Family-friendly things to do at Ormesby Hall
- Published:
- 26 January 2023
There’s lots to keep the family entertained at Ormesby Hall, whatever the season. Go wild in the natural play area, stop by the model railway layouts and enjoy imaginative play.
Planning your family visit
- You'll find toilets and baby-changing facilities in the house and in the courtyard
- The cafe offers tasty kids lunchboxes containing sandwiches, fruit, a treat and juice or water. Indoor and outdoor seating is available and highchairs.
- You're welcome to bring a picnic. There's picnic tables, benches and spots to lay out a blanket.
- Pushchairs or prams are not allowed in the house, so please leave them at the designated undercover shelter
- Hip-carrying infant seats available for loan in the house
- Children's books in the second-hand bookshop.
- Bikes and balls are not allowed onsite
- There is a pond in the orchard
Autumn at Ormesby Hall
Autumn is always a special time at Ormesby Hall. Over half-term (Saturday 28 October – Sunday 5 November, 10:30am – 4pm), get in the spirit of Halloween when the hall will be transformed into an Abandoned Theatre!
Dare you enter the rooms? From skeletons to creepy crawlies and many other surprises along the way. Families can also dress up in spooky costumes, take to the stage for a performance and escape into the garden to find the skeletons.
Other fun for families includes the ever-popular Witches Dance and The Walking Theatre Company will be returning, this year hosting The Creepy Circus.
Halloween Evening
For an extra experience, explore the spookily decorated house at night on one of our two Halloween Evenings, on Sunday 29 and Monday 30 October.
Experience a spooktacular evening as darkness falls on Ormesby Hall and the ghouls and ghosts come out to play. Head inside the mansion to see the rooms decorated, but watch out, you don't know who might be lurking along the way. Face painting, spooky storytelling and mask making will all be available
Follow the link to find out more about our activities at Ormesby Hall: What's on at Ormesby Hall
Family-friendly things to do in the house
Celebrating the theatrical life of Ruth Pennyman of Ormesby Hall, families can take to the stage in the dining room and get dressed up and put on your own play. A surprise delight is always the model railway layouts, which includes an interactive layout for children of all ages. Then pop by the second-hand bookshop to relax with the family and read a book together.
Family-friendly things to do in the garden
Head to the bottom of the garden and let the kids go wild in the natural play area. They can perform on the Willow Stage and challenge themselves on the rope walk, log stepping stones and balance see-saw. In the summer months families can also enjoy a game of croquet on the lawn.
Looking for nature? Why not go to the bird hide and see what birds you can spot and see the different bird wingspans. In the garden there is also a collection of bug hotels, so stop by and see what bugs have checked in recently, but respect their do not disturb signs.
‘50 things to do before you’re 11¾’
No matter the season, Ormesby Hall is the perfect place to see how many activities you can tick off your '50 things' list. Head into the woods to get to know a tree (No. 1), discover wild animal clues (No. 34), head to the bird hide to watch a bird (No. 44) or pay a visit to the bug hotel to make friends with some creepy-crawlies (No. 31).