Kinderboerderij Het Akkertje, Petting zoo and children's farm in Rijswijk, Netherlands
Kinderboerderij Het Akkertje is a petting zoo and children's farm set in the Rijswijkse Bos, a wooded area on the edge of Rijswijk in the Netherlands. Open meadows hold sheep, goats, deer, cows and donkeys, while smaller enclosures are home to rabbits, guinea pigs, ducks and chickens.
Het Akkertje was set up as a local initiative to give children in an urban area a chance to experience farm animals and the outdoors. Over time, it became connected to the Middin organization, which began involving people with disabilities in the daily running of the farm.
Many of the farm workers have mental disabilities and work there as part of a program run by the Middin organization. Visitors often notice how warmly and enthusiastically these workers interact with children and animals.
The farm is open seasonally, roughly from April to October, and welcomes visitors each day from morning until the afternoon. Entry is free, and the grounds are easy to walk around, though some paths are on grass and may be uneven for strollers.
Alongside the animal areas, the grounds include a large floor chess game and four hopscotch tracks, and children can try pushing small wheelbarrows or driving mini tractors. In spring, newborn lambs and baby goats appear on the farm, making visits at that time of year especially memorable.
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