Discover more in Sussex
Sussex is a place of iconic coastline, gardens, literary greats, rolling South Downs, vast art collections and a castle.
Family-friendly places to visit in Sussex
Discover fun family days out this winter with the National Trust in Sussex, including Nymans, Bodiam Castle, Petworth and more. Whether you’re popping in for a couple of hours or planning a bigger adventure, you’ll find natural play areas, half term family trails and café stops.
February half term fun in Sussex
Nymans
Extracts from A.A. Milne’s much-loved Winnie-the-Pooh stories are paired with E.H. Shepard’s iconic illustrations in a fun, family-friendly garden trail together with a gallery exhibition that spotlights some of Pooh’s best-known adventures. 14 Feb to 28 June (except Easter holidays, see listing for details).
Standen
Standen’s family trail is inspired by the children's book 'Ben Plants a Butterfly'. Join Ben & friends on a family trail round the garden. Ben loves flowers and butterflies, so when his friends Worm & Ladybird suggest he makes his garden prettier by growing his own butterfly garden, he soon sets to work. 7 Feb to 8 March.
Easter adventures across Sussex
Coming to beautiful spring gardens near you this Easter, enjoy trails bursting with activities to keep the whole family active and entertained.
Easter Egg Hunt at Bodiam Castle
21 March – 12 April, 10am – 4.30pm Have a quacking time at Bodiam Castle this spring with a family-friendly trail inspired by the cheeky castle ducks. Follow the trail and have a go at fun-filled games including hook-a-duck, egg and spoon and much more.
Easter Egg Hunt at Nymans
21 March – 12 April, 10am – 5pm The annual Springfest trail returns to Nymans, an Easter trail with all the fun of a festival. Find your festival name, tell a joke at comedy corner or try some mindful yoga poses - all while taking in the beauty of the garden in spring.
Easter Adventures at Sheffield Park
21 March – 12 April, 10am – 5pm Meet some of Sheffield Park and Garden's more lively residents on this duck-inspired Easter trail and play games for all the family along the way. From testing your aim on the duck hoopla to shaking your tail-feathers on the balance beams, there is fun for all the family that’s sure to fit the bill this Easter!
Spring Festival Family Trail at Petworth
28 March – 12 April, 10am – 5pm As part of Petworth’s annual Spring Festival, families can pick up a free 'Tilly Plants a Tree' trail map to explore the Pleasure Garden and discover fun games and activities along the way.
Easter Egg Hunt at Standen
14 March – 12 April, 10.30am – 4.30pm Explore the beautiful garden at Standen this Easter on a family trail with activities such as hook-a-duck, skittles and opportunities to take plenty of selfies with Easter decorations. Don’t miss the Easter egg spotter trail in the house too.
Easter Egg Hunt at Bateman’s
21 March – 12 April, 10am – 4.30pm Discover an Easter adventure trail for the whole family at Bateman’s, including fun animal-inspired games and activities, such as bean bag throwing, solving clues and charades. Designed to get children moving this Easter, they’ll be rewarded with a sweet treat at the end.
Discover family fun
National Trust Family Maps are your pocket-sized guide to big family adventures. Packed with kid-friendly trails, play areas, and picnic spots, they spotlight the best places for fun and exploration, making it easy to plan stress-free, joy-filled days out. Download yours below or pick one up free from visitor reception on arrival.
Nymans family map
Sometimes it's the little things that make the best family memories, like building a den, spotting a red kite and having an ice cream at the end of a family walk. Our family maps are free to pick up when you arrive at Nymans and explain exactly how to hop, totter or dash over to the Play Glade and more.
Bodiam Castle family map
We asked visitors what they love most about the castle and grounds and drew them on the map. Whether you're looking for the best picnic spot or the coolest den-building hideaway, we’ve got you covered.
Sheffield Park and Garden family map
Where are the ducks? What's the best place for picnic? And which is the best bridge for playing pooh sticks? All these questions and more are answered by our family map. Pick up a free map when you arrive, plan your lap of the parkland or garden and make Sheffield Park and Garden your new family tradition.
Petworth family map
A new family map has landed at Petworth House and Park just in time for Summer. It’s packed with ideas to help families make the most of their visit, from hill-rolling top spots to perfect picnic places.
Standen family map
Our new family map for Standen makes it even easier to play your way. Find out where the adventure play area is, best spots for a picnic, and keep your eyes peeled for llamas.
Come out and play at these places around Sussex
Nymans
The Play Glade at Nymans features den building, a play stage, stepping logs and wooden musical instruments and is suitable for children aged 2 to 11. Drinks, snacks, toilets and baby change can be found on the way.
Petworth House and Park
Petworth Park is an exciting place for families to explore. Roam through acres of parkland and look out for the fallow deer herd. The ancient tree trail includes hollow trunks big enough to crawl inside, plus there are games and activities every school holidays.
Sheffield Park and Garden
Winter is a wonderful time to explore the stunning parkland for children and their grown-ups. Enjoy the beauty of winter trees reflected in the lakes as you wonder along buggy-friendly trails and complete family games and activities.
Bodiam Castle
Discover things to see and do on a family visit to Bodiam Castle. Join in with activities and let your imagination run riot in this Medieval setting.
Standen House and Garden
Find family-friendly things to do at Standen, from activity based trails in the school holidays and walking woodland paths to building a den and running off steam in Adventure Corner. Download a copy of our family map to plan ahead with your family visit.
Birling Gap
There’s so much for you and your family to see and do at Birling Gap. Hunt for ocean finds along the strand line and look for fossils on the beach. Don't forget pop in to the café for an ice cream or a slice of cake too.
Bateman's
Planning a day out with family? There’s plenty of things to see and do waiting to be discovered at Bateman's.
