Wallington Hall

After becoming accustomed to the gentle political correctness of cbeebies, my first Punch & Judy show since I was a kid myself came as a bit of a shock, especially against the sophisticated backdrop of Wallington Hall. But everyone loved it. It was one of several special events thrown on over the summer in the Best of British theme. With four children between my friend and I aged 7, 4, 3, and almost 2, Wallington was a great place for them all to let off steam and have the all important picnic. First we headed to the most recent addition, a train climbing frame, where they all enjoyed clambering about and there was some very imaginative role play going on with a group of boys shovelling coal into the engine. Then via some foraging and muddy puddles we moved onto the playpark, with swings, a slide a zip wire and much more. It was then time for Punch & Judy, where despite being a bit taken aback by the sight of punch battering a baby, all seemed to have a good time. After a picnic on the grass we then explored the grounds and the Olympic theme was a great idea. I couldn't believe how hard work sack racing was! The different activities including triple jumps, skittles and hoop throwing kept everyone entertained. We didn't have time to explore the house or extensive grounds, but from a previous visit I can tell you they are all worth the trip. One of the best things about Wallington with young children is that the main attractions are quite compact, it is just a few minutes to the play area or the house, with handy toilets and a cafe on hand. But if you want to extend your trip the gardens and lakes are also an option. It is also pushchair friendly. http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/wallington/