Adventure playground, an eco garden and a city farm all in one place.
Outdoors
Family friendly
Accessible
No dogs allowed
Opening Times
Term time:
- Preschool playground sessions (9am-12pm and 12:30-3pm)
- Afterschool playground sessions (3.45pm-6pm)
- Play support sessions (10am-12pm and 1pm-3pm)
- Toddler group (Wednesdays 1-3pm only)
Holidays:
- Holiday playground sessions (10am-12noon and 2pm-5pm)
- Additional booked childcare (8.30-10am, 12-2pm and 5-6pm)
- Toddler group (Wednesdays 2-4pm during main summer holidays only)
Weekends:
- Occasional open days and fundraisers.
- Private bookings e.g. birthday parties, meetings and community events
Pricing
Prices start from £3.00 (Adult and Child) and includes a drink
Images
More Information
We believe in the child’s right to play. Play is the child’s natural way of learning about the world, themselves and other people. Children need play opportunities that encourage exploration, adventure and enterprise. Having enough time and space for play increases children’s health and happiness. Play makes life more interesting and fun!
At New Ark children can enjoy all kinds of play, safely under adult supervision, indoors and out, all year round.
Our outdoor facilities include:
Adventure Playground
Many of the structures in our traditional adventure playground are handmade on site, using traditional building materials and discarded industrial parts. Children can explore risk in a controlled environment, supervised by professional playworkers who know when to let children work things out for themselves and when to help out. Children get heaps of exercise, fresh air, contact with the natural world and all the benefits of play!
City Farm
Here children and their families can get to know farm birds, animals and small pets. Children can sponsor and name an animal at birth and can take eggs home from the farm birds. A trained worker helps them to care for the creatures. Families are encouraged to volunteer for feeding and caring duties outside normal opening hours. New Ark is the only City Farm in the Eastern Counties.
Eco Centre
With its woodland area, sensory garden and small orchard, children can observe the life cycles of wild creatures. They also learn to appreciate the colours, shapes and scents of plants. The area contains both purpose-built and loose natural play structures, which are generally suitable for younger children.