Everything You Need To Know About Kew Gardens' New Children's Garden

If you’re looking to escape the hustle and bustle of London, Kew Gardens provides the perfect family retreat - we can’t guarantee it’ll be relaxing but we can guarantee it’ll be an adventure! And with The London Pass, you can skip the Kews and get 10% off any purchases in retail outlets within Kew!

Discover a whole Kew world this Autumn and climb, jump, slide, swing and run wild at the brand-new and frankly irresistible Children’s Garden, specifically designed for children aged 2-12. Delicately plonked in the middle of the breath-taking Kew Gardens, which is renowned for its’ spectacular botanical gardens and immense collection of living plants, lies a leafy paradise for green-fingered youngsters. It’s just waiting to be explored by children and makes for an educational and fun-filled day out that adults and kids alike won’t forget in a hurry.

Whether you’ve been to Kew Gardens in the past or have never stepped foot inside the botanical paradise, The Children’s Garden is a brand-new, must-visit playground that combines both education and nature to teach children about all the things that plants need in order to grow! Access to the Children’s Garden is included in the price of admission but tickets still need to be booked so that you can reserve a time-slot - trust us, it gets pretty popular! Inside the garden, mini adventurers can get to grips with the four elements that plants need to grow; earth, air, sun and water, and wind their way through four unique zones, all inspired by the elements and bursting with fun.

Based in a natural setting the size of 40 (yes, 40!) tennis courts amongst the enchanted, picturesque backdrop of Kew Gardens, there’s endless fun to be had in the Children’s Garden - it’s certainly a challenge to pack it all into 90 minutes but hey, all the more reason to return! You’ll begin by entering the magical Garden through a tunnel of fragrant Star jasmine plants before coming face to face with a majestic, 200-year-old English Oak tree, that is encompassed by an aerial walkway a whopping 4m off the ground - hope you’ve got a head for heights!

Now that you’ve embarked on your journey of a plant, the first element to explore is Earth. Here, you’ll be greeted by a giant sand pit! And no beach is complete without a few beach huts, so you’ll also find a quirky play hut village, surrounded by Bamboo plants and tall, winding tunnel slides that we can vouch for - they’re pretty awesome.

And after you’ve built a few sandcastles, plant yourself in the next area along the trail, Air. Here you’ll find giant, colourful windmill flowers that’ll enchant youngsters, comfy hammocks where parents can take the opportunity to chill out and embrace the greenery whilst still keeping an eye on their little explorers, swings and trampolines! Not to mention the mini amphitheatre, sometimes used for story-telling, located under some of Kew’s largest Eucalyptus trees!

Next up is Sun; a vast open space where children can roam wild, weaving through a ring of brightly coloured sunflowers, and embark on their very own sensory adventure through the cherry trees and candy floss pink grass (not edible but still super cool). Camp out under intricately designed pergolas to catch some shade and wriggle through hoops adorned with apple trees and plants to really get the senses going!

Lastly, float along to Water and get to grips with the child-friendly water pumps that actually control the flow of water into the splash pool and hop along water lily shaped stepping stones. Help youngsters see the importance of the water cycle to plants and make a splash while doing it! We would definitely recommend taking a change of clothes because things can get pretty wet!