Family fun at Greenway

Family fun whatever the weather at Greenway

Spring is on the horizon and there are lots of things for families to enjoy at Greenway when it reopens. Agatha Christie and her family spent their holidays at Greenway, relaxing by the river and spending quality time together. Why not follow in their footsteps? Please remember to supervise your children at all times.

 

This February half term...

...please stay local as per government guidelines if planning to visit one of our places.
Most places will not be running their usual half term events and activities, but your family will still be able to enjoy fresh air and space to stretch little legs at our places which are open.
Please book visits in advance, and always check the webpage of the place you wish to visit before you travel.

Please note Greenway will reopen the gardens for local visitors from Saturday 13 February 2021. 

 

Inspired by Agatha Christie

As Greenway is the holiday home of Queen of Crime Agatha Christie, we like to celebrate this place's literary history. The Gazebo in the Walled Garden is a lovely place to read and relax, so why not bring along your favourite book and immerse yourself in this peaceful garden. 
 

 

'50 things' fun

At Greenway there are lots of '50 things to do before you're 11¾' that you can tick off your list.  It's is a good time to do these 50 things:

16. Wear a wild crown
The woodland garden is a great places to look for fallen leaves to fashion into a wild crown.

12. Have fun with sticks
You're sure to find a stick or two if you take a walk through the woodland garden. Why not lay a trail to help you find your way back?

2. Roll down a really big hill
If you head to the Top Garden you'll see a lovely grassy hill to roll down.

 

A family pond dipping at Cragside, Northumberland

Download the '50 things' activity guide 

If you want to download a PDF of the whole '50 things to do before you’re 11¾' list, then here it is.

Download the full '50 things' activity list

 

Adventures at the Boathouse and Battery

From the Boathouse quay you could count the boats on the river, which is always bustling with activity; trawlers, river cruises, a paddle steamer and kayakers can regularly be seen.  At the Battery the cannon always captures little-one's imaginations - can you're kids defend Greenway from attack by river pirates?
 

 

Wildlife spotting

Seal poking their head out of the river

Down by the river

The Boathouse and Battery is Greenway's number one spot for wildlife watching. The River Dart is home to and visited by lots of birds; buzzards, cormorants, egrets, and guillemots are often seen. Herons nest on the edge of Greenway garden in spring, and in June you may see the young leaving the nest. Two creatures which always create the most excitement when spotted from the Boathouse are seals and kingfishers.

Damselfly resting by a pond

The Bird Pond

The Bird Pond is a great spot for wildlife watching. It's named after the Bridget McCrum statue of a bird which presides over the pond, rather than the birds which visit it. In spring/early summer, damselflies start to emerge; why not take a seat on the bench by the pond to watch them? Earlier in the year common toads laid their spawn here so by June the toadlets will be getting ready to leave the pond.

 

Activities to keep busy

Visitors enjoying craft activities, including colouring and drawing

Peter Rabbit activities to do at home 

Get stuck into a winter adventure with these Peter Rabbit™ packs for you to do at home. From crafts and games, puzzles and ideas inspired by nature, you can have a mini adventure with the help of Peter and his friends.

Hunting for bugs at Winkworth Arboretum, Surrey

'50 things' to do in your garden 

Even bold adventurers can stay close to home to tick off challenges from the '50 things' activity list. Here are our top ten ideas for activities that you can do in your own back garden, nearest park or outdoor green space.

Two children running through a patch of daffodils

Activities to do outdoors 

We’ve got lots of fun things for you to try. Listen out for the sounds of nature with a game of bingo, use your senses to connect to nature with our small moments of joy activities or see what you can find at home with our garden spotter guide.