Skip to content
back to Family-friendly places to visit
Kids enjoying Summer of Play activities at Fountains Abbey, Yorkshire
Kids playing at Fountains Abbey, Yorkshire | © National Trust Images/Rebecca Hughes

Summer of Play

Adventures for the whole family against the backdrop of our historic houses and gardens.

Summer of Play 2026

This year, we're bringing a whole range of ways to play, with a collection of activities that may include nature play, performance play, active play, creative play, loose parts and guided activities. This might mean anything from a stage and dress up box, mosaic making, digging for treasure or stacking blocks. A big part of the fun is getting to see something a little different at each property you visit.

Explorer Pass 

If you’re not a member, but want to visit regularly, why not consider our Explorer Pass? You can buy passes for the whole family for 4, 8, or 14 days and enjoy entry to most of the places in our care.

Families on the north lawn at Ickworth in spring.

Pokémon in Partnership with National Trust 

Calling Pokémon fans new and old! Get outdoors with our Pokémon Trading Card Game Mega Evolution Trails. Complete the trails to find Mega Evolution Pokémon, discover their powers and complete fun challenges.

A brightly coloured graphic split into four quadrants. The largest, righthand quadrant has a bright green background and an image of a male child in a red waterproof jacket is grinning at the camera. Each other quadrant contains a Pokémon from the Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Series.

Summer of Play events near you

    Sign up to hear more from the National Trust

    By sharing your email address you’re agreeing to receive marketing emails from the National Trust and confirm you’re 18 years old or over. Please see our for more information on how we look after your personal data.