Things to do in Essex at half term
Half term means one thing - you need to find something to keep the kids busy and happy! If you’re struggling to find fun things to do in Essex at half term, then we’ve got the perfect day out for you. Come and see us at Old MacDonald's Farm in Brentwood, Essex and the whole family can enjoy our animals, unlimited access to our rides (for free!) and so much more!
We’ve been voted the #1 thing to do in Brentwood and we’ve been awarded the Travellers’ Choice Award for 2026 from Trip Advisor.
We’re open from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm seven days a week, so come and join us for a fun day out this half term!
Book your half term adventure online
You can book your tickets online before visiting our farm.
Come and experience everything we have to offer!
We're a popular Essex children's birthday party venue
Bring the birthday celebrations to Old MacDonald's Farm! Hire our farm themed kids party venue from only £26.99 per child, and get unlimited access to all of our rides, come and meet our animals and enjoy a party meal and ice cream all included within the price of entry! One adult can join for free with each child. Celebrate a half term birthday in style at our Essex farm.
Bookings for kid’s parties at our Essex birthday party venue can be made here.
Indoor soft play
Come and enjoy the fun at our Essex indoor soft play area! Perfect for keeping kids busy (and happy!) for hours on end, our soft play area gives the little ones the chance to burn off all of that half term energy. Entry to our soft play area is included with the cost of your ticket.
Our amazing animals
Come and meet the animals of Old MacDonald's Farm! We’ve got all of the classic farm animals as well as plenty of fun and exciting animals to entertain the kids this half term! Here are just some of the animals we have at our farm:
Meerkats
Shetland ponies
Cows
Highland cows
Alpacas
Donkeys
Llamas
Chickens
Goats
And so much more!
See the full list of animals at our farm here.
Unlimited access to all of our rides
Take advantage of our free rides - there’s something for everyone! All of our rides are included in the cost of admission and you & the family can ride them as many times as you like. We have 16 fantastic rides at our Essex farm, including:
Happy horses adventure ride
The thrilling crazy barn ride
Farm themed train ride
Doggy dog roller coaster
Gigantic snake slide
Merry-go-round
And more!
A full list of rides available at Old MacDonald's Farm can be found here.
We have events for the family throughout the year
Alongside our amazing animals, thrilling rides and soft play we also have fun filled events throughout the year for the whole family! Come and see what’s on at our Essex farm this half term and beyond.
Upcoming events at Old MacDonald's farm in Essex:
Gabby & Cakey visit Old MacDonald's Farm on the 5th September 2026.
Celebrate nan & grandad at our Essex farm on the 5th October 2026. Grandparents get a free cup of tea included in the entry ticket!
Come and see Bluey & Bingo during storytime sessions in our events area at intervals throughout the day on the 10th October 2026.
Enjoy the spooky season at our farm between 24th October and 1st November 2026. Pumpkin picking, magic shows and plenty of spooky fun to be had at our Essex Halloween festival!
A Christmas Journey at Old MacDonald's Farm
Celebrate the most magical time of the year at our very own Christmas event in Essex! We have a roaming Santa at our farm every day, massive polar bears, singing princesses and as much fun as the family can handle.
Grab a bite at our farm cafe
Enjoy the classics at our farm cafe - hot dogs, burgers, chicken nuggets and more all available for the whole family. Prepared fresh on-site and with vegetarian and halal options always available, you’ll find something for everyone. Take a break from the fun and refuel for more adventures at our leading Essex attraction.
Getting to our Essex location
By Road
From the A12 AND M25 JUNCTION 28. Take the A1023 to Brentwood. Turn left at the first set of traffic lights into Wigley Bush Lane. Travel for half a mile until you reach the T-junction. Turn left into Weald Road and continue for 2 miles. Old MacDonald's Farm is situated on the left before you reach the junction with Chequers Road.
By Rail
The train service runs from Liverpool Street to Brentwood and Harold Wood.
By Bus
Please take the 294 to Bear Pub in Noak Hill. Please be aware that it is a 20 minute walk, partly without a pavement, to reach the farm. We do not recommend walking to the Farm, as some of the surrounding roads do not have pedestrian footpaths, making the route unsafe.
Parking
We have a large FREE car parking area which has ample parking even during the busiest of times.
Taxi
Licensed taxis are available from Brentwood and Harold Wood Stations.
For cheaper rates on taxi service please call MiniCab 4U on 01708 348 008 or 01708 377 975