By 
Stratford-upon-Avon is an easy town to do with children: it’s compact, most of the sights are a short walk apart, and there’s a free playground and paddling pool by the river. This guide covers the attractions children enjoy most (with child prices), free things to do, rainy-day ideas, swimming and soft play, and days out nearby. For what’s on during the school holidays, see our school holiday guides.
On this page
Money-saving tips: under-3s go free at the Butterfly Farm and the Shakespeare houses, and under-5s are free at Tudor World and the MAD Museum. If you live in a CV37 postcode, the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust’s Residents Go Free ticket gets you into the Shakespeare family homes free all year.
Quick picks by age
- Toddlers and under-5s: the Rec playground and paddling pool, the Butterfly Farm, Rhyme Time and Story Stomp at the library, and soft play at the leisure centre
- Ages 5 to 11: the Butterfly Farm, the MAD Museum, Tudor World, the free Family Trail at the Shakespeare houses, and the Saturday Lego Club at the library
- Tweens and teens: Tudor World, the RSC’s free The Play’s the Thing exhibition, a family show at the RSC, and our hidden doors trail round town
Family attractions in Stratford, with prices
| Attraction | Child | Adult | Family |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stratford Butterfly Farm | £8.95 (3–16) | £11.95 | £34.95 (2 adults and 2 children, or 1 and 3) |
| Shakespeare’s Birthplace (with New Place gardens) | £12.50 online (3–17) | £25 online | – |
| Anne Hathaway’s Cottage | £7.50 online, or £2.50 with a Birthplace ticket | £15 online, or £5 with a Birthplace ticket | – |
| MAD Museum | £6.50 (6–15) | £8.80 | £25 (2 adults and 2 children) |
| Tudor World | £4.50 (5–15) | £8 | £20 (2 adults and 2 children) |
| The Play’s the Thing (RSC) | Free | Free | Free |
Stratford Butterfly Farm
Tropical butterflies fly freely in a warm glasshouse on Swan’s Nest Lane, just over the river from the theatres, with minibeasts and insects too. A visit takes 60 to 90 minutes, and you can go round the path as many times as you like. It’s open every day except Christmas Day from 10am. The farm says mornings are busiest, so arrive for the 10am slot or after 3pm for a quieter visit. Book on the Butterfly Farm’s website.
Shakespeare’s Birthplace and the family homes
Shakespeare’s Birthplace on Henley Street includes the gardens at Shakespeare’s New Place, and Anne Hathaway’s Cottage in Shottery is cheap to add on to the same ticket. Tickets are valid for 12 months. The free Family Trail for ages 4+ runs at all three homes, 10am to 4pm; pick it up when you arrive. Mary Arden’s Farm and Hall’s Croft are currently closed to general visits. See the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust’s ticket page.
The MAD Museum
The Mechanical Art and Design Museum on Henley Street is full of moving machines, kinetic art and automata. It’s usually open every day. The museum warns that it can’t take pushchairs when it’s busy (school holidays, weekends and wet days), so bring a carrier for little ones. Details on the MAD Museum’s website.
Tudor World
A walk-through museum of Tudor life on Sheep Street, open 10.30am to 5.30pm every day except Christmas Day. Its walking tour with “William Shakespeare” costs £10 for adults and £5 for children 8+. The evening ghost tour isn’t suitable for children. The museum notes that some of the subject matter may upset sensitive children. Family pets are welcome. See Tudor World’s website.
The RSC with children
The Play’s the Thing, the RSC’s exhibition, is free and open from midday to 7pm (4pm on Sunday) on Level 1 of the Swan Theatre. In the school holidays the RSC runs family workshops, storytelling and drop-in crafts, several of them free. For seeing a show, see our RSC trip guide.
Free things to do with kids in Stratford
The Rec playground and paddling pool
The Recreation Ground on Swan’s Nest Lane, by the river opposite the theatres, has the town’s biggest playground. It reopened after a £250,000 refurbishment in early 2026, with new inclusive equipment, an accessible sensory play area, a shaded picnic area and a sandpit with running water. There’s also a natural play area. The free paddling pool opens from 1 May to 30 September, 11am to 7pm, weather permitting. Public toilets are by the play area entrance; no dogs in the play area. The Golden Putter mini golf course and café are next door, and in season you can cross the river on the chain ferry.
Stratford Library
The library at 12 Henley Street runs free drop-in sessions: Rhyme Time for 0 to 2s, Story Stomp for 2 to 4s, Lego Club for ages 4 to 11 (Saturdays, 11am to noon), relaxed sensory sessions, and a Family Film Club with U-rated films. It’s open 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday and 10am to 3pm on Saturday. Check session days on Warwickshire Libraries’ Stratford page.
The river, Bancroft Gardens and walks
Watching narrowboats work through the lock at Bancroft Basin and walking along the river past the theatres costs nothing. For a longer walk or a scooter ride, see our best walks in Stratford. Older children who like puzzles can follow our 7 hidden doors trail through the town centre.
Rainy day ideas
- Butterfly Farm: the flight area is a warm, indoor glasshouse
- MAD Museum and Tudor World: both indoors and in the town centre
- The RSC: the free exhibition, and workshops in the holidays
- Swimming or soft play: at Stratford Leisure Centre (see below)
- The cinema: the Everyman in Bell Court runs Kids Cinema and Baby Club screenings
- The library: free sessions and a children’s library
Swimming and soft play
Stratford Leisure Centre on Bridgeway, by the river, is run by Everyone Active for the district council. It has two pools with family swim sessions, and a new soft play area for children up to 8 opened in 2026 in place of the Clip ‘n Climb; non-members can use it. Times and prices change through the year, so check Everyone Active’s Stratford page before you go.
Family days out within 40 minutes of Stratford
- Charlecote Park (National Trust), a few miles east: a deer park, a Victorian kitchen and seasonal family trails. See also Christmas at Charlecote.
- Compton Verney, near Kineton: an art gallery in parkland, with forest school sessions and holiday activities for children.
- British Motor Museum, Gaydon (about 20 minutes): the world’s largest collection of historic British cars, with family activities in the school holidays. Children 5 to 16 £9 booked ahead, under-5s free, and a Gift Aided ticket becomes a free annual pass.
- Warwick, about 8 miles away (about 20 minutes), for Warwick Castle and St Nicholas Park.
- Hatton Adventure World, near Warwick (about 25 minutes): farm animals, play areas and seasonal events.
- Kenilworth Castle (about 30 minutes): castle ruins and an Elizabethan garden, with family events in the holidays (English Heritage members free).
- Cotswold Farm Park, near Guiting Power (about 40 minutes): rare-breed animals, indoor and outdoor play, and seasonal events like lambing and pumpkin picking. Dog-friendly.
- The Cotswolds: see our Cotswolds day tours from Stratford.
Eating out with children
Our map of every restaurant, café and pub in Stratford lets you filter by type and find the nearest places to wherever you are. Cox’s Yard by the river runs kids-eat-free offers (check its website for the days), and Quill & Cup next door has a children’s corner. For coffee stops, see our guide to Stratford’s cafés.
School holidays in Stratford
- October half-term 2026 (26 to 30 October)
- Halloween in Stratford and Bonfire Night fireworks
- Christmas in Stratford, Christmas shows and pantos and free Christmas activities and lunches for children
- Everything else on: our events calendar and what’s on this weekend
Driving in? Our parking guide covers the cheapest car parks and the Park & Ride, and bus times shows the next buses into town.
Stratford with kids: quick answers
What is there to do for free with kids in Stratford-upon-Avon?
The Recreation Ground playground (with a free paddling pool from May to September), the library’s Lego Club, Rhyme Time and film club, the RSC’s free exhibition, and the river and Bancroft Gardens.
What can you do with kids in Stratford when it rains?
The Butterfly Farm, the MAD Museum, Tudor World, the Shakespeare houses, the RSC exhibition, swimming or soft play at the leisure centre, and the Everyman cinema are all indoors.
Do children go free to Shakespeare’s Birthplace?
Under-3s go free. Children aged 3 to 17 pay £12.50 online, and CV37 residents go free with the Residents Go Free ticket.
Is Mary Arden’s Farm open?
Not for general visits at the moment. The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust uses it for primary school workshops.
Alex Harrington
Alex Harrington grew up in Stratford-upon-Avon and runs What's up, Stratford? as an independent guide to the town.
