1) Watch an al fresco movie

If the weather gods are smiling, snuggle up en famille to a classic movie under the stars. Stonor Park is showing three family faves in June – including PG singalongs to The Greatest Showman and Mamma Mia! (best for slightly older kids as it’ll be a later bedtime). Time to get those lyrics down pat for Super Trouper. If you don’t catch the movie nights at Stonor, fret not. There’s more screenings on a huge open-air screen at Stowe in August, with a Grease singalong into the bargain. Ah, those summer niiiights.

2) Have fun on the farm

Pull on your wellies, make like Felicity Kendall in The Good Life and get down and dirty in the farmyard. Family-run farm Kew Little Pigs in Amersham should be your first stop – book in advance for micro-pig cuddles and a day spent playing pig farmer (more fun than it sounds, honest). For spontaneous trips, try The Bucks Goat Centre, also in Aylesbury, where you’ll meet goats (funny that), llamas, pigs, ferrets and even a silver fox.

For a killer farm/playground combo, head to Odds Farm Park near Taplow. As well as all manner of cuddly creatures, there’s a mini golf course, inside play barn, go-karts and ride-on mini tractors and Land Rovers. Based further north? Head Buckingham way for a day out at Hogshaw Farm and an intro to rare breed pigs, silver foxes and even a reindeer or three.

3) Be a happy camper

Cook over a campfire, throw an axe or try your hand at willow weaving, courtesy of the BackWoods outdoor experiences in the wild woods of Stokenchurch, north of Marlow. Many of their workshops are only suitable for teens upward (there’s a 14+ age limit on the axe-throwing *wipesbrow*), but keep an eye on the calendar as they often run family-friendly days during the holidays.

Or go the whole hog and take the family camping or glamping for the weekend. Top spots to pitch your tent are Orchard View Farm in Little Meadle, Home Farm near Radnage, Wingbury Farm Glamping nr Aylesbury and Shillingridge glamping near Marlow. Watch those guy ropes!

4) Take the plunge

There are more aqua parks, lakes and lidos than you can shake a pair of soggy bikini bottoms at round these parts, but our top pick for Bucks-based water babies goes to Willen Lake in Milton Keynes. This total gem of attraction has everything from old-fashioned pedaloes and splash pads for littlies to kayaking, canoeing, windsurfing and sailing. The pièce de résistance? A giant inflatable Aqua Parc with over 130 obstacles. Muddy also loves Wycombe Lido on The Rye in High Wycombe. It’s a total gem and heated for year-round swimming (but perfect for cooling off if and when the mercury rises too).

5) Scout filming locations

Not for nothing do we live in one of the country’s most photogenic counties. Buckinghamshire’s grand houses, dark forests and quaint villages have been used as filming locations for everything from James Bond to Miss Marple. Stoke Park near Stoke Poges had a starring role in Layer Cake and Bridget Jones’s Diary, The Duchess and The Importance of Being Earnest were both filmed at West Wycombe Park, and Amersham’s Crown Hotel crops up in Four Weddings and a Funeral.

Head to the picture-perfect village of Turville (above) in the Hambleden Valley for Chitty Chitty Bang Bang-land, or pretend you’re in Harry Potter’s Forbidden Forest by wandering deep into the woods at Black Park Country Park. Fun fact: Black Park was used in several James Bond films too, plus Bugsy Malone, Sleepy Hollow and Stardust. Who knew?

6) Be a model citizen

Did you know the world’s oldest model village is right here in Beaconsfield? Set up way back in 1929, Bekonscot is a quaint and quirky day out, with 1.5 acres of teeny tiny town to check out, as well as a miniature railway for littlies to ride on and an outdoor playground to run off those ice-cream sugar rushes.

7) Max out your NT membership

Bucks is full to the brim with NT houses, manors and gardens – 20, to be precise – so you’re well and truly spoilt for choice. Muddy-approved favourites include Waddesdon Manor, a Rothschild-owned chateau with glorious dog-friendly gardens (don’t forget to take a pit-stop at The Five Arrows), Hughenden Manor, former home of Benjamin Disraeli, Cliveden on the Bucks/Berks border (above), which is now a mega-luxe five-star hotel, and Stowe, a Georgian landscape garden on the Bucks/Northants border.

8) Mess about on the river

If you haven’t taken advantage of Longridge Activity Centre in Marlow yet then you’re missing a trick – the list of activities is as long as your arm! There’s kayaking, canoeing, dragon boats, raft-building and stand-up paddleboarding on the Thames. Land-lubbers can stay dry for climbing, Aeroball and Laser Tag. Pack the kids off in their wetsuits for 90 minutes or take the plunge yourself. The summer family kayaking courses are now ready to book.

9) Get in pole position

Formula 1 driver waving to crowd. — @silverstonecircuit

Muddy’s revving up for one of the sporting events of the summer: the Formula 1® Qatar Airways British Grand Prix 2024. So get your pink specs on and plan an adrenaline-fuelled day out just over the border at Silverstone in Northants. This year’s Grand Prix is from 4 – 7 July and we’re giving Muddy readers the chance to book ahead for a VIP package for the Sunday that’ll bag you the best seats. Food and drink is included, plus all the festival fun and entertainment to guarantee a rocking family day out.

Got a little Lewis Hamilton in your midst? Daytona Milton Keynes is the perfect circuit for mini motorheads aged six and up, as it’s one of the top-rated go-karting courses in the UK. As well as gentler practice sessions, there’s also more serious training for ages 8 to 15, with competitive championships available if they take to it. Champagne at the ready.

10) Be dazzled in the dress circle

Looking for an outing that’ll educate your little ones while you enjoy some family friendly entertainment? Look no further than the Wycombe Swan, which is showing Science Saved the World – an explosive production that has transferred from the West End and promises a deep dive into the scientists, engineers and inventors who have shaped the modern world. For younger kids this summer’s family billings also include tales of Fireman Sam and the perennially popular Peppa Pig (well the under-threes love it).

Want more of Daddy Pig’s antics? Head over to the Milton Keynes Theatre for their Peppa Pig’s Fun Day Out production (24 – 25 July) or there’s Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (2 – 7 July) and The Wizard of Oz (16 – 21 July). Over at Aylesbury’s Waterside Theatre, a theatre adaptation of the award-winning children’s book The 13 Storey Treehouse is on from 25-28 July. Check out tickets here.

Feeling super-organised and planning ahead? Book now for 101 Dalmatians The Musical at the Milton Keynes Theatre. It’s part of a UK tour and will hit Bucks from 1 – 4 October. With Corrie star Kym Marsh playing the fabulous baddie Cruella De Vil, Muddy reckons it’ll sell out fast…

11) Crack the code

Black and white photo of women sat at desks.

If keeping the whole family entertained can sometimes feel like a bit of an Enigma (sorry), head to the home of the WWII codebreakers, Bletchley Park near Milton Keynes. There are family-friendly guided tours, plenty of puzzles and games for the kids to try and solve, and even a Top Secret Mission Pack for an extra quid, which sets them missions to complete at various spots around the site.

12) Swing from the trees

Boy at the top of Go Ape at Wendover Woods.

Time to practice your best Tarzan yell. Go Ape at Wendover Woods is a dead cert to get that adrenaline pumping – and that’s just you on the ground watching! Meanwhile, your brood will be performing death-defying treetop stunts, such as an 85-metre zip wire and crossing rope bridges 14 metres up in the air. Need to calm down after all the excitement? Wendover Woods is also home to orienteering trails, Nordic walking and the chance to spot The Gruffalo. For Muddy readers based further south, there’s a second Go Ape trail at Black Park near Wexham with treetop nets galore.

13) Try out indoor sports

If the weather gods aren’t smiling, slope off to Europe’s largest indoor real snow ski slope, conveniently based on your doorstep in Milton Keynes. Snozone is the crowning jewel at Xscape, and it offers ski and snowboard sessions for all levels, plus family sledging sessions. Need to wear the kids out in a flash? Over 100 wall-to-wall trampolines at Rush Trampoline Park in High Wycombe ought to do it – and if that’s not quite enough for your Duracell bunnies, there are dodgeball courts, foam pits and more. Got little ones? There are Toddler Takeovers and Ruby & Red’s Soft Play too. Rainy day saviour, ahoy.

14) Enjoy a day at the museum

The Chiltern Open Air Museum (above) in Chalfont St. Giles has so much going on, you’ll need more than one family day out here to cover the whole gamut. As well as 30 restored historical buildings to poke around, daily workshops and plenty of interactive (and educational!) games and activities for the kids, the museum runs some excellent living history events, re-enactments and family fun days, including their much-loved knights’ joust. Charge!

Good things come in small packages, and that’s certainly the case for the Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre in Great Missenden, down the road from Dahl’s Bucks home where he wrote in his garden shed. The exhibition rooms are brimming with inspiration for Matilda-esque bookworms – especially the Story Centre, which has everything from character dressing up to making your own stop-motion movie. This summer has a distinctly BFG theme with storytelling, drama workshops and trails inspired by the friendly giant.

15) Hang out in a gallery

The MK Gallery is a great rainy day option for exhibitions or a family movie screening. The Saul Leiter photography exhibition, called An Unfinished World, runs until 2 June or you can catch a family friendly flick like the charming Butterfly Tale (until 30 May) or Scarygirl (until 2 June). Teenagers (15-plus) will love Challengers (until 30 May) starring the uber-celeb Zendaya as a former tennis prodigy-turned coach. Check out the listings here.

For an educational step back into time for a slice of Bucks life in days gone by, Muddy loves Amersham Museum, the Discover Bucks museum in Aylesbury (complete with a Roald Dahl children’s section), and the Old Gaol in Buckingham. Just over the border n Herts there’s the Natural History Museum at Tring – a treasure trove run by London’s Natural History Museum with a completely wild collection of stuffed animals from the private museum curated by Lionel Walter, 2nd Baron Rothschild.

16) Hop on board a steam train

Want to meet Thomas the Tank Engine? Then set your sights on the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre in Quainton, Aylesbury, where you can meet everyone’s favourite plucky blue engine. Even if you don’t have Thomas fans in the family, visiting the Centre between April and October is ideal if you want to take a short railway ride, watch the model trains and visit the Museum. Get on board!

17) Stretch those legs

If all else fails, pull on those trainers, breathe deep and go for a winding countryside amble through the glorious Chilterns. We have walk recommendations galore on Muddy, but some of our top Bucks picks for families include Wendover Woods, the self-guided walks at Waddesdon and a trot up Ivinghoe Beacon (challenging). For something gentler, simply stroll along the Thames from Marlow to Henley. You can’t beat a good park too (adventure playground a bonus). Check out our handy guide to some of the best bells-and-whistles green spaces near you.

Still looking for more fun things to do with the family? Take a look at our round up of the best 15 things to do in Oxfordshire.

16 brilliant family things to do in Buckinghamshire

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