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Family days out in London and the South East
Looking for something to do with the kids? Discover the best family-friendly places to visit in London and the South East and enjoy great days out all year round.
Plan your next family adventure this spring and discover special places across the South East, from fairy-tale castles to medieval deer parks and more. Families can play in thousands of acres of woodland and parkland or let off steam in natural play areas. There’s buggy friendly routes, tree houses, story trails and children’s menus to fuel fun-filled days out, and on rainy days you can step inside sprawling mansion houses and explore famous homes to uncover secrets and stories from long, long ago. We've also got brand new family-friendly maps at Nymans, Hatchlands Park and Sheffield Park and Garden to help you create your family's own unique adventure. Join us this May half-term for a jam-packed programme of family friendly events.
Family-friendly story trails in the South East
The Very Hungry Caterpillar™
Sheffield Park and Garden (East Sussex), Cliveden (Buckinghamshire) and Hatchlands Park (Surrey)
Join us for one of nature’s greatest transformations as you become the world’s most famous caterpillar from Eric Carle’s best-selling book The Very Hungry Caterpillar™. Wiggle along the trail to spot juicy fruits and tasty snacks before emerging as a beautiful butterfly. Along the way you’ll digest fascinating facts and enjoy games and activities in our stunning gardens/grounds. Find out more:
- Sheffield Park and Garden, East Sussex (3 May - 22 June 2025)
- Cliveden, Buckinghamshire (10 May - 29 June 2025)
- Hatchlands Park, Surrey (10 May - 6 July 2025)
Moomins
Nymans, West Sussex
Nymans invites you to take a magical wander inspired by Moomin valley this spring, with a family trail around the garden, meeting characters from the Moomin stories. Find out more:
Little People, BIG DREAMS®
The Vyne, Hampshire
Lively games and pioneering fun will encourage kids to ‘be bold, be brave’ and ‘dream big’ in The Vyne’s house and gardens where young readers can look out for vibrant illustrations from this best-selling biography series for kids by Maria Isabel Sánchez Vegara. On this literary trail, discover remarkable true stories about inspiring people. In the gardens, try your hand at kangaroo pouch bean bag toss with Steve Irwin and ‘jam’ with Taylor Swift in the Summerhouse. Keep an eagle eye out with David Attenborough using binoculars at the bird hide and throw your own mini-theatre production with Hans Christian Andersen. Join Jane Austen in the house before browsing the shop for copies of these much-loved books. Find out more:
Family days out in London and the South East
- Hampshire
- Treat the whole family to a fun-filled day out at our places in Hampshire. Discover a mansion house surrounded by babbling brooks perfect for playing pooh sticks at Mottisfont, or explore a Tudor house turned family home at The Vyne where your little ones can explore the outdoors in a natural play area created especially for younger children. If you're feeling adventurous, pull on your wellies and head out for a walk on the Hinton Ampner estate.Enjoy a family day out in Hampshire
- Kent
- Explore a medieval deer park, moated manor house, fairy-tale castle and more on a family day out in Kent. There’s all sorts of fun to be had, from playing in acres of gardens and parkland to spotting fish at Ightham Mote. Children can climb the two-storey treehouse and enjoy the brick built play house at Chartwell, reach new heights on the swings at Emmetts Garden and have fun in the Badger and Pepper play area at Scotney Castle, complete with mud kitchen, play house, toddler swing and a natural drum kit.Plan your visit
- Surrey
- Discover the best places to visit with your family around Surrey, home to an Edwardian party house, the Surrey Hills and a classic landscape garden. Children can enjoy the new adventure playground at Polesden Lacey or the natural play areas at Hatchlands Park.Enjoy a family day out in Surrey
- Sussex
- Enjoy a family day out this spring in Sussex. You can stroll along buggy friendly paths at Nymans to discover a Play Glade complete with mud kitchens, games and even a mini stage to let children's imaginations run wild. Wander through the Capability Brown designed landscape at Petworth, or step back to medieval times at Bodiam Castle where families can climb the steep towers, walk across the battlements, find the gun loops and spot 50-year old carp swimming in the castle moat.Plan your visit
- Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire
- Explore a world of lakes, hidden woods, enormous temples and twisted trees as you play and have fun on a family adventure at Stowe. Or head to the wild play trail at Basildon Park where little explorers can get adventurous on the balance beam, jump on the hopscotch and play with the ball run - there’s also plenty of space for some den building too. There's a natural play area at Hughenden and a woodland playground at Waddesdon, as well as plenty of opportunities to get closer to nature on a family walk at Cliveden and Grey's Court.Find out more
- London
- Escape the hustle and bustle of the city, and make memories to treasure on a family day out to National Trust places in and around London. There’s plenty to do, from a family bike ride and den building at Osterley, to a game of hide and seek at Ham House where over a mile of hornbeam hedge swirls around in an intricate geometric pattern.Plan your family day out in London
Helios at Osterley Park, London
Come and see Luke Jerram’s 7-metre spherical sculpture of the Sun, Helios, centre-stage at the top of Osterley House's beautiful 18th century portico from 6 - 9 June and 11 - 14 July. Revel in the sun's dramatic beauty and power up close.
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Family-friendly places to visit
Looking for a family day out that'll keep everyone entertained? Find things to do with the kids at the places we care for near you.