Our next visit to the Royal Botanic Gardens will be even more exciting: a new children's play area is opening in May 2019, the result of over two years' work and featuring over 100 types of trees including beech, eucalyptus, sweet chestnut, pines and ginkgo, whose locations helped to map out the layout of the new play garden.
The massive, 10,000m² space (that's the size of nearly 40 tennis courts!) is thoughtfully designed to embrace the elements plants need to survive: sun, water, earth and air. Children will get to play and observe from the ground or the air - there's a 4m high aerial walkway that allows children to explore the space from a new perspective.
The new children's play area at Kew is designed with kids aged 2-12 in mind, and aims to teach them about plant life as much as encouraging them to enjoy the nature around them. The Earth Garden is a huge sand pit with play hut village and worm slides for muddy adventures, while the Air Garden has colourful windmills, trampolines to bounce on, hammocks to lounge in and giant pollen balls throw - or to use for testing out your balance.
The Sun Garden is a gorgeous spot with sunflowers, cherry and apple trees and pink candyfloss grass (yes, really), while the Water Garden (sponsored by Thames Water) lets kids splash and play with pumps that control the water flow and waterlily stepping stones for hopping across the streams. Older kids will enjoy the giant log scramble challenging them to get from one side to the other without touching the ground.
Well that's May half-term sorted, then.
| What | Kew Gardens: new children's play area |
| Where | Kew Gardens, Kew, Richmond, , Surrey, TW9 3AB | MAP |
| Nearest tube | Kew Gardens (underground) |
| When |
On 18 May 19, 12:00 AM |
| Price | ££16.50 |
| Website | Click here for more information |
