Beekeeping with children

Of all the experiences we run, the beekeeping one surprises parents the most. They book it expecting their child to hang back. Almost none of them do.

The suit does the work

We have suits in children's sizes. Once a child is zipped into one, the fear mostly evaporates — the suit is armour, and being dressed like the grown-ups is half the fun. Watching a seven-year-old walk up to an open hive without a flicker of hesitation is a regular event here.

What happens in the hive

We open a hive and lift a frame out. You see the brood pattern, the stored nectar, the capped honey, and if we are lucky, the queen. Bees are not aggressive when they are handled calmly and their hive is not being threatened — most of what people think they know about being stung comes from wasps.

Then you taste it

The visit ends with honeycomb straight from the frame. Comb honey eaten warm, minutes after it comes out of the hive, does not taste like anything you can buy.

The Beekeeping Experience starts at $49 and runs 30 to 60 minutes. Like all our visits it is private — just your group, one at a time.