King Charles’ Sandringham Estate home in Norfolk has announced a family-friendly area of the grounds will be temporarily closed on Monday, just weeks after a previous closure. Located outside on the 20,000-acre country estate, the Children’s Play Area is free to access and open to the public. However, the outdoor playground is shutting down ahead of the Easter school holidays, with the King’s estate asking for “understanding”.
“Please note that the Children’s Play Area will be closed on Monday 9th March for seasonal maintenance ahead of the House and Gardens opening. Thank you for your understanding,” an information notice on the Sandringham Estate website reads.
According to the site, the House and Gardens, where visitors can access the 60-acre garden and eight ground floor rooms in Sandringham house, which is frequently visited by the royal family, will open back up to the public on 28 March.
Charles’ family-friendly playground
The popular outdoors playground is typically open all year round and the perfect spot for families to visit with young kids. Little ones can have fun in a tower built amongst the trees, as well as playing on a log swing and climbing frames.
According to Sandringham Estate, the area “features structures inspired by landmarks on and around the Estate”. The play park draws inspiration from the Appleton water tower, which was a Victorian building installed in 1877 to improve the water quality at the nearby Sandringham House. “Enjoy water play in the 26ft tower inspired by the water tower at Appleton, with high level walkways, sand play, zip wires, swings and slides all nestled in nature,” the estate posted on social media in May 2023.
One visitor wrote that the play park is an “epic adventure playground” and “will keep the kids entertained for hours while you sip on luxurious hot chocolate or coffee from the cafe on the grounds” in a social media review post re-shared by the estate.
In addition to a play park, the Sandringham Estate boasts an 18-hole mini golf course in The Royal Parkland, a maze in the gardens, a restaurant, and a tearoom for visitors looking to unwind and enjoy afternoon tea refreshments.
Previous closure
The estate was forced to close the playground in January 2026 due to the extreme weather warnings amid Storm Chandra, which resulted in flooding and heavy winds across the UK.
“Notice: Due to high winds, we have made the decision to close the Children’s Play Area for the safety of our visitors. We advise you to take extra care when exploring the Estate grounds today,” a statement shared to the Sandringham Estate Instagram account read.