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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.
Join us for a Summer of Play
Ready for a fun-filled summer across London and the South East? Take part in Summer of Play, sponsored by Starling Bank, and create memories with the whole family. However you choose to play, your adventure starts today. Take part in races and games, follow nature trails, get stuck into arts and crafts workshops, or dress up to perform for your friends and family. Then fuel your adventure with a snack or sandwich from one of our cafés, or pack a picnic.
Plan your next family adventure this summer 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 school summer holidays for a jam-packed programme of family friendly events.
Family-friendly story trails in the South East
Little People, BIG DREAMS®
Chartwell, Kent
Lively games and pioneering fun will encourage kids to ‘be bold, be brave’ and ‘dream big’ at Chartwell in Kent. 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. Follow the trails and take part in fun activities to see how their dreams as little children grew to become their reality.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar™
Winkworth Areboretum, 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 at Winkworth Areboretum in Surrey. Find out more:
Moomins
Claremont Landscape Garden, Surrey
Claremont Landscape Garden invites you to take a magical wander inspired by Moominvalley this summer, with a family trail around the garden, meeting characters from the Moomin stories.
Pick up a Moomin trail sheet and receive Moomin stickers when you find all the characters. Alongside each character is a QR code, that once scanned leads to a Moomin, which you can save onto your phone or use as a selfie lens.
The event is presented by the award-winning creator of interactive theatrical events, Bakehouse Factory.Find out more:
The World of Peter Rabbit™ Storytime Trail at Knole, Kent
In celebration of the much-loved classic, The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter, Frederick Warne & Co. Ltd. (now part of Penguin Random House UK) are delighted to present The World of Peter Rabbit™ Storytime Trail at Knole, open daily Thursday 22 May to Monday 25 August 2025. Hop into this walkthrough experience and immerse yourself in The Tale of Peter Rabbit. Little bunnies can crawl under the garden gate, hide behind a watering can, and see their reflection in a mirror pool, just like Peter Rabbit! With photo opportunities and activities to take part in along the way, there’s plenty to enjoy. The activity area will include dressing-up, colouring, toys such as Mr McGregor's fruit and veg sorting station, and a reading corner.
Find your local 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 Basildon Park, Berkshire
Come and see Luke Jerram’s 7-metre spherical sculpture of the Sun, Helios, in the Pleasure Grounds at Basildon Park in Berkshire. You'll be able to pass directly underneath Helios as you cross the gardens and gaze up at the sun from below. Visit from 15 to 18 and 22 to 5 August to 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.
