Great Dixter is a magical place for families to visit. The garden has lots of high hedges, wild plants, bright colours and insects to inspire young imaginations. You can download out garden map here and check out our health and safety information so that you are aware of things to watch out for when you come.  

If you want to know more about family activities at Great Dixter please contact Catherine: [email protected]

Garden Explorers

Garden Explorers is an adventurous group for toddlers and carers which takes place each Thursday and Friday morning at Great Dixter between 9:30 and 11:30 (10-12 during the school holidays), based from our education centre at Dixter Farm. Sessions are based around seasonal activity in the garden and on the estate, from seed planting and cooking using vegetables we have harvested from the garden, to minibeast hunts, having fires in the woods and making musical instruments. Sessions are usually run by Education Officer Catherine, with special guest appearances from time to time.

There is usually a story and a walk, and always a drink and a snack (which we usually make during the session) with an all essential (proper) coffee for the adults.

   

Garden explorers is suitable for walking toddlers (though little legs with less stamina may find the woods trips a bit of a long journey so carers may need to do some carrying). Younger siblings are welcome so long as buggies are robust enough to make it down to the woods and carers willing to push or carry. There are quite a lot of steps around the garden so we usually abandon buggies somewhere and collect them later. We go out in all weathers and quite often end up messy so suitable clothing is essential!

Like many of our activities Garden Explorers took an enforced break in 2020 owing to Coronavirus restrictions. However we are now back up and running in line with Coronavirus rules with a limited group size of 15 family groups. 

Booking in advance is essential and can be done from 9pm the evening before the session. Please ensure you are free of symptoms (loss of taste or smell, continuous cough or high temperature - above 38c) before you book. Temperatures will be taken at the start of the sessions which will take place entirely outdoors for the time being. Please bring a mask to wear if you need to access the loos or inside spaces, and maintain good hand hygiene and 2m distance from other families. Toddlers are obviously not great at social distancing but we should all try our best to make this happen, and for adults to distance from one another while restrictions are still in place. 

This week will take place in the garden between 9:30 and 11:30. You can book for the Thursday session here and the Friday session here from 9pm the night before the session. This week the weather forecast looks a bit iffy so we may need to use the room. If we do we will be operating a "mask to mat" policy whereby parents or carers will need to wear masks when moving around the room unless seated at the various activities. 

 

Each session costs £5.00 per child. Siblings are half price. Accompanying adults and babies are free

Please note that parents or carers are responsible for direct supervision of children. 

To book a place join our mailing list here where ticket info is emailed prior to the sessions. For more info email [email protected]

School Holidays

We usually run some extra activities for school aged children during the holidays, although these are currently on hold while we get the usual garden explorers sessions back up and running. 

Join our mailing list here for updates about school holiday activities at Great Dixter

All activities are risk assessed. Please ensure that you provide the education officer Catherine Haydock with any specific needs of your child. Please follow this link for additional health and safety information.

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