‘50 things to do before you're 11¾’
Have fun exploring nature and the great outdoors with our list of ‘50 things to do before you're 11¾’.
Family days out at Wightwick Manor and Gardens
Come and discover family adventures at Wightwick Manor and Gardens. With seasonal activities for little explorers, our natural woodland play and lots of walks filled with nature to discover. Find out about our latest family activities and plan your day out.
What's On
Half Term Fun at Wightwick Manor and Gardens
October Half Term Annual Halloween Trail - Saturday 24 October to Sunday 1 November, 10am - 4pm
Get the kids to don their most frightening fancy dress and join us this October half term for our annual outdoors Halloween trail. Follow the trail through Wightwick’s gardens and uncover the sights, sounds and secrets of autumn as you explore. Along the way, keep your eyes peeled, your ears open and your wits about you as you take on a series of fun challenges and puzzles for the whole family – with an autumnal and spooky twist.
Can you recognise the sounds of our nocturnal animals, follow the mysterious footprints and work out the correct ingredients for the witches’ spell? Test your aim with the batty bean bag challenge, roll the dice for some autumn fun and create your very own spooky name. If you visit the manor, see if you can spot all of the knitted pumpkins too – how many can you find?
£3 per trail sheet which includes a small prize at the end. Normal admission costs apply, no booking required. Please wear sturdy footwear as you may be walking over grassy areas which may become muddy and slippery if wet.
Fusion Part 2: A Diwali Installation – Saturday 24 October – Sunday 8 November, 11am – 4pm
Explore a colourful new installation in the Manor that reimagines Diwali through the lens of design produced by local artist Kanj Nicholas. Through a series of printing workshops with the local community and taking inspiration from the aesthetic of Wightwick, this installation blends rich Indian textiles, bold colours, and traditional motifs to create something truly unique.
No booking required. Normal admission charges apply.
Live Music in the Great Parlour – Performances between 12pm – 3pm on days listed below
During our two week celebration of Diwali, we will be joined by some of the finest musicians in the UK. On the 26 – 28 October we will be joined by sitar Chithrinie Nirupama and on 29 October and 6 – 7 November we will be joined by table and flute duo Soulful Sangeet (Mendi Singh and Shubham Tegeja).
No booking required. Normal admission charges apply.
Remembrance Knitted Poppy Display - Tuesday 20 October – Monday 16 November, 10am – 4pm
Our much-loved display of hand-knitted poppies will return to the garden, surrounding the war memorials which commemorate those who fell and who were connected with the Mander factory and their families.
For 2026, the display will feature a new solder cut-out, standing amongst the sea of knitted poppies as a poignant reminder of those who served.
Short remembrance services will take place beside the war memorials on Sunday 8 November at 10:45am & Wednesday 11 November at 10:45am
Step-free access available. The event is free, but normal admission charges apply for the venue. If you are visiting just for the memorial services and do not intend to visit the rest of the site, please inform our Visitor Reception team and your admission fee will be waived.
Something for the older kids...
The Dark Forest – Ghost Stories at Diwali: An Evening of Story Telling - Friday 30 – Saturday 31 October, 6:45pm - 9:15pm
Join acclaimed Punjabi storyteller Peter Chand for a captivating journey through the Dark Forest. Over two nights, Peter will explore themes of light and dark through his scariest stories from South Asia and beyond in the setting of the Great Parlour. During the interval, join us for chai and vegetable samosas.
Booking required. Event suitable for those ages 16 and over, anyone under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult.
Play at Wightwick
Natural woodland play area
Suitable for young and old alike (youngsters under supervision please) see the woods from a higher level on our balance log walkway, scramble over the tangle climb and stretch those legs on our stilt walk.
Ask for directions from our welcome team, or see if you can find your own way, winding around the pools and heading up into the woods.
'50 things to do before you're 11¾'
While you are up in the woodland, see if you can tick off some of your '50 things to do before you're 11¾'. Why not try:
- No. 4 Build a den - who can make the sturdiest hideout?
- No. 12 Have fun with sticks - can you make arrows to show people the way back to the pools?
- No. 18 Create some wild art - make a square frame on the ground using sticks and crate some wild art using treasure from the woodland floor.
What will you take on?
Find out more here: 50 things to do before you're 11¾ | Visit | National Trust
Family adventure pack
Our Family Adventure Packs are available all year-round from our Visitor Reception.
For £2 your pack will contain an activity booklet with games, colouring in, fun facts, things to spot and puzzles, a pencil and a pack of pencil crayons and other fun surprises!
Your visit
Picnics
There are many benches around the gardens and places to put down a blanket – we welcome picnics throughout the gardens.
Please do take your rubbish home, but bins can be found by our Visitor Reception and outside of our Tearoom.
Facilities
Baby changing facilities are located in all toilet facilities – both next to Visitor Reception and in the toilet facilities next door to the Tearoom.
Your four-legged friends are welcome on leads in all areas outdoors, with the exception of the kitchen garden. We also have a dog-friendly seating area in the stables end of our tearoom. Our reception team are also stocked up on poo bags and dog biscuits, so please do ask. Dog waste can be put into any of our general waste bins.
We kindly ask that pushchairs are left by the front door of the Manor when visiting the house – we have ‘hippy-chicks’ to borrow here so ask the attendant on the front door if you would like to borrow one.
We welcome balance bikes for under 5s, but due to the nature of the gardens, no other bikes are permitted. We also ask that ball games of all kinds, frisbees and the like, drones and kites are left in your car.
You might also be interested in
Eating and shopping at Wightwick
Discover the historic buildings at Wightwick and grab a bite to eat in the tea-room or stop by the shop or second-hand bookshop for the perfect souvenir of your visit.
The garden at Wightwick
The garden at Wightwick is the perfect place for a walk after enjoying the delights of the house. Designed by Thomas Mawson, today it has something to see no matter what the season.
Volunteer opportunities at Wightwick Manor
Find out more about volunteering at Wightwick Manor and how you can join the team that has been making Wightwick tick for over 60 years.
