Family-friendly things to do at Charlecote Park

A young girl admires a rocking horse in the collection at Cragside, with an illuminated Christmas tree out of focus in the foreground of the image — Explore the parkland and enjoy adventures with your family at Charlecote Park this winter. | © National Trust Images/Paul Harris

Discover all the things to do on a family day out at Charlecote Park. From exploring the Service Courtyard and imagining life in the Victorian era to watching deer in the parkland, there's plenty to keep little ones entertained. Find out what family-friendly events are coming up and how best to plan your day out at Charlecote Park with children in mind.

Planning your family visit

There are toilets and baby-changing facilities beside the Gatehouse and at the Orangery
Pushchairs and buggies are welcome outside
Wellies are always recommended
Please take extra care around the riverbanks, lake and ha-ha as they are unfenced and the large stones of the ha-ha can become loose
Small children's balance bikes are welcome but unfortunately scooters and pedal bikes are not permitted on the grounds
Deer and sheep roam freely and are wild animals – please don't get too close or try to touch them.
There are fallen logs to explore and climb on for natural play in the parkland, but there is no playground installed

Family-friendly events

The Servants' Wishlist trail

Mary Elizabeth Lucy, the mistress of Charlecote Park, forgot to buy Christmas presents for her staff. What could she offer the laundry maid, the gamekeeper or the house maid? Follow the trail around the Service Courtyard, play memory games, charades, and solve anagrams to help Mary Elizabeth find what presents to gift her servants.

(Charlecote Park is completely closed 25 December 2024.)

Dates: Saturday 30 November 2024 – Sunday 5 January 2025
Time: 9am – 4pm each day (last entry 3pm)
Price: free trail, admission prices apply
Booking: Booking is not available or needed.

Family-friendly things to do in the house

Take a look around the outbuildings and the Victorian Kitchen and imagine what it would have been like for the Lucy family’s servants to work in all weathers.

The five downstairs rooms of the house are open seven days a week from 10.30am - 3pm (last entry 2.30pm) by timed tickets during weekends and open tickets on week days. These can be collected on a first come first served basis at the Visitor Reception.

Free house spotter sheets are available at certain times of year. Children (and adults) can go around the house spotting treasures and interesting details.

Useful things to know when visiting the house

Due to the fragile objects inside the house, pushchairs and large rucksacks will need to be left outside
Hip straps are available to borrow

Family by the Christmas tree at Scotney Castle, Kent — Brighten up your children's day with Christmas lights | © National Trust Images/Arnhel de Serra

Family-friendly things to do on the estate

Whether you're getting closer to nature or running off some energy, the parkland is a great space for families. There’s plenty of space to run round and play games, whatever the weather. On your adventures through the parkland, there’s also lots of wildlife to spot.

Useful things to know when visiting the parkland

There are grassy and uneven pathways in the parkland, and gravel and cobbled floors to navigate.
The grassy parkland paths are flat enough for chunky-wheeled buggies when it's not muddy.

Go birdwatching

Pop into the bird hide in the spinney (behind the Wood Yard) and see what's on the feeders there. Look out for the friendly robins and watch the ducks, swans and herons on the river, but remember that feeding them bread can harm them – use wild bird seeds instead.

Look for bugs

Hunt for bugs when you wander along the grassy paths. Count butterflies, bees, dragonflies and ladybirds too. The long grass and knobbly tree bark provide perfect habitats for all sorts of creatures.

Look out for deer

In late spring, bucks lose their antlers. The deer might look a little lopsided, but casting off their antlers is completely natural and harmless. If you want to know more, just ask one of our park roamers when you visit. 

'50 things to do before you're 11¾'

Are you ready to tick some activities off your list of '50 things to do before you're 11¾'? There are plenty of things to try at Charlecote Park, whatever the weather. Here are just a few to get you started:

No. 1 Get to know a tree: Find a tree and see what creatures make it their home. The ancient standing trees at Charlecote Park are fragile, so enjoy climbing the huge felled trees in the parkland instead
No. 7 Fly a kite: It doesn’t have to be blowing a gale – a simple box kite will take off in a breeze. Bring your own or choose your favourite colour from the shop. Run around the Paddock and watch it fly
No. 9 Eat a picnic in the wild: With benches in the Paddock and loads of grassy spaces to spread out your blanket, Charlecote Park is the perfect place for a picnic. Watch the wildlife while you enjoy your sandwiches but remember that the ducks shouldn't eat your leftovers.

Visitors on the main drive at Charlecote Park in winter — Family having fun on Charlecote Park's grounds | © National Trust/James Dobson

No. 19 Play Pooh sticks: Stand on the bridge by the entrance to West Park and see whose stick comes out on the other side first
No. 31 Make friends with a bug: Look in the grass, check tree bark and look under stones to see what bugs you can find
No. 34 Discover wild animal clues: Can you see the tracks made by the deer and sheep? They make flattened grass paths to get to their favourite spots and you might see their hoof prints if it's muddy in the parkland
No. 44 Watch a bird: Bring your binoculars and see what you can spot, from friendly robins and blackbirds in the gardens to swans and herons on the river. Look out for a woodpecker’s rising and falling flight in the park. Can you hear a buzzard mewing overhead?