Kew Gardens is a wonderful day out for all ages, with some particularly spectacular fun in store during autumn and winter.
This stunning 330-acre site – only 30 minutes from central London – is not just a place to visit during summer.
With magical playgrounds to teach children about the natural world, innovative and exciting ways to view the flora and fauna (including a thrilling treetop walkway), a brand new spooky Halloween trail, and an outstanding festive light display, Kew comes alive during the autumn and winter months.
In fact, now is the perfect time of year to take the kids to Kew. Here’s why.
What is Kew Gardens?
Image credit: Sebastia Kettley / Kew-Gardens
Kew Gardens is an excellent place to visit with kids at any time of the year, but comes alive during autumn and winter, with a particularly magical mix of activities and displays to wow visitors of all ages. Set in 330 acres of stunning gardens in London’s leafy Richmond, Kew is packed with things to see and do.
Since opening over 250 years ago, it has become an outstanding research hub for the natural world. While conservation and scientific innovation are the key roles of this UNESCO World Heritage site, it’s also a beautiful place for a day out – visitors are invited to enjoy nearly 17,000 species of plants and trees (some of them very rare) as well as a great selection of fun facilities, including an indoor rainforest (Palm House) and the Victorian Glasshouse (Temperate House). You’ll spot rare and threatened plants from all over the globe in both.
Who is it for?
What makes Kew so great is that it is a super day out for everyone, with children and families particularly well catered for. Alongside its world-leading research, Kew is a lovely place to spend time surrounded by nature. With plenty of activities, workshops and playgrounds, the team at Kew are incredibly welcoming of kids – and very keen to teach them more about all things botanical. Armed with information booklets and maps, kids can have a real adventure here, and will feel as if they are stepping into a far-flung world, despite being 30 mins by tube from central London.
The Highlights
One of the most exciting activities at Kew is the Treetop Walkway. Towering 18 metres above ground and constructed using over 400 tonnes of weathered steel, the walkway is designed to subtly twist and turn around the gardens; allowing visitors to get up close to the trees, and offering a unique – and quite breathtaking – view. Spot birds among the nearby tree branches, and take in the ground below with a bird’s eye view of it all. The walkway becomes an extra special viewing platform when Halloween and Christmas light shows are taking place.
Halloween at Kew Gardens
During the October 2024 half term, Kew Gardens is launching a brand new Halloween Trail through its gardens, featuring eery, illuminated trees and walkways festooned with creepy, ghoulish installations.
Make your way through the pumpkins and lanterns – and watch out for giant spiders on webs (all fake, thankfully), ghosts and skeletons dangling from trees, and various other hair-raising surprises. Set to the backdrop of Kew’s imposing and majestic landscaping, this light show is quite the spectacle. Adding to the atmosphere is a team of actors and fire performers who are there to ensure plenty of scary thrills – in a family friendly way.
Christmas at Kew Gardens
Kew’s much-loved Christmas At Kew has been running since 2013. As one of the UK’s leading and most acclaimed illuminated trails, the Gardens are packed with dazzling displays that the whole family will love, from November 2024 until January 2025.
It’s easy to spend a couple of hours enjoying installations including glittering tunnels lit with millions of tiny twinkling lights; dancing lakeside reflections; and trees drenched in jewel-like colours. Along the route there are a selection of independent street-food vendors offering hot chocolate, waffles and mince pies. There’s also a fairground, with a mix of rides for all ages.
The Children’s Garden
Regardless of which season you visit, a trip to the Children’s Garden is a must. This is a wonderful, interactive space where youngsters can climb, run, jump and explore everything that makes a plant grow. Opened in 2019, it’s split into four areas based on the elements – Earth, Air, Sun and Water – is set in an area the size of 40 tennis courts, and has lots of sensory elements as well as a sandy area, water play, trampolines and a huge wooden climbing frame.
In the Earth Garden children can weave through a living bamboo tunnel, explore a jungle of large-leafed palms and slide down ‘worm-hole’ tubes. In the Water Garden there’s a stream and water feature with stepping stones inspired by a giant water lily. Packed with fun little spots to discover: there’s even a four-metre-high canopy walk wrapped around a 200-year-old oak in the heart of the space.
Need to know
You can reach Kew by bus, train or car and there’s plenty of onsite parking. There are lots of buggy-friendly areas and baby changing facilities. It’s also worth noting the great selection of restaurants, including the relatively new Family Kitchen & Shop which has a stone-baked pizza oven, salad bar and ice-cream station. With highchairs and lots of space, it’s an ideal spot to dine with little children. And if you’d like to keep them interested in the natural world after your visit, pick up a book or a game in the well-stocked gift shop.
Where is it?
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, TW8 3AB.
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