About Us
Friendly Animals & Certified Teachers
Our year-round traveling Petting Zoo & Pony parties and events are run by certified teachers who have experience creating fun and excitement for children and adults. Our animals are sweet, friendly, healthy, and loved, and we are committed to making your event an unforgettable experience! We specialize in schools, camps, assisted living facilities, and private birthday events that prefer a hands-on, interactive experience. We also offer a multi-week "Animals Teach" character education program for schools!
Fun, Exciting & Interactive
We pride ourselves on being a step above other pony & petting zoo events by creating a magical, fun, educational and interactive experience for your guests. Our set up is clean and professional and we actually run the event to ensure that guests are enjoying their time with us! We will also work with you to customize the party or event to your theme and ensure that it runs smoothly, safely and with the utmost level of professionalism. We also offer Unicorn themed pony parties!
Safety First & Fully Insured
As experienced professionals, we will ensure that all of your guests are safe and having fun! We are fully insured and our animals are vetted and handled with safety as our main priority at all times. We also ensure that your indoor or outdoor location is left in pristine condition.
Services
Virtual Animal Events!
With social distancing and current health restrictions, we are pleased to offer our Virtual Petting Zoo Experience for birthdays, schools, or just for fun! We offer 30, 45, and 60 minute packages via Zoom, and can also customize a longer package for you. Animals can include ducks, chickens, bunnies, horses, goats, sheep, turkeys, and a peek inside a live hatching facility! Due to high demand, please understand that we will get back to you as soon as we can!
Virtual Animal Events for Companies & Families!
PLEASE VISIT WWW.THEVIRTUALFARMYARD.COM for more information!!! During these difficult days, we are pleased to offer some entertainment live from the farm! This is an experience where you can see our animals up close and learn about them! We will interact with your company or family and answer questions as well. We will do our best to customize it and make it a "virtual event" to remember! Perfect for birthdays, graduations, company calls, or just something to do on a "normal" afternoon
Pony Rides / Horse Rides
We offer pony rental services and bring our pony to your location, whether it be your home, school, park, street fair, assisted living facility, or specialized location. One experienced handler will lead the pony, while a second person will assist and hold the rider. Our pony is fully decked out in your choice of color, complete with ribbons, and a matching saddle pad, halter, lead, and leg wraps! And yes, we do offer a Unicorn Pony! For larger events, we can provide a second pony or a horse.
Petting Zoo
The Friendly Farmyard petting zoo consists of chickens, two bunnies, sheep, three ducks, and twin goats. Our friendly menagerie is handled by us directly and guests are allowed to both pet and feed our animals. Our goats even walk on leashes! This is an interactive session that is fun and exciting and we welcome questions and comments from all! Do you have a favorite animal? Just ask us and we might be able to bring it to you! A pig is available upon request for an additional fee.
Pony & Petting Zoo Options
You may choose the pony plus petting zoo option for two hours, or either the pony rides only or petting zoo only for an hour and a half. We do not typically offer one hour events. We are flexible to your needs should you need to adjust the length of the event to add more time. Just ask! We have customized many events, depending on the number of attendees, their ages, time constraints, and interests.
Types of Events & Locations
We are a fun addition to a variety of events including: Children's/Adult's Birthday Parties, School Events, Carnivals, Weddings, Street Fairs, Camps, Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, Graduations, Business Openings, Corporate Events, Easter, Christmas Live Nativities, and much more! Our animals are also very therapeutic and are available to visit assisted living facilities, hospitals, and hospice locations. WE DO NOT HAVE A LOCATION THAT IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, however, we work with several event facility locations.
"Animals Teach" Program for Schools!
We offer a 6-12 week educational program for schools! Taught by certified teachers, we bring in different animals each week and incorporate the lessons into your curriculum. We also offer a character education program. This program is customized based on the age of the students and number of classes and covers subjects including anti-bulllying, empathy/compassion, responsibility, respect, perseverance, conflict resolution, inclusion, being yourself, and much more! Call for more information!
Photography Sessions
Our animals are available for photography sessions, whether you have your own photographer, or would like us to bring ours. Our pony has been a part of children's photo shoots including unicorn sessions! We are also available for Easter and seasonal sessions. We are happy to work with photographers who are interested in offering their clients animal photography sessions.
PLEASE CALL OR MESSAGE US FOR PRICING!
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a lot of space for a party?
No! We can set up in a 12x12 area on either grass or cement. We will set up under either one or two 10x10 tents. The pony can be walked on grass or cement anywhere nearby. We just need a place to park and access to a water source for the animals!
What happens if the weather isn't good on that day?
We try our best to come even in inclement weather so as not to disappoint our guests. Many clients put up tarps or tents to protect that area from the weather. We bring two 10x10 tents for the petting zoo animals. We can also set up in an indoor area such as a garage. We will do our best to adjust the start time of your event around weather conditions if possible. In the event that the weather is dangerous, we can reschedule for another mutually agreeable date.
Are you insured?
Yes! We are fully insured and follow strict safety procedures. For corporate events and schools, we can provide a Certificate of Insurance as well as additional insured certificates.
Do you work with special needs children and/or adults?
Absolutely! We are certified teachers and have experience working with individuals with special needs. We are happy to customize an event to suit the needs of your guests. We understand the requirement for patience and dedication to all of our attendees.
Will you customize an event for us?
Just ask! We will try our best to accommodate your wishes for an event relative to themes, location, hours, and audience. It is our commitment to make your event special and memorable!
What makes you different from other pony/petting zoo events?
We pride ourselves on being a step above other pony/petting zoo events and make every effort to prove it. Our format is fun, engaging, and interactive, and run by certified teachers who have experience in creating excitement! We are also animal lovers with a history in animal rescue, so our animals are given the best of care and lots of love. We also have a background in event management, so we know what it takes to make an event successful and unforgettable! We approach your event as if it was our own personal event and take pride in the smiling faces of our guests! Whether you're interested in entertainment or the healing power of animals, we like to say that, "We bring happiness!"
Meet Our Very Loved Friendly Farmyard Animals!
Sparkle the Pony
Cocoa & Marshmallow
Cocoa & Marshmallow
Always the star of the show, our beautiful and impeccably dressed girl is super sweet and ready to ride! Word on the street is that she sometimes is a magical unicorn for that very special birthday child! She loves her treats and poses patiently for photos!
Cocoa & Marshmallow
Cocoa & Marshmallow
Cocoa & Marshmallow
Our twin boy and girl goats can't be more adorable or loving than these two, who love pets, treats and exploring their surroundings! They bring a smile everywhere they go, especially when they walk on leashes!
Freckles & Speckles
Cocoa & Marshmallow
Freckles & Speckles
These two sisters are quite the characters and love their goat brother and sister! Speckles is definitely the leader, while Freckles follows her around everywhere! They will definitely talk to you to get your attention!
Dunkin & Donut
The Dixie Chicks
Freckles & Speckles
Dunkin and Donut are quite a couple and love their peas, their baths, and basking in the sunshine! They are happy to accept treats out of your hand and Donut especially loves to be held!
The Dixie Chicks
The Dixie Chicks
The Dixie Chicks
These pretty Delaware chickens are very friendly and sweet so we named them after candy! Tootsie, and Skittles will often lay eggs right in front of you! They will also fall asleep in your arms if you have the right touch. Our two Buff Orpington chickens are new to our gang!
Buddy & Oliver
The Dixie Chicks
The Dixie Chicks
Buddy, our Harlequin bunny, and Oliver, our lop bunny are ready to meet you and eat a carrot or two! Buddy likes to hide in the hay piles and lounge in the sun. Oliver is a stuffed animal come to life and loves to be held and scratched on the head!
Munchkin the Duck
Otis the Potbelly Pig
Munchkin the Duck
Our beautiful Appleyard duck can be seen spending time with Dunkin' & Donut will do almost anything for peas! He is very sweet and curious and will gently rest his head on your open hand. His striking green head and colorful feathers are amazing to see up close!
Poppy & Lily
Otis the Potbelly Pig
Munchkin the Duck
There's quite a story behind these two, as Poppy got loose from a garden center and was running on her own for two weeks! We brought her sister Lily and were able to catch her. In an ironic twist of fate, Lily turned out to be very sick and in need of of immediate vet care, so Poppy's rescue actually saved Lily's life! These two are not available for events, as we realized they would be best not being around crowds. They are now relaxing on a farm in Chester.
Otis the Potbelly Pig
Otis the Potbelly Pig
Otis the Potbelly Pig
This adorable little guy will steal your heart with his wagging tail and snorting sounds. He will do almost anything for food and is incredibly smart. Although he doesn't live with us full-time, he often comes to events with us upon request for an additional fee. His availability will depend on your location and how far away he is located from there. We love him as one of our own!
Pony/Petting Zoo Event Deposit
This deposit along with a signed agreement will book your event and hold your requested date. You may also mail your deposit or send it via Venmo or Zelle. Thank you for your business!
Virtual Animal Experience
This is for confirmed virtual sessions only. You will receive a date and time and can then make payment via this link.