Circle S Farms in Grove City, OH

Fall is a wonderful time of year with kids. Leaves are turning, the weather is cooling down, there are apples and pumpkins to pick, and many farms offer family fun days where kids can frolic about in a corn maze, pet some goats, drink some cider, and take a hayride. My playgroup has a tradition of going to Circle S Farms in Grove City each fall for their fun on the farm days. The kids love it! Part of the reason we picked Circle S in the first place was because it was easy to get to and open during the week; now we go because it holds a special place in our playgroup hearts.

Circle S Farms is about 35 minutes west of Columbus and is an easy drive. The farm does a great job showing people where to go and is well staffed. They have signs and areas blocked off which makes it easy to know where to park, how to get to the admissions booth, and then onto the farm. Plan to make it a group outing because if there are 10 or more people in the group, admission goes down by $2 and they tack on a pumpkin, donut, and apple juice with each ticket. Regular admission is $8, but then goodies and the pumpkin are an additional cost. Since they offer such a good deal on group admission, there can be a ton of kids there. Sometimes my heart drops when I see school buses, especially since I am not one for crowds. The farm is big, though, and they have plenty of stuff to do.

Kids will wear themselves out running, climbing, tossing hay in the air, and trying to lift the biggest pumpkin in the patch. The sunflower maze offers great photo moments as well as the hay bale maze. Try to enjoy yourself too, one year I was so obsessed with getting the best picture that I missed seeing the real smiles on my kids’ faces. The hubby is right when he tells me to put the camera down and enjoy the moment…but, I am certain other picture lovers out there know, it is hard to put that camera down! We are capturing memories to last long after the memories in our brains fade. Anyhoo….enough of that.

My daughter could play in the hay barn for hours. They have a very large barn full of hay, slides set into the hay, a hay floor, bales of hay to sit on, and the hay list can go on and on. When I first walked in I didn’t think I’d get out alive, I mean, if I got buried in the hay would someone find me? Would they look? I think my kids would eventually start calling for me because they’d need me to get them something or take them to the port-o-potty. End your trip with a visit to the pumpkin patch. There is a hayride that takes groups out to pick pumpkins, and the ride helps calm kids down a bit so they don’t run through the pumpkins in a crazy fashion. Well, at least that is what we hope for each year. Be sure to have your ticket on hand in exchange for your new orange porch decoration.

Circle S Farms

9015 London Groveport Road (St. Rt. 665)

Grove City, Ohio 43123

614-878-7980

A few tips if you plan to go:

• Call ahead if you are going with a group (meaning 10 or more) and save on admission. *children under 2 are free
• If you are not going with a group, ask at the admission desk about purchasing pumpkins. *children under 2 are free
• Pack your lunch. They have a huge covered tented picnic area with lots of seating. If you forget, they do have some food for sale.
• Be aware there are bees. I assume there is a bee farmer because one year there were a ton of bees in the picnic area. Noone got stung, but those little buggers are not my idea of wanted lunch guests.
• Wear clothes that can get dirty – it is a farm, after all.
• A shed-type structure has a baby changing table for those still in diapers. Port-o-potties for the rest of us.
• Strollers are fine – may be a bit bumpy (ask for help if you have a stroller and decide to take the hayride).