Families looking to make the most of the last few weeks of summer should head to London Wetland Centre, where an extraordinary day out filled with new experiences and unique activities in nature awaits.

Ensuring that everyone gets up close and personal with the incredible wildlife that call the wetlands their home, there’s a summer postcard adventure trail, talks and walks to learn more about wildlife, interactive play with nature playgrounds, pond dipping, and much more.

The postcard trail – new for Summer 2024 – encourages explorers, young and old, to search for personal messages from nine animals whose postcards can be found in corners of the wetlands.

Using the London Wetland Centre trail map, picked up from the visitor centre, families embark on a quest to find the postcards and learn about interesting species around the globe.

With plenty of time left to enjoy a summer of wonder in wetland nature, mini explorers can also enjoy the following activities happening at London Wetland Centre in August:

Interactive storytelling sessions with Olivia Armstrong every Monday, exploring and celebrating the lives and habitats of the amazing plants and animals that call wetlands home
Free creative family workshops every Wednesday – from creating your own picture book to writing poetry
Daily pond dipping and otter talks
Mud Kitchen – a free-play activity that provides a healthy dollop of mud, pots and pans, and all the utensils children need to cook up a muddy cuisine classic
Wild Walk – a maze of balance beams and robe bridges through the reedbed
An adventure playground and water features for children to bounce, slide, splash and swing into action

What’s more, staying on the reserve at dusk this August offers an opportunity to see up close the nocturnal animals that use the wetlands under the cover of darkness.

Alongside a WWT warden, families will be in a privileged position to see bats as they fly in at night to feed over the wetland centre’s lakes and ponds during a Junior Bat Walk on 29 August. Tickets can be purchased at www.wwt.org.uk/wetland-centres/london.

Alexia Hollinshead, General Manager at WWT London, said: “We have a great itinerary this August. There’s a ton of opportunity for those on a Summer Staycation to have a wondrous day out.

“From unmissable meetings with otherworldly creatures and fabulous walks along the stunning wetlands, to a postcard trail which all the family will enjoy and hunting out bugs with the WWT kit. It’s an experience like no other in the area.”

The summer of wonder activities at WWT London continue until 1 September with activity costs included in the admission price or free to WWT members, unless marked otherwise.

Those in receipt of Universal Credit, Working Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, Employment and Support Allowance Income Support, Jobseeker’s Allowance or Pension Credit can pre-book tickets online at wwt.org.uk/wetland-centres/london, at the reduced price of £5 per adult or £3 per child.