Ready, Set, Play this Summer at Belton Estate

Ready, Set, Play this Summer at Belton Estate

Mini-golf, teddy bear ziplines and Pokémon: find them all at Belton Estate this summer! Ready, Set, Play is the theme for the National Trust site’s holiday activities, all based around games and sharing play experiences together, which are running from now until Wednesday 2 September.

One of the standouts of this year’s Summer of Play, supported by Pokémon, is a 9-hole mini golf course which has been entirely handmade by volunteers. The ‘Explorer Golf’ features obstacles and components inspired by nature’s elements, from volcanoes to whirlpools, forests, caves and more.

From there, an active play zone includes badminton, swing ball and a bean bag toss, and leads on to a teddy explore area featuring a teddy bear zipline, dress-up theatre, and bricks for building teddy a house, complete with hard hats and safety jackets.

On top of all this, visitors can discover all-new Pokémon zones where they can get stuck into the Pokémon Trading Card Game, flex their skills, and collect Mega Evolution stickers. Plus, families can team up to search the gardens on the Pokémon Trading Card Game Mega Evolution Trail, discovering the Mega Evolution Pokémons’ powers and completing challenges.

A sensory zone offers the chance to step away from all the excitement to a quieter space within a bell tent, featuring fidget boards, books and tactile play, as well as a barefoot walk and sensory boxes outside.

Lydia Wardingham, Senior Visitor Experience Officer at Belton, said: ‘We’ve been delighted with the feedback from this year’s Summer of Play so far, with many visitors calling it the best yet. It’s so lovely after months of planning and hard work to see families out playing together and making special memories. I’m really proud of what our staff and volunteers have made and it’s brilliant to now be sharing it with so many people’.

Activities will be taking place throughout the holidays, enhancing all that’s on offer. The different teams at Belton will all be delivering special insights into the work they do and inviting children to get involved with hands-on sessions: the collections team will be bringing some interesting items from the house to handle on Wednesday 12 and 26 August; the rangers will be sharing amazing facts about the fallow deer at Belton and bringing some antlers to touch on Saturday 15 August; and the garden team will be helping children to plant seeds in pots to take home on Wednesday 19 August. Plus, free craft activities will be taking place every Thursday and Saturday, offering the chance for families to make hot air balloons, stone beetles, bunting and more.

Belton Acorns sessions, which usually run on regular Tuesdays in term time, will be taking place every Tuesday during the holidays. These are aimed at under 5s and children can have a go at designing bugs, making boats, painting the gardens and more. There will also be Storytelling Sessions with British Sign Language interpretation from 11am to 3pm on Thursday 13 August and Tuesday 1 September.

Belton is home to the largest outdoor playground in the National Trust, set amongst shady trees, as well as The Ride indoor adventure play. Find out more and plan a visit at nationaltrust.org.uk/Belton.