Family-friendly Mottisfont

Pokémon joins Summer of Play at Mottisfont - 23 July - 6 September  

Planning your summer holidays? Unleash your energy with the National Trust’s Summer of Play supported by Pokémon.  Try out mini games inspired by your favourite Pokémon and build confidence in battle strategies. You can also get hands-on with a variety of other fun activities.

From 23 July - 6 September, on top of an already jam-packed Summer of Play, step into a dedicated Pokémon zone at Mottisfont and get hands-on with a variety of fun activities. 

Don't forget your imagination...

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More summer fun to enjoy

Mottisfont’s Summer of Play is one that you won't want to miss with 7 play zones to suit every age and every interest.

1. Burn off some energy in the Active Zone.  Get to grips with a tug of war, hone your football goal scoring with a practice goal and get competitive with a family and friends egg and spoon race!  Check out our free of charge, jungle themed introduction to yoga workshops with Kat Hutchings! 

2. Are you a nature-lover? Get hands on in the Nature Zone, explore cloud formations, identify signs and sounds of summer, grab a pair of binoculars and an insect identification kit and discover the beauty our Mottisfont countryside. Get busy den building or scrambling through our wild play area. Mini tepees make a shady retreat to plan your nature based fun.

3. Filled with dramatic flair? The Imagination Zone is calling you! Take on the challenge of our wobble boards and roll up, roll up to add to your circus skills! Join performers from circus company Storm in a Teacup to master amazing new skills, from plate spinning and diabolo to juggling and giant bubble blowing.

4. If it's all about play, the Loose Parts Zone is a treasure trove for the imagination. From super-sized Tetris to build-your-own marble runs and jolly giant Jenga, the sky is the limit when it comes to creating your own fun.

5. Our younger visitors are joining us in the Beech Circle in the Under 5’s Zone, with a music making station, super-sized construction materials, a play kitchen, and wooden stepping stones.

6. If creativity is your thing, there are opportunities to do chalk art, listen to and tell stories and engage in imaginative games in the Creative Zone.

7. On top of an already jam-packed Summer of Play, discover all-new Pokémon zone. Take on fun Pokémon Trading Card Game mini challenges inspired by some of your favourite Pokémon, flex your skills and collect Mega Evolution stickers!

With free of charge storytelling by Merry-go-Round  yoga sessions for all the family plus facilitated circus skills workshops, by Storm in a Teacup, here's your invitation to come to Mottisfont for a Summer of family fun to remember!

Whether you bring a picnic or visit our cafes, let us supply a beautiful backdrop to help you make memories with the family this summer.

Our distinctive blue and white striped Jude's ice cream horse box and National Trust refreshments concession van are both parked alongside the Summer of Play arena.  Discover roomy picnic benches by the catering outlets. 

Please find toilets, complete with baby changing facilities, located in the Kitchen Garden.

Our friendly buggy drivers will be happy to offer lifts to expectant mothers, young families and those travelling with heavy picnics.  Please ask for a lift.   

Find out more.

River Dipping with Wessex Rivers Trust - 24 August

Discover the invertebrates and small fish in the River Test and investigate what makes a chalk stream precious.

Don't miss this extra special opportunity to river dip at Mottisfont, with Wessex Rivers Trust.

The session will take place close to the bridge, just downstream of the fishing hut (number 33 on the Mottisfont map) Please meet your guide here at least 5 minutes before the start of the session – the fishing hut is about a 15 minute walk from Mottisfont Visitor Reception.

River dipping is bookable on the day, at Visitor Reception.

Find out more.

Family-friendly ideas for older children

Wild play

Our Wild Play area includes three large wooden structures built for climbing, balancing and exploring. Have fun ducking and diving through different entry and exit points. The play area gets very muddy during periods of wet weather, so come dressed for mess.

Playing in the gardens

Wooden bridges and a rushing river make Mottisfont one of the country's top destinations for playing Pooh sticks – challenge your family to a game when you visit. Ball games and frisbees are welcome in the paddock areas.

'50 things' activities

Why not try some of the '50 things to do before you're 11¾' challenges? From rolling down a hill to cloud watching, there's something for every young explorer. Check out the full list here: 50 things to do before you're 11¾

We’re Going on a Ghost Hunt™ Halloween Adventure 3 October - 1 November 2026

We're Going on a Ghost Hunt™ this Halloween at Mottisfont. Come and join the fun! Can we find them all? Yes! Run, run, run!

Based on the bestselling children’s books, this Halloween the Bunnies of Hoppity Hill are setting off on an adventure to find the ghosts hidden around Mottisfont with heaps of exciting things to see and do along the way.

Pick your bunny name, play Halloween hoopla, race your broomstick, and watch out for the warty toads as you cross the stepping stones, before joining the celebration party and collecting your sticker.

This trail is ideal for preschoolers and young children.

Trail free (with normal admission).

Richard Grudzinski, Senior Lead - Visitor Programming  "We’re thrilled to bring the magic of We’re Going on a Ghost Hunt to National Trust properties this Halloween. Our stunning autumnal gardens, houses and parklands create the perfect backdrop to bringing the bunny adventures to life, and with spooky storybook fun, playful games, and enchanting activities waiting around every corner, it’s a hauntingly delightful way for families to celebrate the season together.

Image credit: ™ Illustrations by Cherie Zamazing, based on the original characters created by Laura Hughes, copyright © Bloomsbury Publishing 2023

Planning your family visit

Here's all the information you need at a glance, to make the most of your family day out at Mottisfont:

• Baby-changing facilities in access-friendly toilets are located at the Welcome Centre, stables, lower corridor in the house and the kitchen garden
• Pushchairs are welcome everywhere except inside the house. There are gently-sloping areas and wide pathways around much of the grounds. Pathways are uneven in some places so sturdy, all-terrain tyres are recommended
• Drinks, snacks and light lunches with family-friendly options are available from the café and additional outlets, with indoor and outdoor seating areas and picnic benches around the grounds
• Breastfeeding is welcome anywhere around the property.

There's no need to book, but Mottisfont can get very busy during school holidays and bank holidays. Mornings tend to be busier than afternoons. If you have the flexibility, a midweek visit is generally quieter than a weekend, even during school holidays. If you can only visit over the weekend, Saturdays are usually less busy than Sundays.

What do you need to know when visiting?

• Toddler push-along bikes operated by a parent/guardian are welcome, but please be aware that bikes, balance bikes, trikes and scooters are not allowed
• There are areas of open water around the garden and grounds so close supervision is strongly advised
• Please don't bring windbreakers, gazebos, pop-up tents, parasols or barbecues. 
• Our buggy drivers are happy to provide lifts to expectant mothers and families with young children and heavy picnics - please just ask.