For families

Delve into our garden shed of fun activities for the kids throughout the seasons. Explore things to do, games to play and recipes to bake. There's lots to be done outdoors in nature or indoors on a rainy day

Explore

Sandymouth beach at low tide

Coastal walks: beautiful and scenic routes 

Take the family out for a coastal walk and feel revitalised by the sea air and open space. From clifftop rambles to gentle strolls along the sandy dunes, we’ve got a walk to suit you.

Visitors in the Kitchen Garden at Dyffryn House and Gardens, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales

Our top gardens for children 

Planning a day out the whole family will enjoy? Let your children's or grandchildren's imaginations run free as they explore our gardens. The kids will love connecting with nature and it's a great way to feel refreshed.

Family cycles through parkland at Nostell

Great places for a family bike ride 

What could be better than heading out as a family and exploring the countryside on two wheels? Our woods and parklands are perfect for little legs (and older ones too) to pedal around. It's no. 11 of our ‘50 things to do before you're 11¾’ - explore on wheels.

See how many trees you can identify with this spotter's sheet

Family activities for outdoor adventures 

Uncover 'Hidden Nature' with lots of fun activities to try on your next family adventure. Discover secret wildlife at the places we care for using our handy spotter guides or have a go at activities inspired by the colours and sounds of nature. Learn how to identify different tree leaves on a woodland walk with a new spotter sheet created by our brand licensee, children’s clothing brand, Frugi.

Play

Step into a wood and you'll be surrounded by fungi

No.22 Find some funky fungi 

Take to the woods or your back garden for a funky fungi hunt. Wild mushrooms come in all different shapes and sizes and some have silly names too. What kind of fungi will you find? It's one of our '50 things to do before you're 11¾'.

Child with rock pool creature

No. 37: explore the wonders of a rock pool 

There are lots of creatures and plants to be discovered in rock pools, and we've got tips for the best time to explore one, the different wildlife you can find and what to bring with you so you're fully equipped to explore.

Children looking at the insects found on a bug hunt.

No. 31: make friends with a bug 

Finding 'Hidden Nature' is about discovering the beauty of the everyday. Why not see if you can make friends with a bug? Get to know their hiding places and see where they like to explore. You could follow one around to go on a journey with them, and see what other nature you can spot along the way.

A boy playing in woodland at Alderley Edge and Cheshire Countryside, Cheshire

50 things to do before you're 11¾ 

Fancy running free in the fresh air, learning new skills and trying new things? Grab your gear and start your adventure.

Discover
Grey seal pup on the beach

Watch our wildlife and nature videos 

Discover more 'Hidden Nature' with our Youtube playlist. You can learn how to identify different butterflies, find out how to spot the elusive red squirrel and learn more about seal pups from our rangers.

Watch the videos

Bake it

Enchiladas fresh from the oven

Enchiladas 

Feel satisfied after tucking in to this recipe for enchiladas, it's saucy and cheesy. If you're vegan (or diary-free), we've got you covered too with some suggestions to suit your tastes.

Jam roly poly that's been cut into a few slices on a wooden chopping board, spoon with custard on the side

Jam roly-poly 

Looking for a warm, comforting and jammy treat? This jam roly-poly will send you reaching for more – and it only takes an hour total to make. Inject some nostalgia into your dinnertime with our recipe.

Make it
Rolling the sticky sheet round the crisp tube to decorate it Play Video
Video

Make a crisp tube croquet set

Reuse household objects to create this simple croquet set, and have fun when you're out and about or in your garden. You don’t need a lot of space to play, but as your skills improve you can spread your croquet ‘hoops’ out further to make the game more challenging.

Download a PDF with the instructions on how to make your own
Gently squash the mixture into all the holes in your pine cone

More how to guides 

Have you ever wanted to have a go at making a bird feeder, growing your own veg or learning how to identify certain moths? Follow one of our many how to guides and become an expert in something new in no time.

Learn a new skill
Girl reading Who's hiding in the woods? book outside

More children's books 

Take a moment to discover more stories, activity books, books about nature, animals and wildlife from our online shop. If you snuggle down at home or lay your head in the grass to read, we've got plenty of fun books for you to enjoy.

Children investigate children's products on a table.

Top toys and family games 

Spark their imagination, feed their curiosity and explore the wilderness together this summer with some of the best outdoor games for children.

Things to do

Get some inspiration for activities to do on your own or with family. You won't be short of things to do at home or in the garden this summer.

Ideas for things to do