Shaun the Sheep Is Bringing an AR Adventure to Wakehurst This February Half-Term
A family-friendly AR trail with Shaun the Sheep is coming to Wakehurst
If your half-term plans usually involve Googling “things to do with kids near me” by day two, Wakehurst has just made things a lot easier. From 14 February to 1 March, Shaun the Sheep and his mischievous flock are taking over Kew’s wild botanic garden in Sussex with a brand-new augmented reality trail designed to get families exploring the outdoors.
The Fun with the Flock AR Trail blends digital play with real-world adventure, sending families on a self-guided journey through Wakehurst’s woodlands. Armed with a free app, kids will help Bitzer the dog complete his daily checklist, unlocking interactive AR scenes and meeting familiar Shaun the Sheep characters along the way, including pizza-loving Shirley and teddy-bear-obsessed Timmy.
Unlike trails that keep children glued to a screen, this one actively encourages them to look up, explore and engage with the landscape. There are physical “hide and sheep” challenges at each stop, plus plenty of opportunities to wander through some of Wakehurst’s most impressive scenery. The route starts outside the Millennium Seed Bank, the largest wild seed store in the world, before weaving through sweeping birch woodland, rare and endangered tree species in Bethlehem Wood, and a striking forest of towering Wollemi pines.
The paths are fully accessible, making it easy to navigate with buggies, wheelchairs or mobility scooters, and dogs are welcome too as long as they are kept on a short lead.
One of the nicest touches is that the sheep are not just digital. Families may also spot Wakehurst’s Hebridean sheep grazing near the trail, quietly doing their bit for conservation by managing the land and treading seeds into the soil over winter. It is a gentle, hands-on way to introduce children to nature and ecosystems without feeling like a lesson.
Once the trail is complete, young explorers can earn a Fun with the Flock Nature Heroes badge, a collectable souvenir for fans of Wakehurst’s popular Nature Heroes series.
And the trail is only part of the day out. Families can also:
- Get stuck into messy play at the Mud Kitchen
- Wander through the colourful, sensory Winter Garden
- Let kids burn off energy on the Tree Trunk Trek log trail
- Enjoy panoramic viewpoints across Wakehurst’s 535-acre landscape
The experience also marks the start of a new creative partnership between Wakehurst and Aardman, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. It is a collaboration that feels genuinely well suited, combining playful storytelling with a love of the natural world.
If you are after a half-term activity that feels fun, outdoorsy and a little bit different, this one ticks a lot of boxes. Fresh air, familiar characters, space to roam and plenty to keep kids entertained well beyond an hour.
Shaun the Sheep: Fun with the Flock AR Trail
📍 Wakehurst, Sussex
📅 Saturday 14 February to Sunday 1 March 2026
⏰ 10am to 4.30pm daily (last entry 3.30pm)
Nature Heroes badge
£5 for Wakehurst and Kew members
£7 for non-members
Wakehurst entry
Adults: £18.50
Young people (17–25): £9.25
Children under 16: free
Free entry for Wakehurst and Kew members
Elena Leo is the Culture & Lifestyle Editor of Ikon London Magazine.
