Harewood House named one of the best parks for children in the UK
Autumn is in full swing and nothing quite beats getting wrapped up and heading out for some crisp Yorkshire air.
Whether it's going to feed the ducks, conker picking, a trip to the playground, or meeting up with a friend for a run, there's no better place than a park. It's the perfect day out for the full family.
There are plenty of parks to choose from in Yorkshire, but some are better than others and according to a recent survey Leeds is home to one of the best. New research by Kids Planet Day Nurseries has named Harewood House as one of the 10 best parks in the UK for outdoor play according to online reviews and Instagram tags.
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The leading providers of early years education, delved into the best reviewed and most Instagramed parks to give parents some direction on where to take children for outdoor play. Harewood House which boasts over 100 acres of parkland and a popular adventure playground, is open seven days a week came in fourth place. The site has over 46,700 tags on Instagram and a 4/5 rating on Trip Advisor.
Some online reviews describe Harewood House as having "The best adventure playground there is" and "What a brilliant day out".
In first place is Windsor Great Park in Windsor with a large outdoor play area, woodland and gardens for the family to enjoy. It has over 1,600 reviews on Trip Advisor with a 4.5 rating and over 73,400 tags on Instagram.
The top 10 list comes following Kids Planet’s Outdoor Learning Report which found that 64% of parents said playing outdoors improves the mental wellbeing of their children. Results also showed that parents believe outdoor play is vital for enhancing young children’s physical health and ability (72%), developing a love for nature (70%) and improving social skills (51%) and animal knowledge (46%).
In second place is Ferry Meadows in Peterborough with a 4.5 Trip Advisor rating and 24,400 tags on Instagram. Ferry Meadows has plenty of woodland, gardens and an outdoor play area for children.
Third spot is Mote Park in Maidstone with a 4.5 Trip Advisor rating and 22,200 tags on Instagram, followed by Harewood House in Leeds with a four-star rating on Trip Advisor and 46,700 tags on Instagram. Fifth is Raby Castle Park and Gardens in county Durham with the only five-star Trip Advisor rating on the list, and sixth is Cragside House and Gardens in Northumberland.
Bedgebury Pinetum and Forest in East Sussex is in seventh place with a four-star trip Advisor rating and over 24,475 Instagram tags, and Pittville Park in Cheltenham is in eighth with a 4.5 Trip Advisor rating and over 14,100 tags on Instagram.
Of the parents polled, 41 per cent said spending time learning outdoors has created a closer family connection for them. Engaging in outdoor activities as a family not only means spending more quality time together, but also creates lasting memories and encourages a shared appreciation for the natural environment.
Rhiannon Mountain, head of outdoor learning at Kids Planet commented: “Time in nature during daylight hours develops a healthy immune system and increases concentration. It is a natural source of mood boosters too, creating a more meaningful play time in contrast to technology use. Our top 10 parks list will be fantastic guidance for parents during the autumn winter seasons for some guidance on where to let the little ones run around even when it’s muddy and wet.
“At Kids Planet, we value outdoor learning at all of our nurseries across the country and believe it’s integral for early years development. No matter the weather, the right clothing will ensure children can benefit from the positive effects of outdoor play all year round.”
