Family Days Out with the Kids

Our children seem to have the uncanny ability to forget the world and get caught up in the moment. Let Go Ape forest adventures give you a helping hand in following their lead for a family day out to remember. There are 34 Go Ape locations around the country and something for every family, from the adventurous go-getters to those embarking on their first exploration of the canopy.

Experiences for young families:

• Treetop Adventure - 1 hour activity for young children over 1m. Confidence building crossings for young children followed by wobbly bridges and a zip wire finish for big smiles.
• Treetop Adventure+ - 1 hour activity for more adventurous children over 1.2m. Tricky crossings, higher platforms and a big zip wire ride back to the ground.
• Nets Adventure - 2 hour activity for all children over 1 year old. Bounce the day away on our giant nets, complete with giant bouncy balls and tunnel slides.

Experiences for older families:

• Treetop Challenge - 1-3hour activity adults and children over 1.4m. Our flagship adventure you'll find at every Go Ape location! This course combines a canopy trail of crossings with epic zip wire rides and Tarzan Swings, each in its own unique arrangement.
• Forest Segway - 1 hour activity for adults and children who weight between 7st - 19.5st. There's no age limit on this experience as long as you meet the minimum weight requirement. Explore the forest floor on our 2 wheeled self-balancing machines. There’s nothing else quite like it, a true bucket list experience that you’ll want to do again and again.

Packed lunch, pre-bought or from the café – whatever your preference for lunch, we suggest that you enjoy it in the beauty of the forest. You could opt for one of the picnic benches found dotted around, but why not make it a little bit special? Pack a blanket and take a short wander to find your bit of peace and quiet and enjoy your lunch together.

Stopping in nature like this is such a great way to relax and unwind. You can appreciate the natural environment that you find yourself in and with the children pausing to eat they can have their eyes opened to nature too. Inevitably they will finish their lunch first and can then find new ways to play and explore your lunch spot.

Take some time out from the excitement of Go Ape to embrace the outdoors and discover the flora and fauna around you. Go Ape locations are intentionally set in wonderful forests and stunning parkland, each with their own unique habitats. Stroll around tranquil lakes spotting the dragonflies, listen to wild birds in the woods, hunt for minibeasts or go butterfly hunting in the meadow. Wherever you spend your family day out with Go Ape you will find nature in abundance to add an extra dose of fascination.

At many of our locations you will find helpful local rangers who have designed packs, activities and guides to help you make the most of your day out in nature. Our friends at Forestry England also have a wealth of resources you can find here, great for inspiring young children to experience the natural world. We particularly recommend their seasonal challenges that you’ll find here, each with 10 ideas to get little ones exploring the forest.

Getting active outdoors is great for both your physical and emotional wellbeing. At many Go Ape locations, you’ll also find play areas and trails for children of all ages. Following lockdown, we suggest researching your chosen location to find out what’s open and what isn’t. For our Forestry England locations you can find all the latest information on their website here.

Given the gradual re-opening after lockdown we think that now is the perfect time to find new ways to get active on your family day out. How about some den building for starters? Thatch your wooden structure with bracken to complete your shelter and really give it that wilderness look. You could even eat your lunch in there!

Older active families might like to pack their running shoes and get their heart rate going on one of the fitness trails that you’ll find at a lot of the forests where you’ll find Go Ape. Many of our locations also have bike hire available and waymarked routes around the forest. Once again, if you're visiting a Forestry England location you’ll find all the information here, including some brilliant single-track routes and downhill parks for the more adventurous.