About Spring Family Days

Thursday 10, Saturday 12 and Tuesday 15 April 2025

10.30am - 4pm

Leap into spring with a fun-filled Family Day at Watts Gallery during the Easter school holidays! As the Flower Fairies exhibition draws to a close, celebrate Cicely Mary Barker's imaginative world and creative practice.

Best for under 12s but everyone is welcome.

Family Day Programme

• Spring crowns – Foyle Studio
Create a crown to wear with pride, inspired by flowers, colours, and sunshine of Spring!

• Imaginative illustrations – Clore Learning Studio
Cicely Mary Barker was a talented illustrator, particularly of people, plants and flowers. Drop in to learn some tips and techniques for creating your own imaginative illustration.

• Flower seed paper – Tent
Using recycled scrap paper and seeds donated by Squire's Garden Centre, get messy and mushy to create your own seed paper to later draw or write on, and then plant to grow your own flowers!

• Storytelling - Historic Galleries
Gather together in the Gallery to listen into Cicely Mary Barker’s fairy stories and rhymes.

Included in your visit

Two children jump from wooden stepping stones in woodland

Explore the Verey Playwood

Situated to the right of the Visitor Centre as you enter through our main gates, head up the path and have an adventure. Dress for the weather and discover the beautiful woodlands and enjoy swings, stepping stones and making camps in the Verey Playwood.

Get inspired in our galleries

Don't miss the chance to visit two exhibitions, Flower Fairies™: The Magical World of Cicely Mary Barker in our Historic Galleries.

The inside of the chapel with intricate and colourful panels

Visit the Watts Chapel

Discover the unique Grade I-listed terracotta building that is the work of artist and designer Mary Watts. Over 70 people from the local community helped her create it between 1895 and 1904. It opened in 1898 and remains a working chapel to this day.

Visit Limnerslease: Artists' Home

Limnerslease is the historic home and studios of our founders, George and Mary Watts. When visiting you can see the recreation of George’s studio. He painted many of his artworks here. You will also discover more about Mary, as an artist, designer and writer.

Two children eating cake on a picnic table

Treat yourself

Try our famous Welsh rarebit, or choose from homemade soups, sandwiches and salads. We also offer a selection of cakes and cream teas with freshly baked scones and a wide drinks selection. Check out our daily specials on the chalkboard. Stop by for table service and takeaways, with the option of outdoor seating, surrounded by our gardens.

Facilities for families

Prams and buggies

Prams and buggies can be taken into the galleries at Watts Gallery or left in the loggia. There is space to store pushchairs in the Foyle Lobby at Watts Studios. Watts Chapel is located at the top of a steep hill and accessed by a cobbled path, which can be a barrier for prams and buggies. There is currently no lift access to Watts Contemporary Gallery. The Tea Shop and Visitor Centre are fully accessible.

Baby changing and feeding

Accessible toilets are located at Watts Gallery, the Tea Shop and Limnerslease: Artists' Home. Baby change facilities are located in the toilet block outside the Tea Shop and at Limnerslease. If you find yourself caught out during your visit to us, please ask at the Visitor Centre for our ‘Caught Out’ box and we will be able to provide you with nappies, wet wipes, breast pads and cotton wool as well as a couple of other helpful bits.

Child-friendly eating

Our Tea Shop offers a children’s menu from 10.30am to 3.30pm, both to enjoy in the Tea Shop and as take away. Across our site there are also a number of places where your family can picnic.

Make the most of your family visit

Explore more with interactive touch points, book baskets and trails and resources, pick them up for free. You can also check out our family facilities.

Visiting as a family