Days out diary - child friendly and family activities

Family days out Lake district cruise on Lake Windermere Family days out fun with boats Family days out Baby Elephant at Twycross Zoo Family days out butterfly farm Family days out childrens farm Family days out Magna Science and Technology Centre Family days out UK self catering holidays

Brodsworth Hall and Gardens

We visited Brodsworth Hall in South Yorkshire as a member of English Heritage. We had joined English Heritage earlier in the year when visiting Dover Castle.

Brodsworth Hall is a country house furnished as it was during Victorian times. It also includes extensive Victorian gardens. The is an outdoor children's playground which has a boating theme including a wooden boat. Whilst it may appear to be out-of-place this is in fact in keeping with the family that used to live in the hall as boating was one of their hobbies.

Brodsworth Hall children playground

The hall was very interesting even for our young children who particularly enjoyed the trail and in finding out about the daily life of the servants. There is also a room with a small selection of toys.

We ate in the team room. There wasn't much choice in terms of hot children's meals on the menu, but the staff were very accommodating in providing a smaller meal for the children.

We visited during late summer / autumn time and so the gardens were perhaps not as colourful as during the summer, but it was still very impressive, with lots to explore including a summer house and a pet cemetery.

There are many special events held at Brodsworth Hall. On the day we visited there was a brass band playing in the gardens during the afternoon. On this occasion we didn't have much time to stop and listen as we had a long journey home, and the weather was not particularly good by the time it started. The photos of the enchanted garden event look particularly impressive and it would be good to be able to attend that event in future (that particular event is not included in English Heritage membership, although I believe there may be a discount).

I enjoy looking around this kind of building and so was expecting to enjoy the visit, but I was pleasantly surprised at how good it was for our children as well.