General advice for parents
Children matter to the National Trust, so we recommend that all of our activities are supervised by an adult. We trust that you will make your own judgement about what is safe and suitable for the age and ability of your child.
For messy activities, activities with animals or natural water sources:
- Make sure any cuts or wounds are covered with waterproof plasters to avoid infection
- Discourage your child from putting anything in his or her mouth
- Wash your child's hands thoroughly afterwards
If you're doing activities outside:
- Make sure your child wears warm, weather resistant clothing during any activities involving water or snow
- Make sure your child wears suitable footwear for any activities that may involve slippery or uneven surfaces
- Check weather reports before any activity and avoid trees or natural water sources in wet or windy conditions
- Supervise children at all times during these activities
For more challenging activities, like rock climbing, canoeing or learning to ride a horse, you could find an organised event to ensure the safest conditions for your child. You can read more about safety for various activities in the list of organisations at the bottom of this page.
