Family-friendly things to do at Trerice

Visitors sit while children play outside in the garden with Trerice, Cornwall in the background — Enjoying the garden above Trerice, Cornwall | © National Trust Images / John Millar

From enjoying some fresh air and outdoor games around the garden to discovering something new in the house, there are lots of activities for families to create their own adventures at Trerice. Find out what's on offer and all the details you need to plan your visit.

Planning your family visit

Baby-changing and feeding facilities available
Pushchairs and buggies may encounter steps. A step-free map is available on request
Lockers are available for food, drink and large bags while you visit the house
Children should be supervised at all times

Family-friendly things to do in the garden

A game of Cornish kayles or brass rubbing

On the kayling lawn try your hand at Cornish kayles (a variation of skittles) or play quoits and 'slapcock' (an early variation of badminton) on the parade ground.

Head to the hayloft where you can make a nature-themed brass rubbing, or maybe try one of the Arundell family who lived here many years ago.

Tudor costumes and games in the hayloft

There are lots of different Tudor-inspired costumes in the hayloft that have been handmade by the volunteer costume group. Bring history to life by trying on different outfits; there's something for everyone. There is also a variety of Tudor games to have a go at as well.

Child playing a traditional game of Kayling, a sort of garden skittles, at Trerice, Cornwall. — Child playing a traditional game of Kayling, a sort of garden skittles | © National Trust Images/John Millar

Family-friendly things to see in the house

Shapes in the ceilings

The grand plaster ceiling at Trerice was the inspiration for the knot garden – look up in the Great Chamber and see if you can find the shapes that inspired the garden team.

Mermaids in the bathroom

The wallpaper in the bathroom is designed to look like tiles – see how many mermaids you can find amongst the fish and seahorses.

Cornish kayles

You can play with a replica of these traditional gaming items on the kayling lawn in the garden.

Info sheets for young and older children

Keep an eye out for the ‘Discover’ sheets around the house with information for older children about the building and its history as well as things to spot in each room for younger ones.

Hidden mice

Can you spot the little mice hidden in each room of the house? They are handmade by our volunteer costume group and tend to move around!

A family tries on Tudor-inspired costumes in the Hayloft at Trerice, Cornwall — A family trying on Tudor-inspired costumes at Trerice, Cornwall | © National Trust Images/ John Millar

'50 things to do before you're 11¾' at Trerice

Trerice is a great place to tick off some of your '50 things' activities – you can pick up a guide from the team in reception.

Our top three '50 things' activities to tick off at Trerice are:

No. 1 Get to know a tree: Take a close look at the trees surrounding the garden and near the summerhouse
No. 30 Go on a scavenger hunt: Search around the garden looking for nuts, seeds, pinecones, leaves, and sticks. With your findings see if you can tell a story about your visit to Trerice or maybe you could create some wild art with your collection?
No. 48 Keep a nature diary: As you explore the garden, keep a diary of all the different kinds of things you see, from birds and bugs to flowers, trees and interesting leaves. You don’t even need to write anything - you could take photos of the nature you find instead.