Summer adventures for families at Rainham Hall

Spend the summer holidays at Rainham Hall and enjoy activities for the all the family.

During the summer holidays in 2017 we'll be offering a different family friendly activity each week inspired by either our latest exhibition about the war-time nursery at Rainham Hall, or by nature found in the Rainham Hall Gardens. Help us with our 'dig for victory' vegetable patch, make toys inspired by the 1940s, or get messy with some vegetable printing art.

While you're here not see how much you can check off your 50 things to do before you're 11 3/4 list at Rainham Hall. We have a perfect hill for rolling down and plenty of spots to sit and make great daisy chains.

Summer 2017 activities

Please note tickets (where required) should be purchased on the day at the till points in our Stables Cafe. You do not need to pre-book for any of these activities.

Plant it, grow it and eat it, Wednesday 26 July (11am-12pm): Come and help our Community Gardener with our “dig for victory” inspired vegetable patch by planting rocket and radishes. You can learn all about the sorts of vegetables they might have grown during years of rationing, when the Hall was used as a war-time nursery. Tickets: £3 per child. Age range: 3-16 years old. Location: The Gardens. Please note: We will provide gloves and equipment, but children are advised to wear clothes and shoes that they do not mind getting messy.

Monthly guided garden walk, Thursday 3 August (11am-12pm): Join our Community Gardener, Jesse, for a guided walk around the garden and hear about our exciting projects in development. Tickets: Free (donations welcome). Age range: Suitable for all ages. Location: meet in the Stables Courtyard.

Hunt for bugs bio-blitz, Friday 11 August (11am-12pm): Tick off number 31 on your 50 things to do before you’re 11 and ¾ list and hunt for bugs in the Rainham Hall gardens. A BioBlitz is a survey, which helps us to understand more about wildlife so we can better protect it in the future. Every discovery made during a Bioblitz is recorded and submitted to local wildlife record centres and the National Biodiversity Network.  Tickets: Free (donations welcome). Age range: Suitable for all ages. Location: Meet in the Stables Courtyard.

Make and decorate your own paper doll, Wednesday 16 August (11am-12pm): Simple toys would have been played with by children during the Second World War era. Before the 1960s, toys were expensive and most children had only a few, treasured items. One of the children who attended the nursery, Diane, remembers ‘playing with cut out paper dolls and paper clothes’. Come along to Rainham Hall and make and decorate your own paper doll in our Hayloft. Tickets: £2. Age range: 5-16 years. Location: The Hayloft.

Family muck-in day in garden, Friday 25 August (11am-1pm): Spend more time outdoors and help our Community Gardener with projects around the garden such as watering, harvesting and weeding. It's an amazing opportunity for the whole family to volunteer and get hands-on. Tickets: Free. Age range: Suitable for all ages. Location: The Gardens. Please note: We will provide gloves and equipment, but children are advised to wear clothes and shoes that they do not mind getting messy.

Vegetable printing, Friday 1 September (11am-12pm): We will be using vegetables that are grown in our “dig for victory” inspired vegetable patch to print on to canvas with bright coloured paints. These are the sorts of vegetables they might have grown during years of rationing, when Rainham Hall was used as a nursery for local children. Tickets: Free (donations welcome). Age range: Suitable for all ages. Location: Meet in the Stables Courtyard. Please note: children are advised to wear clothes and shoes that they do not mind getting messy.

Family facilities 

Baby changing facilities and toilets can be found just behind the Brewhouse and Stables Café. We offer a great picnic box for children and a selection of sandwiches and light lunches for grown-ups. There is plenty of seating inside and outside the Stables Café and you are more than welcome to bring a picnic rug and relax in the garden, with your lunches. Please note that children must be accompanied by an adult at all times when visiting Rainham Hall or participating in our activities. If you have any questions just ask a member of our team when you visit or ask in advance: rainhamhall@nationaltrust.org.uk