With a play area, Barn Kids film programme, kids workshops and a year-round programme of events, there’s plenty for families to get up to at Dartington.
Scroll further down for all family events, or see below for our ‘top things to do’. You’ll probably need a map of the estate which you can download here (pdf).
Food and drink
Great quality, affordable food is available at Venus Cafe and Bayards Kitchen at The Shops at Dartington.
The Green Table, a vibrant, spacious new café near the Hall and Gardens, offers food for adults and children alike in a family-friendly atmosphere. Find out more here.
There are also plenty of picnic tables for al fresco dining – find them next to the Barn Cinema and wild play area.
Time to play
Our all-natural wild play area, designed and installed by EarthWrights, can be found opposite Space Studios, close to the main car park and Great Hall.
This a beautiful, gated safe space for children to play – and there are picnic tables too. Why not make a meal of it?
Get hands-on
Dartington has a range of workshops for kids to get involved in throughout the year. Many can be found in our events system – see below – but it’s worth checking out the following brilliant organisations found on the Dartington estate: Dynamic Adventures (adrenaline-fuelled activities), WildWise (wild outdoor experiences), Crazy About Clay (pottery fun) Arts Lab (community arts workshops) and MudTots (forest school for smaller children). Some of these require booking or run at certain times, so make sure you check ahead.
Walking at Dartington
Ah, the family walk. Love it or loathe it, there are plenty of beautiful walks to do here at Dartington – incorporating river paths, woodland scrambles and grassy meadows. Take a look at our estate walks page for ideas.
We have several dog-friendly fields (ie off lead areas) on the estate, and most of our paths are dog friendly too – although at certain times of year we exercise a ‘dogs on lead’ policy to protect ground nesting wildlife. Download our handy guide for details (pdf).
Upcoming family events – film, activity days, workshops and more
![My Life as a Courgette [PG]](https://system.spektrix.com/dartington/files/e6c553ee-1ea4-467f-84f5-083f50c3b202.jpg)
My Life as a Courgette [PG]
- Mon 26th Jun, 5pm. Tue 27th Jun, 8pm | £5.80
After his mother’s sudden death, Courgette is befriended by a police officer, Raymond, who accompanies him to his new foster home, filled with other orphans his age. With Raymond’s help and his newfound friends, he begins to learn the meaning of trust and true love.
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Dartington Gardens tours
- Wed 28th Jun, 11am. Wed 5th Jul, 11am. Wed 12th Jul, 11am. Wed 19th Jul, 11am. Wed 26th Jul, 11am. Wed 2nd Aug, 11am. Wed 9th Aug, 11am. Wed 16th Aug, 11am. Wed 23rd Aug, 11am. Wed 30th Aug, 11am
Our volunteer-led tours are a brilliant opportunity to discover the secrets of our glorious Gardens.
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WildWise at Dartington
- Sat 1st Jul, 10am. Wed 30th Aug, 10am. Mon 23rd Oct, 10am
Wildwise offer a range of experiences on the Dartington estate including bushcraft, kids camps, nightpaddles, wild food, family events, dangerous weekends and wild nights out.
View Details >>![Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul [U]](https://system.spektrix.com/dartington/files/008b498f-e180-482b-b849-e99622cf77bd.jpg)
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul [U]
- Sat 1st Jul, 2pm. Sun 2nd Jul, 2pm | £5.80
Greg convinces his family to take a road trip to attend his great grandmother’s 90th birthday as a cover for what he really wants: to attend a nearby gamer convention. Unsurprisingly, things do not go according to plan and Heffley family antics ensue.
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Seven wonders of the wild
- Sat 15th Jul, 10am. Fri 8th Sep, 7:30pm. Sun 29th Oct, 2pm. Fri 24th Nov, 7:30pm
In association with WildWise. A diverse menu of wild encounters and experiences to give you and your family that sense of wonder and reverence that underpins healthy nature connection.
View Details >>![Despicable Me 3 (3D) [U]](https://system.spektrix.com/dartington/files/82ae1226-a1e1-4109-8e38-cebc4a5c2f0f.jpg)
Despicable Me 3 (3D) [U]
- Fri 21st Jul, 12pm. Sat 22nd Jul, 12pm. Sun 23rd Jul, 12pm. Tue 25th Jul, 12pm. Wed 26th Jul, 12pm | £5.80
Gru faces off against Balthazar Bratt, a former child star who is obsessed with the character he played in the ‘80s, and proves to be Gru’s most formidable adversary to date.
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Midsummer Dreams Festival 2017
- Sat 22nd Jul, 10am. Sun 23rd Jul, 10am
22nd and 23rd July - tickets on sale soon. A weekend of theatre, puppetry, comedy, circus and music for all the family.
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Midsummer Dreams-Imaginarium
- Sat 22nd Jul, 11am & 3:30pm. Sun 23rd Jul, 2pm | £4.00
Isabella's Amazon Adventure. When the Story Bicycle gets a puncture, deep in the heart of the rainforest, Isabella meets a courageous girl who shows her that nothing is what it seems in the forest of dreams.
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Midsummer Dreams-The Fisher-Knight's Tale
- Sat 22nd Jul 2017
- 11:30am
- £6.00
Wild Toy Theatre. Suitable for the whole family, The Fisher-Knight's Tale is a pop-up adventure for intimate settings.
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Midsummer Dreams-Imaginarium
- Sat 22nd Jul, 12pm & 2:30pm & 5pm. Sun 23rd Jul, 11am & 1pm & 3pm | £4.00
Uncle Tacko's Incredible Flea Circus. Step inside Uncle Tacko’s Imaginarium and enter a magical world where anything can happen. Fun for all the family as Uncle Tacko’s Incredible Flea Circus and Isabella’s Story Bicycle dazzle and delight you with fabulous tales and acts of derring-do.
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Midsummer Dreams-The Tintagel Storyteller
- Sat 22nd Jul, 1pm. Sun 23rd Jul, 1pm
Stories old, stories new, tales of wonder for all ages. Some familiar, some strange, always entertaining. Pick a story from the storybasket; relax and listen.
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Midsummer Dreams-Imaginarium
- Sat 22nd Jul, 1:30pm. Sun 23rd Jul, 12pm & 4pm | £4.00
Isabella's Trolls Adventure. Isabella gives the royal gardener an unusual seed from her collection to help with a problem at the palace. Little did she know that when it grew it would attract a bunch of troll-girls on the look out for a human lunch!
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Midsummer Dreams-Alice in Wonderland
- Sat 22nd Jul 2017
- 2pm
- £4.00
Sandal Sticks Theatre Company. Follow us on a journey down the Rabbit hole and meet the white Rabbit, Cheshire Cat, March Hare and Mad hatter in this playful and interactive adaptation with puppetry and music.
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Midsummer Dreams-The Tinderbox
- Sat 22nd Jul 2017
- 3pm
- £3.50
Sandal Sticks Theatre Company. A soldier finds a magical tinderbox in a hollow tree. Watch what happens when he strikes light and three dogs with enormous eyes appear...
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Midsummer Dreams-Sinbad the Sailor
- Sat 22nd Jul 2017
- 4pm
- £3.50
Sandal Sticks Theatre Company. Meet the merchant Sinbad, who likes to boast of his incredible, sea faring journeys and encounters with snakes, horses, whales, a fierce rock and last but not least, smelly cheese!
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Midsummer Dreams-Shadowplay
- Sat 22nd Jul 2017
- 4:30pm
- £7.00
Finger and Thumb Theatre. Do you have a shadow? The answer is "YES" because everyone does! Be inspired by Drew Colby to play with your shadow in this gentle journey.
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Midsummer Dreams-The Ugly Duckling
- Sun 23rd Jul 2017
- 11:30am
- £5.00
And other tales by the Above Bounds Theatre Collective.
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Midsummer Dreams-Circus Berzercus
- Sun 23rd Jul 2017
- 2:30pm
- £6.50
Ladies and gentlemen...we are proud to present the Great Phil-dini, a legend of the circus world. Unfortunately, we must also announce that he will be accompanied by his hapless stage-hand Horace, whose eagerness to entertain outshines his talent.
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Midsummer Dreams-Dartington Morris Men
- Sun 23rd Jul 2017
- 4:30pm
Don't miss the fantastic Dartington Morris Men perform this Summer!
View Details >>![Despicable Me 3 (2D) [U]](https://system.spektrix.com/dartington/files/0e277697-116e-46c7-b3a8-55c081c9b24e.jpg)
Despicable Me 3 (2D) [U]
- Mon 24th Jul, 12pm. Thu 27th Jul, 11am | £5.80
Gru faces off against Balthazar Bratt, a former child star who is obsessed with the character he played in the ‘80s, and proves to be Gru’s most formidable adversary to date.
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Dartington Deer Park Public Opening
- Thu 27th Jul 2017
- 11am
Join us for the opening of our new visitor attraction. Try new accessible trails around the Deer Park, learn about the history of the Deer Park and its 18th century wall and meet our herd of fallow deer.
View Details >>![Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie [U]](https://system.spektrix.com/dartington/files/2f227a5c-b19e-4a28-b4d6-93969747bd02.jpg)
Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie [U]
- Fri 28th Jul, 12pm. Sat 29th Jul, 12pm. Sun 30th Jul, 10am. Mon 31st Jul, 12pm. Tue 1st Aug, 12pm. Wed 2nd Aug, 12pm. Thu 3rd Aug, 10am | £5.80
Based on the bestselling book series, this raucous comedy for the entire family tells the story of two overly imaginative pranksters, George and Harold, who hypnotize their principal into thinking he’s a ridiculously enthusiastic but incredibly dimwitted superhero, Captain Underpants.
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Young Dartington
- Mon 31st Jul 2017
- 9am
Young Dartington is a children’s holiday camp for 8-14 year olds that runs for the first 2 weeks of the summer holidays in the grounds of the beautiful Dartington estate.
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Christmas Fair at The Shops at Dartington
- Sat 16th Dec, 10am. Sun 17th Dec, 10am
Celebrate Christmas at The Shops at Dartington’s annual Christmas Fair - music, magic and a host of activities in every shop!
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Food Fair at The Shops at Dartington
- Sun 27th May, 10am. Mon 28th May, 10am
This two day event will showcase the best of local produce, as well as arts, crafts and activities for all the family.
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Open Farm Sunday
- Sun 10th Jun 2018
- 11am
Open Farm Sunday is a national, free event, with farmers across the country opening their gates to the general public - including those on and around the Dartington Hall estate.
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