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Child Safety Checklist for Farm Visitors

Guests, friends and cousins arrive full of curiosity and with no idea where the hazards are. This guide gives a practical checklist for hosting visiting children.

Why do visiting children need extra attention?

Visiting children do not know your rules, your animals or your machines. They may be more adventurous than your own children, who have heard the rules for years. Parents who live in town may not know what to look out for either.

Hosting well means telling people what they need to know, setting limits, and supervising. Finally, remember that you may know your farm very well and still miss hazards. Ask a friend, neighbor or extension educator to walk through with a critical eye before a big event.

Bring a first aid kit to the visiting area and know the location of the nearest hospital. Tell guests where the kit is.

What should you do before guests arrive?

Walk the farm and look for hazards a visitor might not see: open pits, loose animals, unsecured sheds, unattended equipment and chemicals. Close and lock what you can, and park machinery away from the visiting area.

Choose a visiting area that is fenced, close to the house and easy to supervise. Make sure there are restrooms, hand washing and shade.

Plan for weather. Give guests a shelter option in case of storms, and watch the forecast from the National Weather Service.

• Lock sheds and chemical storage
• Park equipment away from guests
• Fence the visiting area
• Provide hand washing

What should you tell guests when they arrive?

Greet families and give a short, friendly briefing. Tell them where children may go, which areas are off limits and who is in charge. Ask parents to stay with their children at all times.

Explain how to behave around animals, and show them how to wash hands. Tell guests how to find you and how to call 911 from your location.

Think about accessibility. Make sure paths are clear and level for strollers and guests with mobility needs.

How do you supervise?

Assign one adult to watch the guests, with no other job at the time. Count children when they arrive and again at intervals. Keep a list of names and parent phone numbers.

Ask guests to leave dogs at home or keep them leashed, and keep your own animals separated from visitors unless you are certain of their behavior.

Remind visitors about farm roads. Children should stay off lanes and driveways, and vehicles should park where they will not need to back up near people.

What about animals and hygiene?

Animals can carry germs that make people sick. Provide hand washing stations with soap and water, ask guests not to eat or drink around animals and keep pacifiers and toys out of animal areas. The CDC publishes guidance on healthy animal contact.

Supervise any animal contact closely, and let animals rest. Do not allow children to ride animals or equipment unless a qualified person is in charge.

Consider the age mix of your guests. Toddlers, school-age children and teenagers need different supervision, and a toddler cannot be left to follow rules that an older child can handle.

What about liability and rules?

If you host visitors regularly or charge a fee, rules about insurance, permits, food and safety may apply. Requirements vary by state and county, so check with your insurer, your county and your state department of agriculture or extension office.

Written waivers do not replace good safety practices. Plan for restrooms, food and rest. Hungry, tired and overheated children make poor choices, and a comfortable visit is a safer visit.

Tell guests about hazards that are not obvious, such as an electric fence, a pond, a manure pit, a dog that does not like strangers or a gate that does not latch. A guest cannot avoid a danger no one has described.

What should you do after the visit?

Walk the farm to make sure nothing was left behind and that gates and doors are closed. Note anything that went wrong or nearly did, and fix it before the next visit.

Ask guests for feedback and use it to improve your next visit. If anything goes wrong, stay calm, call 911 for a serious problem, and keep the other children together and away from the scene. Tell parents what happened honestly and quickly.

Keep the briefing short and friendly. A few clear sentences at the gate are remembered better than a long speech, and a printed sheet by the entrance reinforces the message.

Last reviewed: November 12, 2026. Written by the Farm Safety Editorial Team. See our editorial policy.