Family-friendly things to do at Morden Hall Park

A child holding a bunch of autumn leaves at Morden Hall Park, London. — Playing with autumn leaves at Morden Hall Park | © National Trust Images/Arnhel de Serra

Explore the outdoors and get involved in fun, family-friendly activities at Morden Hall Park. Whether you’re ticking some activities off your list of '50 things to do before you're 11¾', there’s plenty to keep the whole family entertained. Find out what family events are coming up and how best to plan your day with children in mind.

Family events at Morden Hall Park

Throughout the year we put together a variety of family-friendly events and activities. See below what's coming up this summer and autumn:

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.

Summer of Play is sponsored by Starling Bank.

Family walking across the white bridge which spans the River Wandle at Morden Hall Park, London — Family crossing the bridge over the River Wandle at Morden Hall Park | © National Trust Images/Rob Stothard

Busy Bumblebees Trails

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).

Autumn at Morden Hall Park

There's lots to look forward to this autumn at Morden Hall Park.

Community Tales - Storytelling and Craft

Visit every Saturday between 27 September and 25 October to enjoy storytelling and craft mornings from our rich and diverse community. Ideal for children 3 - 6 years. £6/child. Booking in advance is advised.

A young girl decorating a paper lantern — Community-led storytelling and craft sessions at Morden Hall Park | © Play Mandarin

Mid-autumn Moon Festival: Sat 27 Sept

A highlight of the Chinese calendar, the Mid-autumn festival celebrates harvest, family reunion and the full moon. Families will hear tradition stories, sing songs and make their own lantern to take home.

Book tickets

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Autumn Community Bunting Workshop

Mon 27 October

Textile artist, Sarah McAlister and community arts group, Made in Merton, is hosting an autumn-inspired workshop to create bunting flags from recycled fabrics. Your final pieces will be added to the bunting string and displayed in the park later in the year. Find us between 2pm - 4pm in the Stable Yard Exhibition Space. No booking required.

Half term pumpkin carving

Tues 28 and Wed 29 October

Get crafty with our frightfully fun pumpkin carving sessions. Prepare to get messy as you choose and hollow out your pumpkin ready to carve your pumpkin character. Once your done, you can take it home ready for Halloween. £6 per pumpkin (booking not required). Find us in the Stableyard between 11am and 6pm.

Close up of a family carving pumpkins at a table outside — Family carving pumpkins for Halloween at Morden Hall Park, London | © Arnhel de Serra

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.

Danger - Shallow Water

The riverbed depth is less than one meter. Jumping or diving from the Snuff Mill Bridge poses a high risk of injury. Although the river may seem inviting, the water quality is unsuitable for general paddling and swimming. Your cooperation in avoiding the water helps protect river wildlife and prevents damage to the banks.

'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.