We visit 'hidden gem' playbarn in ancient West Midlands market town - just 40 minutes from Birmingham
We explored a 'hidden gem' playbarn just 40 minutes from Birmingham, ideal for family adventures with its clean facilities, exciting activities, and great food.
If you’ve ever found yourself eyeing the soft play section with a mix of dread and desperation, let me introduce you to a game-changer: Hockerhill Adventure Playbarn.
We took a little trip with the kids - Alice (7), Ada (4), and Tommy (1) - and it honestly blows us away each time we visit. Watch the video to see inside.
First of all, this place is clean. Like, noticeably cleaner than the usual sticky tables and stale chip-smelling soft play spots.
Everything felt fresh and well-kept, inside and out. And there’s so much more to it than a padded jungle gym.
Think zip wires, epic sandpits, wooden climbing structures, and a dedicated baby area that’s actually thoughtful and calm - not just a token ball pit in the corner.
Alice was off like a rocket - she spent half the day zip-lining like she was training for Ninja Warrior. Ada was in her element digging and climbing, and little Tommy had plenty of safe space to crawl, wobble, and discover things without me having a heart attack every two minutes.
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Oh - and don’t miss the go-karts! They’ve got both indoor and outdoor tracks, so the fun keeps rolling rain or shine. Alice and Ada were racing like pros, total hit with the kids and surprisingly fun for us grown-ups too!
It’s rare to find a place that genuinely works for all ages, but Hockerhill pulls it off.
There’s indoor fun too (so rain won't ruin the day), but what I loved most was the sense of adventure. It’s all set within the beautiful Chillington Hall Estate, so it feels like you’re out somewhere special - not just boxed into an industrial estate unit.
Now, let’s talk food. Because usually, you brace yourself for beige freezer food at places like this. But not here. The café is unreal—proper coffee, fresh lunches, actual flavour, and decent options for kids that aren’t just chips and nuggets. I’d go back just for the food, to be honest.
And the cherry on top? It’s only about 40 minutes from Birmingham, super easy to get to, and genuinely worth the trip. There’s also something magical coming up—‘Princess Day’ on 1st June, where Rapunzel herself is popping in for meet-and-greets.
Final verdict? Hockerhill is that rare combo of clean, exciting, outdoorsy and baby-friendly, with food that doesn’t make you sad.
We’ll be back—probably sooner than I planned.