‘50 things to do before you're 11¾’
Have fun exploring nature and the great outdoors with our list of ‘50 things to do before you're 11¾’.
There’s plenty of family-friendly fun at Runnymede and Ankerwycke, with an interactive kids’ nature walk, activities inside and outside our architectural artwork Writ in Water, and willow sculptures with an added twist. Plus, make the most of the river, with a trip on a paddle steamer.
Throughout May, we are celebrating the floodplain meadow that forms the heart of Runnymede. Not just as the place where the Magna Carta was sealed but as a haven for wildlife and nature and a centuries-old gathering place for the local community. During the summer months, the meadows or ‘mead’" at Runnymede become a haven for wildflowers, with colours and aromas in abundance. It’s a wonderful time to come and experience this beautiful landscape.
Visit anytime throughout the month to explore the meadows with our free spotter sheets available from the tearoom or come on a Saturday to make seed bombs and have fun launching them into the meadows. Join us on Friday 10 and 17 May or Wednesday 22 May for guidied walks and talks with our Habitat Monitors.
Half term week steps up a notch with free meadow-themed games throughout the week and on the last Bank Holiday Monday there'll be meadow crafts and a chance to meet the Rangers with their tractor.
Pick up a trail booklet from the Magna Carta Tea-rooms, or from a member of outdoor staff, and get ready to explore Runnymede as a Nature Knight.
Follow the route using the trail points in the booklet, try the activities as you go, and keep track of your adventure in your Knights Notes.
Look out for a range of plants and wildlife with regal names, and enjoy the natural beauty of Runnymede, whatever the season.
There are two groups of larger-than-life willow sculptures at Runnymede, both created by local artists Willotwisters, with the help of visitors, volunteers and local groups.
As the name suggests, The Haymakers depicts a rural haymaking scene, while the figures that make up The Last Survivors conceal a secret – go inside each sculpture to discover a different poem about land and freedom.
Writ in Water is an interactive architectural artwork celebrating science, nature and history. Before visiting it, pick up a Writ in Water activity sheet from the Magna Carta Tea-rooms or a member of outdoor staff.
Outside the circular building, you’ll be challenged to make a sensory map, by listening, smelling, viewing and touching the things around you. Then head inside to learn how, and why, it was built.
Please note, the suggested age for this activity sheet is 7 years and up.
During spring and summer, you can enjoy Runnymede and Ankerwycke from a different point of view, with a boat trip along the River Thames.
Across the road from the Magna Carta Tea-rooms, you'll find the Lucy Fisher, a replica Victorian paddle steamer that will take you on a leisurely cruise along the Thames toward the Runnymede pleasure grounds and back.
For more information visit French Brothers River Thames passenger boat cruises.
We run seasonal events at Runnymede and Ankerwycke throughout the year.
Visit our events page to find out more.
There are toilets and baby changing facilities in the Magna Carta Tea-rooms.
The tea-rooms also sell family friendly drinks and snacks as well as kids’ lunchboxes.
We have new accessible paths along the river and to our memorials and artworks. If you’re going further afield, you might prefer to use a child carrier.
Have fun exploring nature and the great outdoors with our list of ‘50 things to do before you're 11¾’.
With riverside walks and open meadows, art installations inspired by history, and a series of moving memorials, there’s lots to see and do at Runnymede and Ankerwycke. For a deeper dive, why not listen to our audio guides.
Stay refreshed with hot and cold drinks, light meals, snacks and cakes in the Magna Carta tea-room at Runnymede.
Runnymede and Ankerwycke is a three pawprint rated place. Enjoy riverside walks and open countryside on a dog walk at Runnymede and Ankerwycke. Find out where dogs can explore and read the Canine Code.
There are lots of things to do when you visit one of our family-friendly places. Find inspiration for days out and discover a range of activities for everyone.
Learn about the historic sealing of the Magna Carta, a medieval priory, an ancient tree where Henry VIII wooed Anne Boleyn – and the site of a 1930s nightclub.
Reflect upon the history of Runnymede inside this immersive architectural installation, which celebrates the sealing of Magna Carta at Runnymede over 800 years ago.
Find out all about bringing your group to this peaceful riverside estate that’s home to open meadows and a variety of wildlife. Look out for notable memorials, art installations and the National Trust's oldest tree.
Discover the best family-friendly places to visit in the London and the South East and enjoy great days out all year round.