In the first two years of compulsory education (Key Stage 1/5-7 years), pupils begin to explore their local environment. If the school is lucky enough to have a museum nearby, it will be an important starting point in their development. Further afield, there are activity-based museums such as the Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre in Great Missenden, the Science Museum and the Wellcome Foundation museums in London, or the various museums of childhood in Derbyshire, Edinburgh and the Victoria and Albert in Bethnal Green; all of which are popular venues for Key Stage 1 students.
Many providers cater for both day and short-term residential adventure activities, and both the National Trust and Forestry Commission run activities specifically tailored for the KS1 age-group.
Children are often interested in the theatre and music, and usually begin with trips to pantomimes and musicals in Key Stage 1. You can find guidance on ‘kids’ theatre in London here, and over in East Anglia there is the Norwich Puppet Theatre with Bristol Old Vic in the West Country; there’s bound to be a good venue near you!
Lytes Cary Manor is an intimate medieval manor house with a beautiful Arts and Crafts garden where you can imagine living.
Originally the family home of Henry Lyte, where he translated the unique Niewe Herbal book on herbal remedies, Lytes Cary was then lovingly restored in the 20th century by Sir Walter Jenner.
The Iford valley has been occupied since Roman times and the manor house sits idyllically by the Frome river in the steep-sided valley. Iford Manor is mediaeval in origin, the classical facade being added in the eighteenth century when the hanging woodlands above the garden were planted.
West Wycombe Park is one of the most theatrical and Italianate of all English country houses and the Dashwood family home for over 300 years. Set in 45 acres of landscaped park, the house as we see it today is the creation of the 2nd Baronet in the 18th century.
Originally laid out between 1696 and 1705, this is the only restored Dutch style water garden in the country.
Visitors can explore canals, clipped hedges and working 17th-century vegetable plots and discover many old varieties of fruit trees.
This is the perfect place for a breezy walk along, or up and down, the hills of north Norfolk.
Enjoy the sun on the heaths or shelter from the wind in the woods.
In a stroll of a couple of miles you can see eight species of trees and depending on the season, a variety of flowers, birds, bees and butterflies.
A delightful series of walled gardens surrounds the charming 18th-century house.
The garden has many original features including a grand water staircase, created by Marylyn Abbott, providing the focal point to the Nymphaeum fountain designed by Quinlan Terry.
Wenlock Edge is a narrow limestone escarpment that runs for 15 miles from Craven Arms to Ironbridge, the National Trust owns 8 miles of this stretch. There is a mix of rich flowering grasslands and ancient woodland along with internationally important sites for geology, making the area an important Special Site of Scientific Interest (SSSI).
Wembury in South Devon is a wildlife magnet. Its rocky cliffs are home to nesting sea birds, while a rocky shore, slate reefs and massive wave-cut platforms provide one of the UK's best spots for marine life.
The Wellington Monument stands as a tribute to the Duke of Wellington and his victory at the Battle of Waterloo.
Take a stroll around the 2,000 acres of Watersmeet and Countisbury, a haven for wildlife and breathtaking views.
On Exmoor, Watersmeet is the meeting place of the East Lyn river and Hoar Oak Water.
Explore the rich woodlands of the Lyn Valley and stroll along the riverside at Lynmouth, Combe Park and Rockford.
At the heart of historic Washington village this picturesque stone manor house and its gardens provide a tranquil oasis, reflecting gentry life following the turbulence of the English Civil War.
The building incorporates parts of the original medieval home of George Washington's direct ancestors, and it is from here that the family took their surname of 'Washington'.
Wasdale is a remote farming hamlet surrounded by spectacular fells and dramatic wilderness. The fells have been an inspiration for mountaineers, climbers and poets for decades and remain a magnificent setting for an adventure to suit everyone.
Gifted to you by Sir Charles Philips Trevelyan, Socialist MP and ‘illogical Englishman’, our 13,000-acre estate has something for everyone.
Waddesdon Manor has so much to offer young people: beautiful, safe grounds and space to explore, living history, opportunities for learning and fun both outdoors and in. Highlights include the Woodland Playground, Explorer Trails around the gardens, the Children's shop, and the Aviary.
Along the Upper Wharfe Valley the characteristic dry-stone walls and barns of the Dales, important flower-rich hay meadows, beautiful riverside and valleyside woodland combine to create a wonderful place to relax and explore the great outdoors.
Perched on its vantage point high on the South Downs ridge, Uppark commands views as far south as the English Channel. Outside, the intimate gardens are being gradually restored to their original 18th-century design, with plenty of space in the adjacent meadow to play and relax with a picnic. The nearby woodland is great for exploring and den-building.
Spectacular Victorian Gothic Revival house with gardens and parkland. A fine Victorian country house created by one of England's richest commoners, William Gibbs, who built his fortune on fertiliser.
An intimate Elizabethan manor and a Cornish gem, Trerice remains little changed by the advances in building fashions over the centuries, thanks to long periods under absentee owners.
Today the renowned stillness and tranquillity of Trerice is much prized by visitors.
Explore Trengwainton’s 25 acres and discover special plants nurtured for generations by those with a passion for their beauty and extraordinary story.
Spring comes early here with champion magnolias flowering from February onwards. Peer skywards to see their huge waxy blooms outlined against the sky, or look down to spot snowdrops lining the winding wooded paths.
Only a few metres from York Minster, this was the first house ever given to the National Trust complete with a collection - and it is not all that it first seems.
It has a history spanning 2,000 years, from the Roman road in the cellar to the Edwardian servants' quarters in the attics, and thirteen period rooms in between.
Symonds Yat is famous for its natural river scenery.
Join the river wending its way through Symonds Yat gorge and village, dividing it into East and West for a 40 minute boat trip with informed history and nature commentary.
Enjoy a great morning out walking exploring Somerset Wildlife Trust's reserves close to Mendip’s iconic Cheddar Gorge. These wildlife havens are also great places to see how the landscape has been shaped by the areas industrial history.
Not our words but those of William Wordsworth - we are rather inclined to agree with him.
Take a walk on the wild side at Allen Banks and Staward Gorge, one of the largest areas of ancient woodland in Northumberland.
This extensive area of gorge and river scenery, including the 41-hectare (101-acre) Stawardpeel Site of Special Scientific Interest, has miles of waymarked walks through ornamental and ancient woods.
Be at the heart of the action and explore your industrial past along the scenic walk taking in the ten award-winning Ironbridge Gorge Museums spread along the valley beside the wild River Severn.
See the products that set industry on its path and the machines that made them. Watch and talk to the Museums’ craftsmen and costumed demonstrators.
The Bushcraft Company offer residential school trips with a difference, taking students into the wild and giving them real back-to-nature experiences they will never forget.
A 15-year-old boy fell 60ft over the edge of a cliff whilst on a geography school trip, miraculously only suffering minor injuries.