Family-friendly things to do at Morden Hall Park

Summer holidays at Morden Hall Park

Summer of Play:  28 Jul - 27 Aug

Bust the summer holiday boredom and visit every Monday and Wednesday for fun FREE games and activities. On Mondays join the Sports Extravaganza with garden games and sporting activities. Wednesday is a chance to let your imagination run free with creative play materials for children to make their own adventure. Free, drop in any time between 10am and 3pm.  

Plus on Wednesday 6, 13, 30 August, there is an additional craft activity to make a bird-inspired drawstring bag. Drop in at any time between 10am and 12.30pm. Suggested donation: £4. (Subject to availability.)

Summer of Play is sponsored by Starling Bank.

National Meadow Day, Sat 5 July

In July the meadows at Morden Hall Park will be bursting with wildflowers and wildlife. Join us on Saturday 5 July in celebration of our magnificent meadows and have a go at using sweep nets to see the creatures found in the meadow up close. Free, drop in anytime between 11am - 3pm.  

Bat Walks, Sat 9 August

Come on a guided twilight walk around the park exploring the mysterious world of bats. Witness their noctural acrobotics and borrow a bat detector to listen out for the calls. Don't forget to bring a torch. These events sell out quickly so book now. 

Busy Bumblebees Trails, until Sun 31 August

Grab a trail sheet and take your young explorers on a self-led trail through the Stableyard and Rose Garden all about bees. Buzz along the route to meet the Big 7 bumblebees of Britain, lift the flaps, and discover what makes each bee special. There are fun challenges along the way too - perfect for curious kids and families looking to explore nature together.

Trail sheets available for £2 at the Garden Centre, Potting Shed Café, Stableyard Café, and Information Point (when open)

Family-friendly things to do in the parkland

Natural play area

Let off some steam in the natural play area (just past the white bridge) where you can climb, balance, swing and leap. There's plenty to keep your imagination active and your feet busy – what memories will you take home with you?

Go orienteering

Add an extra challenge to your walk or run through Morden Halk Park and have a go at orienteering.  Whether you're walking with family, exploring an area or going for a run, download the map and look for the 14 posts in the park. Your challenge is to find the quickest route to each of the posts. 

The route has been created by Mole Valley Orienteering Club and you can download the map from their website or the Go Orienteering website. 

'50 things to do before you're 11¾'

Whether you've come to fly your kite in the meadows or to look for birds in the wetland, there are lots of '50 things' activities you can try on a day out at Morden Hall Park. Here's a few suggestions to get you started:

• No. 1 Get to know a tree: Pick your favourite tree and visit it each time you come to the park. You could even take a photograph of it in each season to record the way it looks from spring all the way through to winter
• No. 7 Fly a kite: If there's a bit of wind in the air when you visit Morden Hall Park, head into the wide open spaces of the meadows to see if you can get a kite up into the sky
• No. 8 Spot a fish: Keep your eyes peeled along the stretch of river by the main green gates – the shade of the trees here makes this a good place to spot fish. There are six types of fish swimming in the River Wandle as it winds through the park, including eels
• No. 12 Have fun with sticks: There's nothing a stick can't become with a little imagination: a magic wand, a conductor’s baton or even a knight’s sword. And with over 3,000 trees in the park you're bound to find a few lying on the ground to choose from
• No. 19 Play Pooh sticks: The White Bridge at Morden Hall Park was voted the one of the top places in the country to play this fun game. Just choose a good stick each, let them go on one side of the bridge and see whose stick comes out first on the other side
• No. 44 Watch a bird: If you’re quiet enough you’ll be surprised what shy wetland species you can catch a glimpse of. Keep your eyes peeled for kingfishers, mallards and herons.

Planning your family visit

• Baby-changing facilities are available in the Stable Yard, Snuff Mill and Potting Shed café (when open).
• Click here to access the full Accessibility Guide for Morden Hall Park 
• There are buggy-friendly pathways around the park (you can find a map here). 
• Ball games are allowed in the parkland but not allowed in the historic Rose Garden.
• Spend hours in Natural Play Area
• The Potting Shed café is located next to the car park with indoor and outdoor seating areas, offering a children's menu and high-chairs are also available.
  • During weekend and school holidays we open an additional outlet in the Stableyard serving snacks, drinks and ice cream. There are also plenty of picnic benches around the Stableyard to sit down and enjoy your own picnics. Large picnics are welcome in the White Bridge lawns, but not in the Rose Garden.
• Pocket money gifts are available to buy in the Garden Centre
• Children second-hand books are available to buy in the second-hand bookshop in the Stableyard.
• Your are welcome to breastfeed here.