The children's farm De Lenspolder in Nieuwpoort in West Flanders offers a range of activities like baking and looking after animals, as well as candle-making, paper-making and spinning and weaving. There's also a cafe and a picnic field, and you can arrange guides for a wander through the dunes.  http://to.ly/eDyh

The children's farm De 7 Torentjes in Assebroek outside Bruges works all year round with classes from schools far and near, and there are still places left for their bread-making and snail-trail day on 9 August from 8.15 to 17.00. Children of school age learn what bread is made of, how to knead dough and how to bake their own hand-made bread in the farm's original wood-fired oven. The snail trail, meanwhile, is a treasure hunt for pre-schoolers - and don't worry, the snails are not real and, unlike those hot buns, they won't be coming home with the little ones.  www.ckbzt.be/contact

The city of Antwerp has its own children's farm in Wilrijk, free to visit every day (except Monday) from 10.00 to 16.00, where children can learn all about farmyard work, cheese-making, bread-making and ecological gardening. There's also a fairy-tale promenade, and education on environmental and sustainable farming. The site also lists children's farms in other parts of Flanders.  http://to.ly/eDxK

It's perhaps not the healthiest food subject, but it's one kids love: sweets. The Brussels museum of milling and food is installed in a former working windmill in Evere, and their permanent collection includes everything to do with turning grain into flour. The temporary exhibition Sweet Candy, however, is about the history of everything sweet, from honeyed almonds in the ancient world to cuberdons and pralines of today, with examples of sweets from across the world: Asian sesame crepes, cotignacs (made of quince jelly) from Orléans in France, brigadieros (chocolate bonbons) from Brazil and more. The museum is open Wednesday to Friday from 10.00 to 17.00 and weekends from 13.00 to 17.30. Adults €3, children under 12 free.  www.moulindevere.be

Pur-fruit in Oeselgem in West Flanders is a 12-hectare biological fruit farm that grows all kinds of fruit including berries, brambles, raspberries, nuts, heritage apples, plums and pears, with a particular preference for blueberries and red and white currants. And you can pick them yourself to take home. Entry is free and there,s no need to reserve. Just turn up and you,ll see what,s ripe on the day, and how much each variety costs. You can taste what's available if you're not sure, and then go to work. When you're done, your harvest is weighed and that's all there is to it. (Open Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 9.00 to 19.00.) On Tuesday, 7 August there's a special jam-making day for grown-ups, including a demonstration and lesson, ingredients and coffee and cake. Contact bart@purfruit.com to be sure there are still places available.  www.purfruit.com

Contributions to this article were made by Olga Hope

And more ...

Have a picnic in the Rivierenhof park in Antwerp, with a basket containing toys and goodies

http://terranova.provant.be/programma_detail.php?id=45

Picnic in a diffeent Brussels park every Sunday until 16 September

http://visitbrussels.be/bitc/BE_en/brusselicious/culture/28261/picnic-in-the-park.do

Somerstoofpotje is a food-based search through the Art and History museum in Brussels

http://www.kmkg-mrah.be/nl/zomerstoofpotje

The bakkerijmuseum in Veurne in West Flanders offers a range of baking activities

http://www.bakkerijmuseum.be/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=60&Itemid=105&lang=nl

The Smultocht in Merkem in West Flanders is a 25km bike ride with a different course at every stop

http://www.uitinvlaanderen.be/agenda/e/smultocht/9c1d5667-22d2-404a-a789-1024c9eba740