Family-friendly things to do at The Vyne

A family enjoying Easter trails and Spring sunshine at Ickworth, Suffolk — Plan family-friendly adventures for the diary. | © National Trust Images/James Dobson

This Easter, enjoy an action-packed family day out with the ever-popular Easter egg hunt at The Vyne. Runs in the gardens Saturday 29 March – Monday 21 April, 10am-3pm. Don't miss Bunny Hoopla, giant chess, croquet, dominoes and more Regency-themed fun before collecting your chocolate egg at the end. This costs £3.50 per trail sheet and chocolate egg plus normal admission.

Jam-packed with lively games and pioneering fun, Saturday 3 May – Sunday 22 June, 10am-4pm, the Little People, BIG DREAMS® trail will encourage young adventurers to ‘be bold, be brave’ and ‘dream big’.

Planning your family visit

Parking is free at The Vyne in the visitor carpark (What3Words: pizzeria.person.gone). During busy periods at weekends and during the school holidays, try and get here for 10am when gates open for the best chance of a parking space.
Picnics are welcome, there are some picnic benches in the carpark and dotted about in the gardens. In case these are all occupied, bring a waterproof picnic blanket.
Normal admission applies. National Trust members and under fives enter The Vyne free, just bring your membership cards to scan at Visitor Reception. More information here
Toilets and baby changing facilities are on the left just past visitor reception and also at the Brewhouse tea-room next to the house.
Accessibility Guide for The Vyne. If you have any queries about accessibility at The Vyne you can give us a call on 01256 883 858. Alternatively you can email us at thevyne@nationaltrust.org.uk, putting 'Accessibility Query' in the subject line. We'll get back you as soon as we can.
Buggie-friendly garden paths: The garden has hard gravel pathways for buggies. You might prefer to use a child carrier if you’re planning on going further afield.
Bring wellies if you're planning on going in the woods.
Pack the coats as this is a mostly outdoor site.
The Brewhouse tea-room is a bit snug, so you’ll need to leave your buggy or pushchair outside. Alternatively, a kiosk located between the Brewhouse and the gift shop sells drinks and snacks outside and there are picnic benches and tables where you can grab a seat and keep your buggie with you.
Highchairs are available on request and a microwave is located in the ground floor seating area for warming milk.
Easter kids menu: Half a slice of pizza + wedges | Sausage, wedges + beans | Kids hotdog + wedges | Half a jacket potato served with either beans, cheese or tuna mayo | Kids lunch box
In the house we’ve got slings for you to carry small children in. Again, you’ll need to leave your buggy or pushchair outside.
There are lockers to the right of the main entrance to the house where you can store belongings while exploring this family home. Items are left at your own risk.
Lost property: Should you lose something at The Vyne, you can ask at Visitor Reception if anything has been handed in. If you get home and realise something's missing, you can give us a call on 01256 883 858 to see if anything has been handed in at the Estate Office. Alternatively you can email us at thevyne@nationaltrust.org.uk, putting 'Lost Property' in the subject line. We'll get back you as soon as we can.
Pitching expectations: Unfortunately ball games, frisbees, scooters, bikes and drones aren't permitted on the estate due to previous damage to the house and grounds. Thanks for understanding. Happily, there's still plenty of fun things to do at The Vyne:

Family-friendly events

Easter egg hunt at The Vyne

Saturday 29 March – Monday 21 April, 10am-3pm

Recommended ages 12 and under. Families can enjoy Bunny Hoopla, giant chess, croquet, dominoes and more Regency-themed fun in The Vyne's gardens before collecting their chocolate egg at the end. Very young kids can follow a themed spotter trail alongside these activities. This is £3.50 per trail sheet and chocolate egg and includes an Easter trail sheet, bunny ears and dairy or vegan and Free From* chocolate egg (*Suitable for people with milk, egg, gluten, peanut and tree nut allergies). Normal admission applies.

Find out more about this event

Little People, BIG DREAMS®

Saturday 3 May – Sunday 22 June, 10am-4pm

Recommended ages 4-7+. Lively games and pioneering fun will encourage kids to ‘be bold, be brave’ and ‘dream big’ in The Vyne’s house and gardens where young readers can look out for vibrant illustrations from this best-selling biography series for kids by Maria Isabel Sánchez Vegara. On this literary family trail discover remarkable true stories about inspiring people. In the gardens, try your hand at kangaroo pouch bean bag toss with Steve Irwin and ‘jam’ with Taylor Swift in the Summerhouse. Keep an eagle eye out with David Attenborough using binoculars at the bird hide and throw your own mini-theatre production with Hans Christian Andersen. Join Jane Austen in the house before browsing the shop for copies of these much-loved books.

Find out more about this event

Three children's book covers appear on a plain blue background with the words 'Little People, BIG DREAMS' appearing in black writing on white tape. — © Little People, Big Dreams® Alba &/or Beautifool Couple | © 2025 Vegara, various illustrators, licensed by Quarto.

Play area

Little ones can explore the outdoors in the natural play area created especially for very young children just off the Lime Avenue.

If it rains, you can browse the gift shop, head into the Brewhouse tea-room for a hot chocolate, or venture into the house. Inside this ancient family home, you can wow the kids by showing them a secret Tudor peephole concealed in the panelling of The Study on the ground floor. There's also a very young, slim Henry VIII depicted in the chapel stained-glass windows. And at the end of the visitor route on the ground floor of the house there's a light and airy second hand bookshop with a cushioned bay window where you can leaf through your child's next favourite page-turner.