Stratford Butterfly Farm Warwickshire

Stratford-upon-Avon Butterfly Farm offers an excellent opportunity for children of all ages to learn about life-cycles, tropical rainforest environments and the plants and animals that live within these habitats, as well as an introduction into the Maya lifestyle, habitat and civilisation, including culture and religion. Key Stage 1 and 2 subjects covered. Listed under: Day Trip Destinations | Art and Design | Theme Parks | Picnic Areas | Parks and Gardens | Ecology & Green Awareness | Environment Centres | Butterfly Farms | Science | History | Geography | Environmental Studies | English | Citizenship | Wildlife and Nature Reserves

Stratford-upon-Avon Butterfly Farm is the largest tropical butterfly paradise in the UK. With over 30 years of experience in educational visits, it is the perfect place to bring your class for a truly immersive, rainforest experience. Set in a unique tropical environment, with splashing waterfalls, fish-filled pools and replicated Maya artifacts. Hands on learning about rainforests, insects, life-cycle of a butterfly and the Maya culture. Look inside the Emerging Case and watch a butterfly hatch from its pupa. Children of all ages will be mesmerised as they watch brightly coloured butterflies fly and feed all around them. Your class will have fun spotting our two resident Green Iguanas and the various other creatures that live in the Butterfly Farm. Choice of two tours, Meet the Mini-Beasts, incorporating the life-cycle of a butterfly and Discover the Maya, a rainforest civilisation.

Our tours are led by expert Education Officers and are presented in an engaging, educational and age appropriate manner, taking in all aspects of the butterfly farm. There is plenty of hands on, close observation in an authentic rainforest environment. Tours begin in the Education Area before heading into the Rainforest Flight Area and Discovery Zone. During the Meet the Mini-Beast Tour, your guide will introduce butterfly anatomy, feeding and the life-cycle of a butterfly, moving on to predator defence and metamorphosis. On the Discover the Maya Tour, your guide will explain how the Maya created a complex civilisation within the rainforest, without the use of metal tools, the wheel and pack animals! Also covered on this tour are the crops they would have farmed and are still being farmed today, Maya math’s, clever calendars and the Maya ballgame. Tours end in Minibeast Metropolis with our popular mini-beast handling session. This is where the children can have a really close look at giant millipedes, African land snails and various stick insects. The Metropolis is also home to a leafcutter ant colony. Your class will be able to see the ants walking along overhead ropes, working hard collecting leaves and bringing them back to the colony. The Education Team have specialist knowledge of all the creatures that reside at the Butterfly Farm and are welcoming and enthusiastic with school groups making the day a very special way to learn. All displays are fully accessible and special needs groups are catered for, all tours are tailored to the needs and age of the group.

From 10 to 100, please enquire about larger groups.

Education packs on The Butterfly Life-Cycle and Discover the Maya, are available to download on our website. These have been developed by the Education Team.

Photography, video and audio is permitted, there are no copyright restrictions. No flash in Minibeast Metropolis.

There is a risk assessment on our website, which is reviewed annually, for teachers to download. Alternatively, for booked visits, up to two teachers may come to the Butterfly Farm for a complimentary visit and do their own risk assessment.

Bookings and enquiries, on behalf of the Education Team, are taken by Reception on 01789 299288 or to John Withers by email, schools@butterflyfrm.co.uk

School children, £5.25 per child, with one free teacher place for every 10 children. Any extra accompanying adults pay the child rate of £5.25. Carers have free entry. Student rates, 17yrs plus, are £6.25.

No, but it is warm and humid in the farm, so T-shirts and polo shirts are ideal.

We have first aid qualified staff but would prefer school groups to bring their own.

Nature inspired gift shop selling pocket money souvenirs, chilled drinks, confectionary and ice-creams. Education Area with lockers for schools to leave their belongings. Wildflower garden with picnic area. Onsite toilet facilities in the Discovery Zone, including baby changing and disabled. Coach drop off point at the entrance gates.

All displays are fully accessible with flat level pathways throughout. Onsite disabled toilets situated in the Discovery Zone.

10am – 6pm (summer), 10am – dusk (winter). School bookings are taken on the hour from 10am until 3pm. We are open every day of the year apart from Christmas Day.

Excellent educational and fun day out at inexpensive price. Would recommend this trip to teachers who are covering The Maya, as a History or Geography topic. Children and staff were made to feel very welcome. The children had a ball and haven’t stopped talking about their visit.