To ask if you went to NT properties as a child...

[LisaJool]

And if you think they made a difference to you?
Went to my first NT stately home today, and judging by admission prices I can see why NT is often trotted out on MN as being very middle class. Forty minute house tour which was great (for me), but not convinced it would be enjoyable for young children.
The grounds, whilst vast, weren't much better than (free) parks and there was no play equipment, so again, not sure it's a great thing for dc to look forward to. Despite being in the middle of nowhere, a lot of the other visitors were mums with several dc, and I sort of wondered what the appeal was? Why would you pay to walk around a park when you can go to a free park that offers better facilities?
I do realize the memberships work out much cheaper, but still I'm rather perplexed about the appeal. Is being a NT member a status thing?

Ds is 8 and we’ve been taking him to NT and English Heritage places since he was a baby. He loves looking around old buildings and parks. Last one we went to was Lyme Park and we were there for hours and the thing he complained about was a wasp bothering him during lunch.

I personally love going to these places and did as a kid too when my parents took us out.

Yes, apart fro the castles we don't often go inside the actual properties tbh, maybe every 3rd visit

Yes. My parents were members so we’d go constantly as kids (you make it back after 4 goes a year. We’d go more than that). In the summer we’d go and explore them and the grounds and then have picnics. Plus the houses were always cool.

Yes, we even used to stop at NT properties on long journeys because my parents hated motorway services! It was quite nice as we got to run around the grounds which you can't do as much at most services.

I don't really remember going to any local NT properties (maybe there weren't many near us?) but we used to go on holidays and they were fun. Castles and things.

We have memberships now and going to local properties has become our default day out with the kids as they enjoy rolling down hills and climbing trees at them. There are often special events or trails for kids during the school holidays.

www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/peak-district-derbyshire/the-childrens-country-house-at-sudbury/index

So Sudbury is alive and well! You have to pre book and it's £22 for an adult and £11 for a child thought!!!

But I genuinely enjoyed going here as a kid, I loved the library and the school and pretending to be a chimney sweep and playing all the old games.

One of our locals has one of our favourite beaches too

This is really piquing my interest! We have friends who have membership but we have never got in to it!

Can some of you please name and praise your favourites (so I can see if they are nearby to us), even better if they have good children's play areas and/or reasonable priced Christmas lights (no doubt quite booked for this year but I can plan ahead for next year!)

We have quite expensive membership to a single country house type place but that's £90 for us all and it is just one place who very annoyingly recently made their play area smaller (which was the main reason the kids didn't moan about going)!

The National Trust has a vast range of properties and it’s not difficult to find one to suit your child’s interests and age.
We have been NT members for many years and support it because, (A) we love visiting the properties, and (B) we support their work protecting Britain’s heritage. No it’s not a status thing, though I am proud of being a part of it.

My kids quite like to explore National trust houses, lots of them are like museums. They always put on trails and activities in the holidays and two of the big houses near me decorate beautifully at Christmas which we love. Also you get to park free at National trust Beach car parks (plenty of those round here). I didn't really do National Trust houses as a child but remember I loved visiting Osborne House on a school trip.

My parents- well my Dad tbh - have got a thing against the NT which I don’t understand.

We are members but go more for walks in the grounds than the houses. Can take or leave the houses.

Honestly, one of the reasons why I love NT is that there aren't often many children in the houses. I often see them in the different play areas and the cafes but not so much inside.
I never realised it was a status symbol. How lovely. 🙂 What sort of status? We are members of NT, EH and HHA and spend large portions of our summer on breaks away visiting houses across England, Wales and Scotland. Every place I've visited has had something special to offer.

When I say we are members I mean I am, not the parents who hate it!

Yep, my parents had English Heritage memberships too. I have very fond memories of going to all the houses and castles! It got me and my brother really interested in history.

We used to go and my parents now take my children.
I have fond memories of these visits.
I loved the history of them and their beauty.
I used to love walking round pretending I lived there.
Good ones are also gently educational and I do believe they added a fair bit to my general knowledge and understanding of our history and culture.

My dad got my mum a life time membership when they first go together no kids. Then it was regular days out as kids and car parks at beaches and things.

I got a life time membership recently as a gift and it's worth it not scrabbling round for change for car parks. Rarely go
To properties but all the beach car parks are NT which I go to regularly including the winter to walk the dog

You don't have to park in them as there are other free car parks or lay-bys to park in but they can be tricky to get places

We go a lot with the kids. Joined when they were around 5-7 years old and have been going for a fair few years.
The reasons we go are:
The grounds are kept beautifully. Flowers and plants for every season.
The houses are incredible. A real piece of history and so well kept. Each one is unique and offers an amazing window into this countries past. It’s a living history lesson for the kids and whilst some parts are not as interesting for them, loads is. Some times they have interactive things like old telephones and typewriters which you can actually use. Old toys. Even once an old rocking horse which the kids could ride on. Houses decorated in the most amazing Christmas decorations from the past. Whole rooms of splendour and glitz. Incredible stories of people who shaped our country and royals of centuries past.
Lovely cafe with good coffee and cakes. Trails for the kids.
We also go to parks for a play area but they don’t have much interest for me.
On a snobby point- NT generally have a certain type of person visiting. It’s a nicer atmosphere all round. Think the opposite to a fun fair. It’s calm, peaceful, serene with no shouting or antisocial behaviour. No teens on their own in groups (I have a teen DC myself but don’t really like large groups when out and about to be honest)
I also visit a lot with friends (mainly in summer) when the kids are at school.
I didn’t get taken as a child, I wish I had!

Lanhydrock
Favourite beach is Godrvey

Both in Cornwall

When I was a child my parents were not members but we did visit the properties now and again. Maybe only to go inside a property once or twice a year, but very often to a large park nearby for picnics and general explore and enjoy the space. I have fond memories of those days out and genuinely enjoyed when we went round somewhere.

DH and I joined NT over 35 years ago on a visit to St. Michael's Mount. We were still engaged at the time, not due to marry for 6 months, but the lady said she would sign us up as a married couple and gave us a conspiratorial wink. We always say we joined the NT in sin!

We do use the membership a lot, maybe we are lucky to have a number of good properties in our area. When our DD came along we had family membership and she has visited many times growing up. I do think she must have enjoyed it because when she got in to her 20s she joined NT herself out of choice.

We visit Lyme Park often, that is one of my favourites.

We also make use of the free parking at Alderley Edge frequently.

When DD was small we loved the farmyard at Tatton.

Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal are lovely too.

Thinking about it we didn't go on many NT places for days out specifically but we had family living on all four corners of the UK so we used to go to places to break up long journeys and for a run round to stretch our legs

...confused by the title and clicked to find out what 'Neuro Typical' properties were!

Is it half term where you are OP?

We went as a child as a relative used to get us membership each year. Now we take our children (both under 5) as we are members. As we also get membership gifted to us by a relative I find it great - not so much the houses (although I do love going for Xmas) but most properties have great adventure playgrounds, walks and trails and stuff to do for kids and it’s effectively a ‘free’ day out once you’ve paid membership…def worth the money. Funnily enough as a kid I didn’t enjoy it that much, found it quite boring as i remember but my children love the playground. I think I was a bit older, maybe toward a teenager when my parents took me so that would explain the boredom!

No, we were poor though and not very cultural - I don't think I'd been to a museum or art gallery outside of a school trip till I went to university. It wasn't for people like us.

Now I'm older with my own child we go maybe once a year on holiday - there isn't one within easy reach and I don't really get the fuss tbh, playground are usually pretty good though.

Anyway I was one of 3 in a MC family and my mum would sooner have pulled out her own front teeth than taken us on what would essentially be (to kids) a boring day out.

We we’re v lucky though as we lived at the entrance of a nature reserve. From the ages of about 8, 9 & 10 (close gap, not much TV to watch in the 80’s 🤣) she’d boot us out to go and play and she would have a school bell she’d ring to bring us back in 😂 that was our entertainment sorted!

Tbese days I do love a good NT property but would go alone, my kids would only huff and puff and moan otherwise.

We tend to go for a few hours as a mid point break from a long drive on a U.K. holiday. We don’t bother going in the house. The kids run around in the gardens. There is often a trail of some description related to the season. There is often a decent playground and a decent cafe. And the people there tend to be nice. What’s not to like?