Kid-friendly castles near London

Best for trying it all out: Hever Castle, Kent

The childhood home of Anne Boleyn, Hever Castle has something to appeal to all interests, from jousting tournaments on weekends throughout the summer to archery sessions. There's also a fantastic Tudor-castle inspired adventure playground (and mini toddler play zone), an interactive military museum, and two mazes, including a water maze, which is a must for cooling down on hot days. The castle has idyllic lakeside walks and boat hire, as well as themed garden trails (Roman, Geography, Maths) for youngsters to explore.

Best for a taste of country life: Kew Palace, Kew, London

A visit to Kew Gardens is all about the amazing flora - and the fab new play area. Next time you're there, you can also explore the striking Kew Palace, former home of George III and Queen Charlotte. Check out Queen Charlotte's rustic 18th century cottage and paddock, where she once kept kangaroos, cattle and Tartarian pheasants, which you can still spot. Foodies-in-training can pop next door, to the well-preserved Royal Kitchens.

Photo: Historic Royal Palaces

Best for horrible histories: Tower of London, Tower Hamlets, London

Palace meets prison at the Tower of London, where kids can enjoy everything from spotting the ravens (and newborn raven chicks!) who guard the Tower to learning all about the history of the castle on a tour with a Beefeater. Magpies will be entranced by the Crown Jewels. Through the summer months, kids can enjoy the Tower Escape performance, meeting prisoners from the Tower's past and helping them plot their escapes from the fortress.

Photo: Historic Royal Palaces

Best for the all-round experience: Hampton Court Palace, Hampton, Surrey

Henry VIII and his wives are reason enough to entice kids to visit this palace (an easy train ride from Waterloo) - there are portraits and pictures of the clan dotted around the palace, in the Haunted Gallery, while the Great Hall features Anne Boleyn's coat of arms and initials. You can also visit the palace kitchens and impressive gardens - 60 acres of formal gardens and 750 acres of parkland, including a maze for kids to explore. And don't forget the Magic Playground - surely London's most amazing outdoor spot for kids of all ages?

Best for proximity to the Royals: Windsor Castle, Windsor, Berkshire

The oldest and largest occupied castle in the world, Windsor Castle has been home to 39 monarchs since it was founded in the 11th century, and the Queen spends many of her weekends there. Kids will enjoy touring St. George's Chapel, where kings like Henry VIII and Charles I are buried, being dazzled in the State Apartments (where the Queen entertains her guests), and watching the changing of the guard. You can also tour the castle defences, participate in craft activities (like making a miniature portrait in the manner of Queen Victoria or a crown inspired by hers), and enjoy talks about knights and armour (while dressing up as a knight, naturally).

Photo: Royal Collection Trust / © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2019/Peter Smith

Best for the views: Severndroog Castle, Southeast London

This hidden gem surrounded by lush woodland was built by Lady James as a memorial to her late husband, Sir William James, in the 18th century. The striking Gothic structure offers panoramic views of London and its surrounding counties, as well as a lovely tea room with sandwiches and cakes. There are also plenty of kid-friendly goings-on at the castle, from crafts activities to open-air theatre to treasure hunt nature trails.

Best for all the trails: Walmer Castle, Kent

Once a Tudor fortress, Walmer Castle later became the residence of everyone from the Duke of Wellington to Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. Not only is it the place to see the original Wellington boots, but there's plenty of amazing outside space to explore: eight acres of stunning, award-winning gardens, to be precise. The newly opened natural play trail from Studio Hardie is a must for kids, with hollow tree trunks, huge nests to climb into and wobbly bridges. A fab day trip idea, and a must for anyone staying in Dover this summer, plus it's a short, scenic walk to Deal Castle, so you can easily do both sites in a day.

Photo: English Heritage

Best for exploring underground: Deal Castle, Kent

Known for its memorable Tudor rose shape and famous king appeal, Deal was constructed by King Henry VIII as one of the finest Tudor artillery forts in the 1530s. Kids will enjoy exploring the dark passages beneath the bastions and listening to voices of the past, as well as designing their own graffiti. Look out for Minecraft workshops in August, and spooky ghost tours for Halloween. Deal is a short cycle ride away from nearby Walmer Castle.

Photo: English Heritage

Best for getting in on the action : Dover Castle, Kent

This iconic English fortress really has it all when it comes to entertaining children of all ages: at the Great Tower, members of the royal court of King Henry II meet and greet guests, and there are plenty of events on this summer like the clash of the Romans in early August (kids will don armour and practice battle drills) and medieval jousting and falconry. There are secret tunnels to explore (where the Dunkirk operation was masterminded) and firing demonstrations from a WWI command post to witness. Plan for a full day's visit; after all, you'll be going back through time from the 11th century.

Photo: English Heritage

Best for family activities : Rochester Castle, Kent

There's plenty to entice the kids at Rochester Castle, a fortress an hour away from London, whose Norman tower-keep was thought to have been constructed in 1127 by the Archbishop of Canterbury - the castle was a viable fortress until the 16th century. Today, there are castle trails, outdoor theatre performances, outdoor cinema and a family living history weekend (August 10-11) of Medieval Merriment, where kids can be fully immersed in a living history camp, watch archery and falconry in action, be entertained by a jester and see the Trebuchet Siege engine get fired.

Photo: English Heritage

Best for knights in training : Battle Abbey, Hastings

From reenacting the Battle of Hastings - when King Harold and William the Conqueror's armies famously clashed in 1066 - to watching knights compete on the field and exploring abbey ruins, there's plenty for historically or militarily inclined kids to enjoy. Check out the event dates for the popular Hastings reenactment and Knights' Tournaments, which involve kids in the action fully: they get to chat to Norman and Saxon soldiers, see birds of prey, up close, try out archery and sip from a horn of mead.

Photo: English Heritage