Halfway petting farm.

Just outside Sheerness, Halfway petting farm gives you exactly what it says on the tin - a chance to get up close with farm animals without the pretence. It's the sort of place where kids can actually touch and feed goats, sheep, rabbits and whatever else they've got on the day, rather than gawping through a fence.

The farm works best for families with younger children, particularly those who've never had a proper go at hand-feeding animals. You're looking at a couple of hours maximum before even the most engaged five-year-old has had enough. Bring a camera and be prepared for mud on your shoes. It's not fancy, but it's genuine.

Admission details aren't widely advertised online, so ring ahead to check what they're charging and what the current opening hours are. Since it's only three miles from Sheerness Holiday Park and under four miles from Shurland Dale Holiday Park, it slots in well as a half-day activity during a caravan holiday on the Isle of Sheppey. Pair it with a proper walk along the seafront at Sheerness and you've got a decent day sorted. It's the sort of working farm visit that teaches kids where food actually comes from - no Instagram moments, just animals and the reality of it all.