Little Valley Farm Exhibit at the Hands-on House

I struggle to find ways to keep my daughter engaged in educational activities over the summer. So when the Hands-on House announced the grand opening of their Little Valley Farm exhibit I jumped at the chance to visit.

The Hands-on House Children's Museum is located in Lancaster about 35 minutes from York City. If you have never been there I suggest checking it out. The Hands-on House is a fully interactive, imaginative play, children's museum where nothing is off limits for little hands. Everything is meant to be touched and played with and it is so much fun! The museum is designed for children ages 2-10 and they have amazing exhibits including a tree-house, air powered boats, a full grocery store complete with scanners, an awesome machine shop, a pirate ship, and now a farm!

The Little Valley Farm exhibit is not only adorable it is a lot of fun! You can sort eggs in the hen house, pick apples, milk a cow, "drive" a real tractor, tend to the animals, or (my daughter's favorite) use the pulley system to move hay-bales to the two-story hayloft! As a parent, I love watching the children learn through play.


We stayed at the Hands-on House for over 4 hours and we wish we could have stayed longer because there is so much to do. I have complied a list of tips and tricks for making the Hands-on House your families next day-cation destination.

1. Bring water bottles. My daughter was running around and having a lot of fun, I needed a water bottle to keep her hydrated.
2. Pack a picnic lunch. The Hands-on House has an awesome outdoor playground that is included with the cost of admission. They have plenty of shaded areas and picnic tables for use.
3. Bring a small stroller or baby carrier for infants and babies. There are plenty of benches for parents inside the museum. I had the baby in a small stroller to nap and found a bench to sit on and was still able to observe my daughter the entire time. Next time I will bring the baby carrier.
4. Wear sneakers and comfortable clothes to prepare for face paint, climbing, dress up, sand play and more.
5. The museum is self-directed and fully interactive. So let your children lead the way and go at their own pace.
6. Bring a camera!  You will want to capture the fun, curiosity and discovery.

Hand-On House 2016 Summer Hours:

• Monday-Thursday 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
• Friday 10 a.m.-8 p.m. open late!
• Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
• Sunday 12 noon-5 p.m.

The Hands-on House Children's Museum is located at 721 Landis Valley Road in Lancaster, PA. Admission is $9.50 for adults and children. Please CLICK HERE for more info on the Hands-on House!


We were given free admission to facilitate this review, however all opinions are my own.