Family days out at Dyffryn Gardens

Summer of Play at Dyffryn Gardens 

18 July - 2 September

Long summer days are made for garden adventure, and there's so much to discover at Dyffryn Gardens this summer holidays. Follow in the footsteps of Reginald and Florence Cory, who once lived in Dyffryn House and explore a summer inspired by travel, nature and curiosity. 

From giant games to creative and nature-inspired play, there’s fun around every corner of the gardens. Children can challenge each other to a game or run free through the giant log stacks – listening to the sounds of nature or a musical play station.  

Dyffryn Gardens is the perfect place to create new memories this summer. No booking is needed and normal admission applies; National Trust members go free.

Planning your family visit

Here’s the information you need at a glance to help plan your next day out at Dyffryn Gardens:

• Children under five visit for free.
• There are baby-changing facilities at regular intervals around the gardens as well as accessible toilet facilities.
• There are pram, wheelchair and mobility scooter-friendly routes and wheelchairs and a mobility scooter can be rented (free of charge) from the Welcome Centre.
• We have two log stack play areas.
• For safety reasons we can’t allow any kind of children’s bike, scooter or trike in the gardens unless it has a long handle on the back and is controlled by an adult at all times.
• Dogs are welcome so even the family pup can join in (please see here for information on visiting Dyffryn with your dog).
• The cafe serves children's lunchboxes and a range of hot and cold food and drinks, as well as treats for your four-legged family members.
• We also welcome picnics.

The Other Bennet Sister Exhibition

20 March - 31 August

Celebrate BBC One’s The Other Bennet Sister at one of its filming locations. At Dyffryn Gardens, discover costumes and accessories from the series and step into the world of the Bennet sisters.

Find out more here

Normal admission applies, with free entry for National Trust members.

Log Stack play areas

There are two Log Stack play areas at Dyffryn, one outside the pay barrier near the Welcome Centre and a larger one in the Arboretum. These wild play areas have plenty of space for youngsters to run, jump, explore and play.  

Balance along enormous trees which were felled as part of the arboretum revival plan, jump from log to log along the stepping stones and have a picnic on hand carved picnic stumps. 

The area is home to squirrels, birds and lots of creepy crawlies, so bring a magnifying glass or some binoculars and get spotting. 

Sensory and Explorer Backpacks

At Dyffryn there are two different backpacks you can borrow to help you and your littles explore the gardens in new ways.

Sensory Backpacks

These backpacks contain ear defenders to help support children who struggle with unfamiliar or loud sounds, a children’s book (both English and Welsh) which can encourage some quiet or calm time reading in nature, worry stones and fidget toys to help soothe over-stimulation and improve focus and a kaleidoscope to create magical visual illusions.

Explorer Backpacks

These backpacks are inspired by ‘50 things to do before you’re 11 ¾’, with a compass to find your way, a tennis ball to measure velocity when rolling down hills, a magnifier for viewing bugs, binoculars for birdwatching and a tape measure and instructions for how to measure and age a tree. There’s also seasonal spotter sheets and a nature book.

The sensory and explorer backpacks are free for anyone to borrow with no booking or deposit required (they’re available on a first-come, first-served basis). Ask the Welcome Team to borrow a backpack next time you visit and watch your little ones experience Dyffryn Gardens in new and fun ways.

Even in between events, Dyffryn is a great option for a family day out. With every new season the gardens change and evolve so there is always something new to see. 

We also have self-led seasonal trails to enjoy. Pick-up a trail leaflet at the Welcome Centre to be guided round the seasonal highlights of the gardens. Please see the Visit the gardens at Dyffryn page for more information on the current seasonal walk.

And with a café, shop and second-hand bookshop (with a great selection of children's and YA literature), there’s always plenty to do at Dyffryn Gardens. So whenever you choose to visit, you know that you and your family will make some lovely memories.