Family-friendly things to do at Wimpole

Little Acorns pre-school group

Little Acorns at the farm café

10 September - 3 December

Wimpole's popular pre-school group for 2-5 year olds is back for a second term. Come and get creative with craft activities, painting, messy play and learn a little bit about the animals on Home Farm. Run by Wimpole staff and volunteers it will include stories, songs and activities to develop those all important social, communication and fine motor skills.  Sessions will run in the Farm Cafe on Tuesdays from 10:30am – 12:00pm and are free but must be booked in advance as spaces are limited. Usual admission to Wimpole Estate applies (National Trust members free.) Treats and refreshments available from Farm café and hot drinks are 25p off if you bring a re-useable cup! 

Younger siblings are welcome but activities may not be suitable and children must be supervised at all times.  

Book your ticket

Little Acorns in the gardens

Come and explore the wonders of nature in the gardens as Wimpole's popular pre-school group heads into the great outdoors. Join us for a fun-filled morning of digging, planting, and crafting activities, and learn about the various plants and wildlife in the beautiful walled garden. The event will be run by a team of experienced Wimpole staff and volunteers, and will include exciting stories, catchy songs, and outdoor adventures for all ages! Younger siblings are welcome but activities may not be suitable and children must be supervised at all times.

These sessions are very popular, if you are unable to attend a session please notify us so we can release your ticket.

This event has now finished for this year

Family-friendly things to do in the garden and estate

Visit our new farm playground

A space for our younger visitors to explore and play in an new, safe and stimulating way, all nestled within the picturesque surroundings of the estate’s Home Farm. Designed and crafted with an emphasis on fun and sustainability, the new play area features large climbing frames, an adventure trail, and accessible swings made of natural materials, surrounded by hardwood chip safety surfacing.  

The new equipment compliments the existing small farm play items with plenty of picnic benches for supervising family and friends to relax and enjoy hot and cold drinks, light lunches and snacks from the nearby Farm Cafe.  

Explore the Estate

With acres of parkland and miles of paths to explore, families can easily while away a  day at Wimpole. Wander the garden paths and discover the explorer path, navigating a winding route through the pleasure ground. The walled garden, with its high brick walls and gates has a secret garden feel that children will love to explore or peek into the glasshouse to see what’s growing.  In the summer, you'll be able to play garden games such as croquet and giant jenga on the lawns. 
 
Set on top of a hill in the 300 acres of ancient parkland is the gothic folly, a ruined tower straight out of a fairy story. Cross the Chinese bridge and climb to the top of the hill to enjoy the views over the roof of the hall below. Wander around the lake and see if you can spot the resident swans and ducks gliding around. 

Home Farm 

Home Farm is one of the UK’s largest rare breed centres and a working farm with horses, sheep, pigs, goats and more. Meet the gentle giants, the shire horses, in their stable block or spot piglets in the piggery. The cheeky Bagot goats can be found in their paddock, and you’ll always find donkeys and rabbits in the farmyard.  
 
Follow the new Home Farm trail and learn about the animals we care for and the day-to-day goings on at the farm. Explore the farm buildings and collect the eight special brass rubbings at each station. 

We also offer some immersive Shire horse experiences on selected dates, such as carriage rides around the estate and experience days.

'50 things to do before you're 11¾'

There are lots of '50 things to do before you're 11¾' activities to tick off during your visit. Here are a few recommendations:

• No. 1 Get to know a tree: The parkland at Wimpole is home to many fascinating trees – big, small, old and new. Some trees have spaces big enough to get inside while others can be climbed. Many have vibrant summer flowers or colourful leaves to catch. Get to know a tree and see what creatures they’re home to

• No. 6 Go welly wandering: A spot of rain doesn’t need to dampen your spirits! Pull on some wellies and explore the adventure woodland, pleasure gardens and parkland. See if you can find the secret laurel tunnel or upside down trees in the Victorian stumpery

• No. 11 Explore on wheels: Get on your bikes and head out into the wider estate as a family on our new multi-use trail. Our new, circular 5.5 mile route is off-road, safe and provides children with the opportunity to grow their confidence on wheels and get outdoors

• No. 28 Climb a huge hill: Cambridgeshire may not be famous for its hilly landscapes but the path up to the ruined folly is steep enough for little legs, and the views from the top are definitely worth the effort.