Adults at petting zoos/farms/kids days out

[ExtraHotDoubleShot]

Has anyone else noticed a massive uptick in grown adults (many in late teens and 20s) going on days out aimed at kids/young families? I’m finding it increasingly irritating - small children having to queue behind grown adults to stroke rabbits or see tanks of fish.

(Exception where there is clearly a disability at play)

Well, gee whizz, you sure were cool in your youth!

Could it be that they go pumpkin picking (once per year) and ALSO travel, eat at restaurants, blah blah blah super cool people stuff? No?

I totally agree with this. I think OP might have led a sheltered life if she thinks some of the things mentioned are for children only.
As the poster above says about Lego, they have really upped there game in tapping into the adult market. Big sets costing a lot of money.

Also while petting zoos will get parents and toddlers and those who are home educated visit all year round, there is likely to be a need for adults to visit too to ensure the places stay open.
Adults might have a better budget and go on days out that cost money whereas families look for budget activities. Even when out families take picnics while adults might buy coffees and lunch.

But zoos and farms aren't exclusively for children? I'd agree with you if you were talking about a softplay centre or something but what is childish about looking at a giraffe?

I have two small children, if adults are ahead of them in the line to view the penguins or whatever, I just remind them they need to be patient 🤷‍♀️

Do you mean "adults having fun"?

A few years ago my (nearly adult) son and I (supposedly adult) went to Coral Reef in Bracknell (a pool with flumes etc for those not local). When I mentioned it at an exercise class a few days later someone said "oh I thought that was for kids".

Hey ho.

I do think you might have safeguarding issues at some venues, I seem to remember that Legoland Manchester didn't allow in adults who didn't have children with them.

There’s nothing stopping a 19 year old using the local park swings either is there? But we all know these spaces are designed for small children.

Of course he can attend a petting zoo, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a child focused space, designed for small children to interact with small animals and introduce them to animal care and welfare.

But it is what it is, an adult using children’s facilities.

The fertily window hasn't really changed - though it's still biologically determined.

IVF can push for some - and younger you are more successful - especially if they use younger women's eggs. Even older fathers research found push risks of schizophrenia and AHDD and ASD all up.

The main issue is socially economcially is adult milestones like parenthood are being pushed every back but biology is still a fact for most people. So that is impacting fertlity rates and has wider effects like voting prefernces - less assets owned more left voting adults are.

This has been covered in press for years.

Life expectancy rising - some of that driven by lowering of infant mortality but old age had increased and that again comes with consquences especially as years of ill health have also increased.

Marry later having kids later buying houses later are economiclaly driven to ever later points and then that becomes the social norm - so carries on - it's not neccassirly a bad thing but it does have consequnces - like treating young adults who still at home with parents for longer periods of time as less capable than adults same age as in the past.

9 out of 10 out of more than a THOUSAND posters - so far - think the OP is being unreasonable - and ridiculous!

#Awkward 😆

She will, of course, keep doubling down as if she is right. She's not!

People do that a lot on here when they say something ludicrous and hilariously daft. They don't ever come back to the thread and say 'actually, you know what, I may have been wrong about this!'

I'm off to book a trip to the local petting zoo for later this week.... 😎 Just me and DH. There will probably be people with children there. 😱

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Why is the working status of posters relevant?

I want to hold a hamster, I want to hold a hamster!! Pleaaaaase....

Oh bless you, they really didn't. Maybe invest in a book on reading comprehension as well as a basic dictionary? Hope this helps. 🤞

He goes on the swings at the park if we walk past and it isn't busy too.

To be honest his MH is rock bottom. He hardly leaves the house. So if 10 mins on the swing, or a trip to see some animals grey him out then damn right I'm taking him.

Of course he wouldn't hog a swing, or a rabbit, if there were small children waiting. But he would have a short turn.

If you saw him though, you wouldn't know any of that and would just judge him as being too old. Luckily we don't GAF.

So you are saying you purposely posted rage bait....how interesting.

So you were never asking whether you were unreasonable then.

I agree with you completely, but just wanted to say I don't think it is true anymore that "train sets" are something you keep quiet about and don't admit to at work.

DH started to take an interest and begin building a railway layout a few years ago. I have been with him to a few shows. There is little doubt that this is not really a child's pursuit anymore. Not least because of the cost. The demographic at the shows is overwhelmingly adult, you see few children. Yes, mostly male but not exclusively. I get involved because I like building the scenery for the layouts.

Ignore people who judge, they don't walk in your shoes. It's tough, you're doing the right thing 💐

Why not, if you'd like to? I've been on them as an adult.

Lol an ex boss of mine had a big train set, sorry model railway in the storage area at work

It was well set out tbh and sometime clients ( always male) were taken to see it. I'm sure it clinched him a few deals

I don't think you know what petulant means? Queuing up with kids isn't in the least bit petulant. It's polite and normal to queue and if it's open to all ages then some are 4 and some are 50.

Thank you. Honestly, give me toddlers over teens any day! Mine were so much easier then.

I went on the swings in the park the other day. It was during an early morning walk and there weren't any sproglets around so I didn't have to wait my turn but it was bloody excellent fun and I went really high. I'm 58 3/4s.

Jools Holland and Rod Stuart are into model railways. I have a friend who works for a model railway magazine and went to their houses to interview them and have a play look.

It'll be ok, just keep on. x

The avenues suggested are not easily accessible. For the most part they cost many times more than a petting farm, or involve a serious commitment to a career or volunteer role that people don't always have time for. You can't just rock up and volunteer for a few hours on the occasional Sunday, you have to give it significant time that people don't always have.

I wonder what gives the people that have said it is childish joy?

My adult son and myself were very recently at a fairly local petting type zoo. We had paid just over £100 for an experience - feeding and cuddling capybaras. The cost also includes entrance to the zoo and yes we did hold the rabbits and pet the goats we both thoroughly enjoyed it had a great day. We also spent money in their cafe and gift shop He also adopted one of the animals so I imagine the owners were very happy to have us there.