We offer two options for children: The (Age 6+) Half Hour for £17.50 per child, or the (Age 10+) One Hour for £35.00 per child. Both experiences feature a selection of birds such as kestrels, owls and hawks, offering children the opportunity to handle and fly birds while learning all about them. One free adult admission is included to supervise the child taking part. The experiences both start at 2:00pm, but it is best to arrive at least 30 minutes early, so that you have time to look around and see the birds in the aviaries.
Children’s Experiences are only run on weekdays (Monday to Friday) during the local Council school holidays, except Bank Holidays and the Christmas holiday, and on the first full weekend of each month, though in December, January and February we run Half Hours only. Please call to check availability. We operate on a first-come, first-served basis. Group sizes are strictly limited to a maximum of 6 Participants.
Only children participating in the experience will be permitted into the flying arena; any other children present must remain outside the arena and must be accompanied by a supervising adult.
Children’s Age (6+) Half-Hour Experience
This 30-minute session allows children (aged 6-15 years) the chance to learn about a selection of our smaller birds of prey and owls while holding and flying at least three different birds, usually from a selection of kestrels and small owls. The Children’s (Age 6+) Half-Hour Experience costs £17.50 per child, which includes one free adult admission.
Children’s (Age 10+) One Hour Experience
This 60-minute session allows children (aged 10-15 years) the chance to learn about a selection of our birds of prey and owls while holding and flying at least five different birds, usually from a selection of kestrels, owls and hawks. The Children’s (Age 10+) One Hour Experience costs £35.00 per child, which includes one free adult admission.
Vouchers purchased online will be valid for 12 months. To book a date, please telephone us on 01562 700014 during our opening hours.
Purchase a Children’s Bird Handling Experience Gift Voucher
Frequently Asked Questions about our Children’s Experiences
How often do you run the Experiences and how far ahead do I need to book a date?
We run our Children’s Experiences at 2:00pm on weekdays during local school holidays (Monday to Friday), excluding Bank Holidays, and on the first full weekend of each month from February to November. We operate on a first-come, first serve basis for all dates. To book a date, we generally say to book as far in advance as possible. Occasionally we can accommodate people at short notice if places are available. Weekend dates are the most popular and can book up very quickly at certain times of the year.
Your voucher will include a link to our online booking system, which will show current available dates. To book over the telephone, please call us on 01562 700014 during our Visitor Centre opening hours.
Can my younger child (age 6-9) do the Children’s (Age 10+) One-Hour Experience instead of the Half-Hour? Can my under 5-year-old do the Half-Hour Experience?
Our children’s experiences are suitable for the specified age range due to the size and the weight of the birds. The children need to be able to stand still for the duration of the experience. We cannot allow children under the age of 6 to fly or handle our birds for health and safety reasons.
The Children’s (Age 6+) Half-Hour takes place alongside the Children’s (Age 10+) One-Hour Experience. Participants on both experiences will start at the same time and fly the same smaller birds together. The children on the Half-Hour will then leave the arena for the One-Hour Experience to continue.
If you wish to upgrade a younger child (age 6-9) from the Half-Hour to the One-Hour Experience, then you may be offered this option on the day of the Experience for an additional £17.50. You may also make enquiries with us on the day as to whether this will be possible. However, the option to upgrade will be at our discretion, and may not be available on the day. We reserve the right to refuse an upgrade under any circumstances.
I have paid online, how long does it take to receive the voucher?
Vouchers are emailed automatically upon successful completion of the payment form. It can take a few minutes for the email to arrive in your inbox. Please check your junk/spam folder before contacting us if you have not receive it. If you have requested a printed voucher, please allow at least 7 days for delivery; you will also receive a copy of the voucher by email.
How do I book a specific date when I pay for the voucher?
If you wish to book a date when you purchase the experience, please call us on 01562 700014 to discuss availability.
How many participants are in a group?
We limit the Children’s Experiences to a maximum of 6 Participants. There will also be supervising adults present with each child. Exclusive group sessions may include up to 8 Participants.
Is this Experience suitable for wheelchair users or children with limited mobility?
Yes, the Children’s Experiences are suitable for wheelchair users and those with limited mobility. Those with limited mobility/difficulty walking may request a chair to sit on during the flying and handling of the birds. To ensure the Participant get the most enjoyment out of the experience, please let us know when booking if the child will be using a wheelchair or if they will require seating in the arena. If you are concerned about any special educational or behavioural needs the child may have, or if you are not certain that this Experience is suitable for your intended recipient, please telephone us on 01562 700014 and we will be happy to discuss this with you.
Can we take photographs?
Participants and Observers on our Experiences are welcome to bring their own camera to take photographs during their time with us.
Can other people come and watch / take photographs?
Anyone wishing to attend to watch all or part of the experience can just pay our Visitor Admission charge on the day of your experience. Visitors are not permitted to enter the flying arena. Any children coming as visitors to watch an experience must also be accompanied and supervised by an adult at all times.
What happens if the weather is bad on the date of my experience, or I cannot attend on the date I have booked?
We will run the experiences in most weather conditions, but we also want you to enjoy your experience. If the weather is predicted to be bad before your booked date, it is up to you if you wish to cancel/rearrange.
If you cancel/rearrange your experience on less than 5 days’ notice, cancellation fees will apply. Please see your Booking Confirmation for full details.
Is admission to the visitor centre included?
Yes – all of the experiences take place at our visitor centre, so there will be time either before or after your experience to look around the aviaries. Once you have booked a date for your experience, your booking confirmation will include the start time of the experience to help you plan your visit around our opening times.