50 things to do before you’re 11 ¾ at Hatchlands Park

Some trees have spaces big enough to get inside, others can be climbed, many have colourful leaves to catch. You can find ancient trees to study in the woodland and, halfway along the driveway at Hatchlands, you'll find a huge hollow trunk to explore.

Rolling down a really big hill is perhaps the best way ever invented to get to the bottom, it's also the most fun. Head out towards Little Wix wood to find a big grassy hillside ripe for rolling down. You might want to plan your route carefully as our cows sometimes roll around here too.

Build a den out of sticks, cover it with leaves, and you've got a pirate hideout or a meeting place for spies. Take a trip to our natural adventure area. Nearby, there’s a big wood pile with branches, bark, leaves and everything else you'll need to create that hidden den.

You can still have fun on a rainy day! When it's pouring, what could be better than chucking on your wellies and waterproofs and zooming through puddles, soaking up all the watery fun? Our parkland paths have lots of dips where the water gathers, ready to be jumped in.

When there's a bit of wind in the air it's the perfect time to enjoy one of the purest pleasures in life. So, if you haven't flown a kite before, what are you waiting for? Find an open patch of parkland, away from the big trees, and watch your kite sail on the breeze.

Spotting fish is one of the best ways to spend time when you're exploring water in the countryside. As you might imagine, there’s no point looking for fish up a tree. Instead, visit Sheepwash pond in a quiet corner of our park. You'll need to be patient and quiet while you wait.

Why go home for lunch when you can eat in the wild? Pack a picnic when you visit Hatchlands and tuck into your sandwiches surrounded by nature. Head to the top of Wix Hill for views of the Surrey landscape, down to Sheepwash Pond to sit by the water or just throw a rug down in the parkland grass.

We have lots of huge horse chestnut trees ready to provide you with battle ready 76’ers. First of all you should find the right conker, next, thread it with string and thirdly, bring a playing partner to pit your wits against. You’re all set to play this classic autumnal game.

There are so many ways that you can have fun with sticks, we can’t begin to mention them all here. Build a den, play the drums, make a wand, lay a trail, create a home for wildlife; the list is endless. Check out the woodland areas at Hatchlands for all your stick-based needs.

Mud glorious mud - who can resist it? In wet weather, Hatchlands has lots of it just waiting to be turned into gooey creations. Squish it with your fingers, create a work of art, or turn it into a seed bomb. Don’t forget about our cows - it's vital you don't get the wrong kind of mud in your mud pie.

Lots of outside activities are just as fun in the winter, some even more so. Make sure you wrap up in your warmest clothes and maybe take a hot drink with you. Crunch along Hatchlands’ frosty, leaf-lined paths and see if you can spot icicles hanging from the buildings you pass.

Start with a bit of string or a piece of ribbon, add bendy twigs, colourful leaves, find a discarded feather, weave in a few flowers (daisy chains work perfectly) – with a little imagination you’ll discover that there is endless material in nature to make your own wild crown with.

Mushrooms from the supermarket are a type of fungi but there are many others. Maybe you’ll find a Purple Jellydisc, Snaketongue Truffleclub or a Scurfy Twiglet. Some are enormous, others tiny, some are camouflaged, a few are brightly coloured. Look in shady, damp places to become a fun guy.

At Hatchlands, if you listen carefully, you'll hear nature's music all around you. Birds singing, trees rustling, the sheep and cows having a chat. The more you listen, the more you'll hear. Try using things that you find in the parkland to create your own music - how about those sticks from number 12 or maybe even a grass trumpet?

Because of the dead wood we leave when trees fall, Hatchlands is an amazing place to hunt for bugs. There are hundreds of species for you to find, including some that are really rare. Check under logs or stones, in the dead wood piles or holes in trees that are still standing. Be gentle, and avoid wasps, snakes and crocodiles.

On a warm day, find a comfy patch of grass, lie back and watch the clouds go by. With a little imagination you can create whole worlds and the tall tales that might take place there, from the shapes you see in the clouds.

Hatchlands has lots of different species of birds for you to spot from common garden birds, wildfowl with webbed feet or big birds of prey circling overhead. Birds are easily scared - you'll need to be as quiet as you can so that they stick around.

It’s great to investigate nature by yourself but you can double the fun when you share your wildlife adventures with a friend. Do you know someone who loves to look under logs and peer into ponds? Head to Hatchlands for a wild day out together.