Family activities at Dunwich Heath

Family walking at Dunwich Heath

Head outdoors for some family fun! Dunwich Heath is a great place to explore with youngsters... Discover some amazing wildlife with our nature trails, try building a shelter, or search for minibeasts in our ‘bug basement’. Here are a few ideas for activities to encourage and inspire youngsters to explore the great outdoors...

Go wild!

Discover some fantastic nature with our trails and walks. We’ve created some great children’s trails to help younger visitors explore the heath and beach.

Please note that we’re currently unable to provide you with paper copies of our trails, but you can download and print your own to bring with you using the links below. Don’t forget you’ll need to bring a pencil too.

When you’ve finished your trail head back to the tea room and you will find the answers near the entrance.

Fly a Kite!

Windy days are perfect for flying a kite whatever the season! If you would like to fly a kite you can do so on the beach, but please stay south of the cliffs when flying it in Summer, and always be aware of others.

Trails to print at home and bring with you!

Smugglers children's trail

Smugglers Trail 

Turn your walk into an adventure and find out more about Dunwich Heath with clues from a sea-faring rascal!

Dunwich Heath coastguard cottages pre-war

Children's history discovery trail 

Discover the fascinating history of the site from smugglers and coastguards, to the military history of the world wars. Follow the trail, learn as you go, and find the answers at the end!

Sunrise over Dunwich Heath and Beach

Dunwich Bingo! 

Head out on a walk with your Dunwich Bingo sheet and see how many you can find!

A boy looking into his bug hunting pot

See if you can find some minibeasts!

Dunwich Heath is a wonderful place to look for insects and minibeasts, see what creepy crawlies you can discover in our ‘bug basement’! Why not take a photo and learn about them when you get home? Bring along some small, clean tubs so that you can study your bugs, but please make sure you put them back safely where you found them when you have finished!

A boy and a man constructing a den with sticks
Dunwich Heath and Beach   Suffolk

Make a wild shelter!

Head to our den building area and have a go at creating your own shelter or fortress! Can you make it comfortable and watertight?

Tea cup bird feeder

Make a bird feeder from recycled materials 

Here's an idea for you to try at home! Why not give your birds a treat and have a go at making your own bird feeder? It's a great way of using recycled containers! Here's how...

Make your own recycled bird feeder
Winter walks at Dunwich Heath

Visiting Dunwich Heath: Plan your visit 

We look forward to welcoming you to Dunwich Heath! Please take a look at the information on this page to help you plan and make the most of your visit.

Find out more