Summer days out don’t have to be busy, expensive or planned to the last detail. Sometimes the best days are the simplest ones, where all you really need is fresh air, space to move about, and time to spend with friends and family.
Our forests are great places for relaxed summer days, and also excellent shady spots for beating the heat. There’s no need to book lots of activities or spend a lot of money. In fact, you can easily enjoy a full day in the forest for the cost of parking – or free if you’re a Forestry England member. Follow our plan for an easy summer's day in the forest.
Start the day gently
Pick a forest to visit and arrive when it suits your family. If you’ve chosen one of our bigger forest centre sites, head to the visitor centre or information point to get your bearings. Speak to one of our friendly staff members whilst you're there to discover top tips and hidden gems.
Begin with a short walk along a surfaced trail and let children take the lead where they can. They might stop to look at interesting leaves, collect some sticks or listen for birds. Seeing what you can discover matters more than how far you go.
And there’s no need to rush. Forest days work best when you move at your own pace.
Let the forest do the entertaining
You don’t need organised games or bags of equipment to keep children busy in the forest. Nature provides the entertainment with logs to balance on, hidden paths to explore and clearings to roll around in.
Children often find their own ways to explore and play imaginatively, whether they’re building secret dens, chasing each other through the trees or collecting interesting things from the forest floor.
These kinds of unplanned moments are what many families remember most about forest visits – and they don’t cost anything.
Be a responsible forest visitor
Help keep the nation's forests safe and enjoyable for everyone by taking any litter home with you and never lighting any fires.
Build the day around simple pleasures
A day out in the forest doesn’t need a packed schedule, but a few planned pit-stops can help the day run more smoothly.
A picnic is often the highlight of a summer’s day, for hungry children and adults alike. Packing favourite food and drinks from home keeps costs down and gives everyone a chance to rest and refuel. Most of our forests have benches dotted around, or open spaces that are perfect for picnic blankets.
Between stops around the forest, nature spotting and quiet moments help fill the day without it feeling busy. Listening and watching for wildlife or simply lying back and looking up at the trees can be just as fun as more active play. Bringing a ball or a pack of cards is another easy way to extend play time whilst having a rest.
Stay comfortable as the day goes on
Feeling comfortable in hot summer weather is key to a successful day out.
Shade from trees helps keep things cool, even on warmer days. Choosing woodland trails over more open routes can make walking more enjoyable when the sun’s at its hottest.
Bringing water, sun protection, layers and a small first-aid kit means you’ll be prepared for anything.
It’s also fine to pause often or to head home earlier than planned. A good forest day out isn’t about staying for as long as possible - it’s about enjoying the time you have.
A family day out that doesn’t cost the earth
You don’t have to travel far or plan a big day out to enjoy time in nature this summer. With forests right across the country, there’s likely a Forestry England site closer to home than you think.
Whether you’re looking for somewhere familiar or keen to try somewhere new, our forest map makes it easy to find a local forest and start planning a simple, low‑cost summer adventure.
