Join us for Summer Day Camp,
Field Trips, and Group Events at our
Petting Farm in Canton, Michigan
Day Camp & Farm
Real Life
CALL US: 1-734-495-0822
Virtual Tour
Click on any image in the slideshow to enter the full-screen experience.
If you have any questions about Field Trips,
Fall Groups, or our Summer Day Camp, please call the front desk of our Nursery School at (734) 495-0833.
We look forward to meeting you!
Welcome to Real Life!
Join us for a "Virtual Tour" where you'll see some of the many things our farm has to offer your family, school, or group.
View From Geddes Road
You can't see our barn from the road, so be sure to look for our Nursery School. Pull in the driveway and continue straight until you either see one of our parking attendants (spring/fall) or reach the lot by the barn (summer).
Welcome to the Farm!
During the spring and fall, many groups visit our farm. As you approach, keep an eye out for people you know, and make your way toward our Big Red Barn to see if they're inside.
Big Red Barn
After replacing the first barn, which stood for almost fifty years, our Big Red Barn opened up April 15, 2015. The new barn is built to code and is both safe and wheelchair accessible. The "silo" is actually an elevator shaft, making all three floors accessible to the public.
Lunch Shelves
When you first arrive for a field trip or summer camp, please go up the main stairs (or the big, brick hill) to enter the main floor of our barn. There you'll see our lunch shelves--the best place to store your food so our barn cats don't sneak a taste.
The Big Red Barn
The Big Red Barn is the main attraction. With room to play, room to eat, and lots of baby animals, your child will have plenty to do and discover.
Wooden Construction
All three floors of our barn are beautifully constructed with real wood, giving your family a true "country" experience.
First Floor
The ground-level of our barn is where the animals come to eat their meals and meet friends like you and your family.
Goats
Field Trip groups enjoy bottle feeding our baby goats.
Adult Goats
Our adult goats will eat grain right out of your hand (it tickles!)
Lambs
Our lambs take bottles too.
Chicks & More
With supervision, your child will have the opportunity to hold small animals like chicks, bunnies, kittens, and ducklings.
Barn Cats
Our people-loving barn cats are very friendly and occasionally give us a litter of kittens!
Kittens
A favorite on the farm is kittens. As soon as they're old enough to play, children are invited to hold them with help from our staff.
Piglets
Piglets join us every spring. We bottle feed them until they're big enough to move to the pig pen, and there they enjoy daily leftover lunch scraps from the nursery school and day camp. Nothing goes to waste on the farm!
Calf
We also raise and bottle-feed a calf every year. He loves when you rub his neck.
Friendly Animals
Our animals are well-cared for and love people. Every day at Real Life is a great opportunity for children to learn as they interact with and care for our furry friends.
Ponies and Miniature Horses
We train and care for ponies and miniature horses that are the perfect size for young children to ride.
Full-size Horses
We also have regular horses who are well-trained and love to be ridden.
Big Pastures
Our larger animals--like the horses, donkeys, and cows--enjoy large pastures where they have plenty of room to run and graze. Our hayride will take you to see some of it.
Forts and "Campsites"
Out on the hayride trail, you'll see a few wooden structures. These give shelter to the horses in the winter and are two-story forts for kids in our Summer Day Camp. Every Friday at Camp is cookout day, and Counselors and older kids (age 7+) go to their designated forts to roast hotdogs, marshmallows, and more over a real campfire.
Main Eating Area
Younger children at Camp have their Friday cookout in the Main Eating Area. With multiple pavilions and campfire sites, spring and fall groups enjoy their own space to meet and relax.
Farm Play Structure
Kids have a blast on our huge playstructure, giving them plenty to do between activities.
Acres of Adventure
Our farm stretches from Geddes Road all the way back into the woods at the other end. The Nursery School and Kindergarten at the front of the property offers year-round child care for children ages 2.5 through 6.
Activity Room and Storm Shelter
The lower level of our Nursery School is a large activity room that doubles as a state-of-the-art storm shelter. If the weather turns bad, we move everyone from the farm to the school. This is also where the kid-actors in our annual "Camp Play" practice and perform for their friends.
Safety First!
The Big Red Barn features two all-metal fire escapes, not to mention the ground-level doors at both ends and the big hill for the second floor, making a fast evacuation safe and simple in case of emergency.
Canton's Summit on the Park
Our Summer Day Camp travels four days each week to Canton's "Summit on the Park" to swim in their huge pool.
Summit Aquatic Center
Our Camp Counselors join the Summit lifeguarding staff as "aquatic observers," ensuring extra safety for your child at all times.
Water Slide and Lazy River
The Summer Camp's regular trips to the Aquatic Center give day-campers a refreshing break from the warm weather on the farm and plenty of fun experiences with friends.
Cray-Fishing
Somehow in the past, some kids discovered that if they tie a Dum-Dum lollipop to a string, the crayfish in Fowler Creek (behind our barn) will grab on long enough to pull them out of the water. It takes some patience and some luck, but it's a favorite activity in our back barnyard.
Real Life Experiences
With careful supervision from our trained staff, day-campers enjoy exploring nature, discovering new things, and trying new experiences in the real world.
So Much to See
The farm is full of unique experiences for your child that teach responsibility, empathy, teamwork, thoughtfulness, conservation, and so much more. There's always something to see and do.
One Big Family
Real Life Day Camp and Farm have been owned and operated by the Fraser family since 1948. We treat every guest, student, camper, and staff member like part of our family. We'd love to have you and your child join us!