s throw from Maidstone, Kent Life Heritage Farm Park offers a blend of history, farm animals and family-friendly activities. We visited the site for one of their educational days – they run some great events and learning days – and visiting on one of these makes for a fun day for the kids. So, here’s my review and everything that you need to know if you’re thinking about heading to Kent Life Farm Park for a family day out.

Visit: May 2024 (Updated January 2026)

Where is Kent Life Heritage Farm Park and how do I get there?

Kent Life Heritage Farm Park is located in Sandling in Maidstone, Kent. It’s really easy to find by car, as it’s situated just off the M20 motorway at Junction 6, and there is ample free parking is available on-site. If you’re travelling via train, you could travel to Maidstone East or West Stations and get a taxi ride from there. If you want to travel by bus, there’s a bus stop at the Malta Inn which is just a five minute walk from Kent Life Farm. Or (for a very unique approach!) the Kentish Lady riverboat operates a seasonal service from Maidstone town centre, dropping passengers a short walk from Kent Life.

What is Kent Life Heritage Farm and what is there to do there?

Kent Life, in Maidstone, is a heritage farm park that brings Kent’s rural history to life. It offers a blend of play areas, historical areas, farm animals, children’s activities and event days – visitors can:

Explore the Vintage Village: Step back in time by visiting restored historic buildings, including period-specific farmhouses and a traditional village hall.
Engage in Hands-On Activities: Children can enjoy indoor and outdoor play areas. There’s a playground and a large indoor soft play (perfect for keeping the kids busy whatever the weather), plus there are pedal go-karts too. There’s also the option of participating in pottery painting at the Paint-a-Pot studio, and you can also have a ride on the tractor train. (Credit to the Kent Life website for the photo below to show the play area – I have no idea why I didn’t take a photo of it whilst we were there, I think I must have been distracted by all of the Vikings!)

Attend Seasonal Events: Throughout the year, Kent Life hosts a variety of events, from the Spring Sheep Show to the Hops ‘n’ Harvest Beer Festival, ensuring there’s always something new to experience. They have a lot of school holiday activities, which vary dependant on the time of year, and seasonal events like Easter egg hunts and Christmas themed activities.
Enjoy the Farm Animals: As a working farm, Kent Life is home to a range of animals including: sheep, pigs, horses, alpacas, rabbits, goats, ducks and chickens. The kids can get up close with the animals, especially in the Cuddle Corner, where smaller animals are available for petting sessions.

Watch a Big Top Show: The big top tent hosts shows, usually during peak times like the school holidays.
Attend Educational Days: We actually went to Kent Life Farm on one of their Viking Days – where the staff are dressed up and in character. It’s a great way for the kids to learn about a period of time in an immersive way, with activities to engage them in the different topics.

We enjoyed our day at Kent Life, visiting with some home ed friends – the staff were great with the kids and I think they are particularly good at hosting their educational and event days. Finn and Lola really enjoyed stroking the animals and playing in the park too, and if you’ve got younger children the soft play would be fantastic. (Bring a flask of coffee so you can put your feet up for a bit!)

What facilities are there at Kent Life Farm in Maidstone?

There are multiple toilets located around the site, including baby-changing facilities. They have a well-stocked shop selling souvenirs, farm-related toys and local produce, as well as several places to grab some food – including a tea room. There are picnic benches dotted around, if you’d like to bring your own food, and plenty of grassy areas to pop down a picnic blanket – we brought a packed lunch so I can’t comment on the food sold there. (Though the kids did have an ice-cream – as usual! 😂)

What time does Kent Life open?

Kent Life operates year-round with varying opening times dependent on the season. It opens at 10am but closes at either 3pm, 4pm or 5pm depending on the day and time of year that you visit, so check their website for up-to-date opening times. During the month of January, Kent Life Farm Park is only open at the weekends, but it appears to then be open daily from February onwards – with the exclusion of holidays like Christmas Day.

How much are Kent Life Farm tickets – is it good value for money?

Admission prices vary based on the season – for 2026 the tickets for adults and children are both: £10 (low season), £12.50 (mid season) or £14 high season). Under twos can enter for free, and they have some family tickets available too. The Kent Life family tickets are priced at: £40 (low season), £48 (mid season) or £52 (high season) – this is based on a family of two adults and two children. You can also purchase a membership.

I think the event days at Kent Life offer the most bang for your buck – with additional shows, activities and entertainment for the kids. On non-event days, I don’t know if there would be enough on offer to amuse the kids for a full day. Most of the activity days are included in the normal ticket price, so it makes sense to visit when there’s as much on offer as possible to amuse the little ones and make it better value for money. If you want to bring a furry friend, dogs are welcome but they must be on a lead and there are some restricted areas such as the farm and indoor play areas.

Have a lovely time and, if you’re exploring Kent, you’ll be pleased to know that the county has plenty of fabulous days out on offer. Have a hunt around the blog for reviews and guides for places like: Dover Castle, Howletts Zoo, Rare Breeds, Go Ape at Leeds Castle, Walmer Castle, Tenterden Steam Train and more! Plus, for loads of things to do with the kids, check out my articles: Kent with Kids: The 15 best FREE family days out in Kent and The 10 best things to do in Kent with kids!

Useful information for your visit:

Website: https://kentlife.org.uk/
Pets: Yes, on lead
Parking: Yes, free
Facilities: Tea room, gift shop, toilets, picnic areas, play park, soft play
Address: Kent Life, Lock Lane, Sandling, Maidstone, Kent, ME14 3AU
For up-to-date opening times and prices, please check their website.