Skip to content

Family-friendly things to do at Belton

Woman giving child a piggyback
Wrap up warm for winter adventures at Belton | © National Trust / Rob Stothard

Explore our fun family day out ideas, including our indoor play area and outdoor adventure playground. Make the most of your day out with the kids at Belton.

Planning your family visit

 

  • Booking your visit is no longer required.
  • The Outdoor Adventure Playground is open daily, and the train is operating Friday - Sunday, 11am - 3.30pm, weather permitting. Daily service operates during Lincolnshire school holidays. 
  • The Ride indoor play area is open daily, 9.30am - 4pm. No pre-booking required. Please note that at busy times, families will be given one hour of timed play. 
  • Baby-changing facilities are available in the parkland, Stables Café, Muddy Hands, and the Ride toilets.
Two children on the rope and plank bridge in the play area at Belton House, Lincolnshire
Children exploring the play area at Belton House, Lincolnshire | © National Trust Images/Chris Lacey

Belton’s outdoor adventure playground 

Swing, dangle, wobble, climb and jump your way through, across and over the National Trust’s largest outdoor adventure playground, set within an ancient wilderness.

Play opportunities at Belton encourage challenging playful experiences in a safe environment to facilitate child development at all stages. The equipment’s designed to be challenging. 

Only you know the abilities and limitations of the children in your care, so please keep a careful watch on them and make sure they’re playing safely. You’re also encouraged to play in the spaces provided so that everyone can enjoy the play experience. 

The equipment is designed to be challenging

As a result, some equipment may not be suitable for all children.

Visitors enjoying a ride on the miniature railway, with a girl waving, at Belton House, Lincolnshire
Visitors enjoying a ride on the miniature railway at Belton House | © National Trust Images/Chris Lacey

Take a train ride

Friday - Sunday, 11am - 3.30pm, weather permitting. Daily service operates during Lincolnshire school holidays.

An adult ticket costs £2 per seat, and a child ticket is £1.50. The money raised from the train is used to help us maintain and keep the train running for future generations to enjoy. Thank you for your continued support.

Attention all passengers, journeys on Belton’s miniature train are now running. Take a train ride through the adventure playground, up to the woods and back again. The train driver writes the time of the last journey of the day on the station board.  

Indoor play café

Here grown-ups get the opportunity to enjoy a refreshment or two, while the kids enjoy the indoor play area. Full of challenging fun for younger children, this is adventure play, not soft play. Find us in the stable yard. No pre-booking required. Please note that at busy times, families will be given one hour of timed play. 

Offering a beehive, Bellmount Tower and the Fishing Lodge, joined together with hanging walkways, cargo nets, slides and tunnels – there’s hours of fun to be had. During term times, there will be early years and sensory play equipment for younger visitors.  

A very frosty morning by Statue walk in the gardens at Belton House, Lincolnshire

Discover more at Belton

Find out everything you need to know about visiting Belton, including how to get here, things to see and do on your visit, and more.

You might also be interested in

View of the south front of Belton House, with winter frost and deer grazing
Article
Article

Visiting Belton House 

Packed full of treasures, discover a mansion bursting with history. Belton's collection tells a story rich in global history and our future work will focus on bringing those stories to life. 

A very frosty morning by Statue walk in the gardens at Belton House, Lincolnshire
Article
Article

Visiting the gardens at Belton 

Explore the gardens at Belton, including the Italian Garden, a Conservatory and a Dutch Garden with formal bedding schemes. Whatever time of year you visit, the shifting seasons provide a great variety of colour and wildlife to see.

Grey heron by the river
Article
Article

Exploring the estate at Belton 

Explore 1,300 acres of parkland at Belton and find out more about the wildlife you may see along the way, including the herd of historic fallow deer.

A hot cup of tea on a table in the Stables Cafe at Belton
Article
Article

Eating and shopping at Belton 

Rest and refuel in a historic setting or treat yourself to something special to take home. Find out about our dog-friendly café and other places to eat and shop.

Child walking on a log at Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal Water Garden, North Yorkshire

‘50 things to do before you're 11¾’ 

Plan fresh-air activities, discover facts about nature and wildlife or learn a new skill with our suggestions for ‘50 things to do before you’re 11¾’.

A family walking through woodland on a path

Family-friendly places in Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire 

Plan a fun-filled day with the family in Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire this winter, enjoy long family walks, explore cycle trails, or join one of a variety of organised activities.

Two visitors laughing at each other whilst admiring the Dining Room at Christmas at Lanhydrock, Cornwall

Visit 

Visit somewhere new and explore seasonal gardens, historic castles and outdoor spaces. With over 500 places to discover, where will your adventures take you?