Family-friendly things to do at Clumber Park

A family walking through woodland on a path — A family on a woodland walk | © Chris Lacey

Clumber Park is an ideal spot for families. With 3,800 acres of parkland and the Discovery Centre for some indoor respite, there is an endless amount of fun to be had and plenty for kids to explore.

Planning your family visit

The Woodland Play Park is open every day from 10.00 - 16.00.
Baby changing facilities are available in the Turning Yard and Discovery Centre in the main visitor facilities, as well as next to Central Bark and in the walled kitchen garden
A Changing Places toilet can be found in the Turning Yard within the main visitor facilities. It is accessible with the users radar key and users are asked to bring their own strap for the hoist
Powered mobility vehicles are available to hire, subject to availability and weather permitting. Booking is advisable. Monday - Friday, please call 01909 476592. During weekends, please call 01909 511039, or speak to a member of the team.
Our new sensory space within the Discovery Centre provides a much-needed break from the hustle and bustle of the park. It offers a calm space with busy boards for visitors to enjoy, and a relaxation space with engaging and calming lighting. Available from 10.00 - 16.00.
Sensory bags are available to borrow from the Information Point in the Laundry Yard, next to the shop.

February half term, Saturday 14 - Sunday 22 February

With 3,800 acres of parkland to explore, there's plenty of space for families to get outside and enjoy time together this half term.

Find your way with a map, head into the woods for wild adventures, or bring your bikes to explore over 20 miles of trails. Our Discovery Centre, with sensory room and activities space, offers a welcoming indoor break on rainy days.

Family trail
The National Trust is celebrating the release of Disney and Pixar’s “Hoppers”, in Cinemas 6 March. Discover the ‘Hop into the wild’ family trail, with storytelling and outdoor play.

Cycling at Clumber

Getting out on two wheels is the perfect way to explore the parkland, woods and lakeside views of Clumber Park. Accessible routes and woodland paths cover over 20 miles of beautiful trails through a variety of landscapes, offering routes for all ages and abilities to enjoy.

PLEASE NOTE: Cycle Hire is currently closed while preparations are made to move it to a new location within the park. It will reopen in Spring 2026.

Family cycling in autumn — A family cycling in woodland in autumn | © John Millar

Natural Play

As you explore Clumber Park, you'll discover lots of natural play areas to keep children entertained. Whether it's den building in the woods, discovering mini beasts in the leaf litter, coming across a fallen tree or splashing in a muddy puddle, wrap up against the elements and enjoy nature at its best.

The perfect spot is in Leaping Bar which can be found between the hard standing accessible car park and Central Bark dog cafe.

Discovery Centre

Take a break and head inside to the Discovery Centre. It's a great place to learn more about Clumber Park's amazing array of wildlife and get involved in fun, seasonal activities.

Head into the '50 things' room which celebrates all the fun that can be had whilst connecting with nature. With everything from creating wild art and making friends with a bug, to playing pooh sticks and keeping a nature diary. Collect a '50 things' sheet, head outside and cross some activities off your list. More details below.

Wildlife at Clumber

The parkland, heath and woodland are home to an abundance of wildlife for you to discover, observe and enjoy. Our circular lakeside walk is the most popular visitor route and looks especially stunning on a bright, sunny day.

Bring your camera if you're a keen photographer and keep a look out for birds such as buzzards, great spotted woodpeckers, jays and woodlarks. Find squirrels and deer in the quieter parts of the park, and longhorn cattle grazing in the heathlands.

Don't miss the busy Bird Hide, off the beaten track by Cow Pastures, where you can enjoy some quiet time in nature.

Fallow deer captured in the park — Fallow deer can be seen in the quieter parts of the park | © Karen Baker

50 things to do before you're 11¾ activities

The National Trust's ‘50 things’ list was created to encourage families to play in nature together and build a connection with the natural world. It's a lot of fun too!

Below is some of the activities you can enjoy at Clumber. Find out more and see the full list here

No. 4 - Build a den
What will your den be? A meeting place for spies, a pirate hideout or maybe a fairy castle for the night? Start by looking for a sturdy tree with lots of nooks and nobbles, or a low branch. This will help keep your sticks in place when you start building.

No. 11 - Explore on wheels
Whether you’ve got a bike, scooter, wheelchair or skateboard – you’ll explore further and faster on your wheels at Clumber Park, and it’s also a fun way to exercise.

No. 18 - Create some wild art
When it comes to creating wild art, the only limit is your imagination. Try and find things that vary in colour and texture so that you had even more choice and can pull together something really wild.

No. 31 - Make friends with a bug
Ladybirds, spiders, caterpillars, woodlice – there are all kinds of minibeasts hiding at Clumber Park. Great spots for searching include under stones and wood, the branches, bark and leaves of trees and in long grass.

No. 33 - Go cloud watching
On a dry day, find a patch of grass, lie back and watch the clouds go by. With a little imagination you can create whole worlds from the shapes you see in the clouds. Imagine being a bird and flying through the clouds - what do you think it would feel like?

No. 44 - Watch a bird
Our feathered friends can be found anywhere and everywhere, but to see something a little out of the ordinary, head to the Bird Hide by Cow Pastures. Be as quiet as you can, sit tight and record what you can see.

Making friends with a bug | © James Dobson

Looking ahead to Easter at Clumber Park

Running from Saturday 28 March - Sunday 12 April, Easter at Clumber Park is bursting with carnival magic, family adventures and classic fairground fun. From playful trails to a vintage steam fair, there’s plenty to enjoy throughout the Easter holidays.

Easter Carnival Family Fun Trail

Perfect for younger visitors, this colourful trail winds through the Pleasure Grounds with carnival-themed activities along the way, including circus skills, heritage games and duck hoopla — all finishing with a chocolate egg prize. £3.50 per trail.

Crack the Case: An Easter Whodunnit

Designed for young adults and ‘double-digit’ explorers, follow the clues around the park to solve the mystery of the lost Hope Diamond. £3.50 per trail includes a chocolate egg prize.