Family activities at Chatsworth celebrate Easter holidays
Families visiting Chatsworth during the Easter holidays can look forward to seasonal activities, creative workshops and outdoor adventures.
Experiences designed to improve curiosity and encourage exploration are being rolled out until April 12, 2026.
In the garden, children can take part in Wonderful Water: Cascade Crafts, a series of drop-in sessions inspired by Chatsworth’s Cascade water feature, the restoration of which is due to begin later this year. Budding artists can experiment with techniques such as paint marbling and paint blowing, creating colourful, one-of-a-kind pieces to take home. Wonderful Water: Cascade Crafts takes place on April 1, 7 and 9, from 10.30am until 12.30pm and 1.20pm until 3.30pm.
Young adventurers can also join the Freshwater Explorers sessions, where hands-on activities include building and racing leaf boats, constructing miniature dams and bridges, and discovering wildlife in and around the trout stream. Freshwater Explorers takes place on March 31, April 2, 8 and 10 at various times.
Across the garden, nature play areas in the Pinetum and near the Grotto Pond offer opportunities for imaginative outdoor play, with wooden structures designed for balancing, building and creative exploration.
Families can head to Flora’s Temple for complimentary face painting (April 3-6, 11am until 4pm), where children can transform into their favourite characters or springtime creatures.
Over the Easter weekend, visitors can also enjoy live musical moments as barrel organ player Matthew Cooke of Cooke and Sons roams the garden, bringing a charming soundtrack on April 4 and 5, from 11am until 4pm.
At the farmyard, Easter celebrations continue with seasonal crafts and the chance to meet a variety of friendly residents, including a number of new-born animals and rare breeds. Families can also enjoy the much-anticipated Easter Egg Hunt, searching for hidden chocolate treats across the farmyard from April 3-6 at £3 per child.
Creative visitors can drop into the Oak Barn for self-guided craft sessions daily between 10am and 4pm, while those looking to explore further can hop aboard a tractor and trailer ride for a scenic journey around the estate.
For even more outdoor adventure, Stand Wood in the parkland becomes a hub for den building, where families can use natural materials to create their own woodland hideaways.
The adventure playground, accessible via a secret tunnel from the farmyard, offers space for children to burn off energy with climbing towers, slides, zip lines and sand play, making it an ideal stop for active families.
Emma Flack, head of visitor experience at Chatsworth, said: "Easter is a fantastic time to experience Chatsworth as the gardens begin to spring to life, with beautiful blooms and greenery. This year we’ve focused on creating a range of experiences for a wide variety of interests, from hands-on creative activities and crafts to outdoor exploration to give people the chance to spend time in nature - there’s something for visitors of all ages to enjoy together."
Many activities are included with garden and farmyard admission. For more information or to book tickets, visit: www.chatsworth.org/events/easter