Preschoolers Get a Visit From Menagerie

The sounds of farm animals--a goat, a miniature horse, sheep and chickens--rang out Friday morning at the Excelsior Preschool.

The animals appeared courtesy of the Gentle Barn, which offers nature workshops and introduces children to farm animals.

Dressed in denim overalls and farmer hats, owners Ellie Callahan and Robin Thomas led the creatures to the preschool’s backyard, where children could pet the animals, brush the horse, hold the chickens and feed the goat and sheep.

“We never chase them; we never pull their hair,” Callahan reminded the rambunctious preschoolers.

Most of the children, ages 2 to 4, eagerly waited to feed Amy the goat, although some of the more hesitant ones stood at a distance.

“Amy likes to nibble on clothes, but she won’t hurt you,” said Callahan, 31.

Callahan and Thomas brought the animals from Callahan’s half-acre farm in Tarzana, where they also keep geese and pigs. All the animals have been rescued from abusive petting zoos or slaughterhouses, Callahan said. The animals roam the area freely and are taken care of their whole lives, she said.

For a fee, children learn to plant gardens, pick fruit and collect eggs at the farm, Callahan said. They also see how sheep are sheared and animals’ hooves are clipped.

“It’s not just grabbing and feeding,” she said. “It’s also education. We teach them the love of animals.”

The idea for the Gentle Barn took root when Callahan noticed neighborhood children were eager to visit her animals.

“They want to get back to nature,” she said.

At the preschool, Callahan peppered the children with questions.

“What comes from chickens?” she asked.

“The chicken we eat,” said David McClain II, 6, of Arleta.

“But these are our friends--we’re not going to do that to these guys,” Callahan said.

Thomas painted the children’s faces while Callahan took Polaroid photos of them posing with their favorite animals.

David said his were the chickens: “I liked their beak.”