Now that summer has finally arrived and we’re enjoying the sunshine here’s my guide to the best family friendly pubs with play areas. All of the pubs featured in this guide with images next to them I have visited personally and the others have been recommended.
The Boot At Sarratt
The Boot at Sarratt is amazing, it ticks so many boxes! It has a huge beer garden, 3 (yes 3!) playgrounds and a bouncy castle. Plus to top it off the food here is really good (although not cheap)! Definitely worth travelling to!
Crocus at Dorney Court, Dorney
Ok so this one’s a café not a pub but you can enjoy lunch (or breakfast), have a drink and let your little one have a play so ??
It’s hidden away a bit. You need to go through the café to their outdoor seating area and the playground is on your right. It has a huge Wendy house which Ashley loved and an adventure play frame. It’s aimed at 5‑12 year olds but there was plenty that Ashley (who’s nearly 3) could do.
The food is great here too and reasonably priced. Click here to view the menu.
The Palmer Arms, Dorney
This is a fab pub in Dorney with an amazing playground which was new last summer. They have a big outdoor area with both a heated covered area and uncovered section. As well as the amazing play frame they also have a chicken coop in the play area!
There’s loads of choice on the food menus and they have a separate lighter lunch menu for adults. We ate there for lunch and both enjoyed our meals ??
The Pheasant, Chesham
This riverside pub garden has an incredible playground ‑ so good in fact that Ashley stayed playing in it for 3 hours! They’ve got all ages covered with their Little Tikes play frames, toddler slide and huge big kids frame. Plus a massive trampoline ??. They don’t serve food here but you can bring your own. The Rocket Oven who were serving food here on Friday/Saturday last year have sadly announced they won’t be returning in 2022.
The Full Moon, Little Kingshill
We visited The Full Moon in Little Kingshill and had an amazing roast! They have a great outdoors area with a kids playground and chickens ?
The play frame I’d say is suitable for around 3+ but they’ve got a small baby slide and a play house for younger kids. The play house actually seemed to be the biggest hit with all the kids there, no matter what their age!
They have a huge marquee set up in the middle of the garden which is heated. This is obviously great if the weather turns but it does mean that it blocks the view of the playground from a lot of seats so you do need to go over and supervise your children. Especially as there are big gaps leading directly out onto the road from the playground.
The pub is located nearby the alpaca farm, which has a public footpath right through the middle. You can find more details on where the alpacas are by reading the blog post ‘Coffee, Cake and Alpacas’.
The Ivy House, Chalfont St Giles
In comparison to some of the other playgrounds we’ve seen this one is small, it’s just a small climbing frame with a slide, a swing hanging from a tree and a hop scotch. However the food here is great and I love the beer garden with its brightly coloured benches.
A big plus for me is that wherever you sit in the beer garden you can easily see the playground so you can sit and enjoy your drink whilst your little one plays.
They also have a separate undercover seating area which is heated and perfect for colder days (you can’t see the play area from here).
The Squirrel Pub, Penn
Family friendly pub with a beer garden and children’s playground with a play frame and slide, loads of obstacles to climb around and for bigger kids a climbing wall and hanging bars. They also have a great kids menu which allows you to mix and match their meal from loads of different options. They also have a bouncy castle, just check if it’s open before you go.
The Mayflower, Hazlemere
Recently refurbished and under new management The Mayflower has a brilliant new menu and they do a really good roast! They also have a good sized beer garden with a kids play area. The play area is a large enclosed area although not loads in it. There’s a play frame with a large wavy slide and a bridge across to another platform. There are a couple of picnic benches in the play area itself.
The Polecat Inn, Prestwood
They have a great outside space, some of which is covered under a tent. They also have some fab new outdoor pods but these are classed as indoor space. The food here is good and they have a brilliant kids menu, including pizza shaped like a bunny ?. There is a small kids playground but it’s more suited for older children as there are no slides or swings, just obstacles to climb across.
The Gate, Great Missenden
This pub on Bryants Bottom Road has not one but two great playgrounds and loads of outside seating. The smaller playground even has a cute little toddler/baby play frame. The bigger playground has several tree house type climbing frames with slides, including a large twisty slide. There are also lots of picnic benches within the larger playground area. Please be aware that the tree slide had a rung missing from the ladder so isn’t particularly safe and the matting under the swings in the smaller area is also ripped and a bit of a trip hazard. With the right supervision it’s all still great fun though and my little girl absolutely loved it!
The food is classic pub grub, plus a pizza menu. On the kids menu you’ll find sausage and mash, beef burger, fish and chips, pasta with tomato sauce and cheese.
Grays Inn, Wooburn Green
This is a great pub with a small enclosed play area in the beer garden and excellent food! Home Roots have recently taken over their kitchen and I can’t recommend their food highly enough. Prior to launching at Grays Inn they used to deliver delicious home cooked meals around South Bucks which we enjoyed on many occasions. They also make the best sausage rolls I’ve ever tasted! The play area has a play frame with a slide and swing. They’ve also created a little mud kitchen area underneath it which my little girl really enjoyed.
The Bounty, Bourne End
I’ll be honest the food is pretty average here but the location is amazing. You can only reach it by foot (or bike) and it’s located along right on the bank of the Thames in Bourne End. They have a children’s play area and it’s not far from a little beach area on the Thames as well. The play frame is fairly old and better for slightly older kids as my toddler struggled getting onto it.
The Harrow Pub, High Wycombe
Great little pub with a beer garden and enclosed children’s playground. Perfect for sitting down and enjoying a drink whilst watching your kids play! Serving pub classics and a kids menu with plenty of choice. The pub is split into two rooms and you can get lucky and end up with the smaller room to yourself, which is perfect is there’s a big group of you with lots of kids running around.
The Oak, Aston Clinton
Family friendly pub with beer garden, playground and children’s menu.
The Bear on the Barge, Uxbridge
Canal side pub with a huge beer garden and children’s playground in Uxbridge. The menu looks great with lots of Greek souvlaki and gyros options to choose from, pizzas, wings and burgers.
The Black Horse, Fulmer
They have a beer garden with a children’s play area and the menu sounds great! They also have a kids menu ?? Whilst you’re there check out their new farm shop. They also have igloos available to book in the garden, but they are pricey at £60 (which isn’t redeemable against your bill). Nice option for a special occasion though.
The Squirrel Pub, High Wycombe
Here’s another Squirrel Pub for you, this time in High Wycombe, they have a beer garden (which is lovely at sunset!) and a small children’s play area with swings, a slide and football net.
The Old Fisherman, Shabbington
Picturesque beer garden right next to the river in Shabbington. They have a great pick n mix kids menu catering for different age groups, including baby food and a children’s play area.
Harte & Magpies, Coleshill
Lovely country pub with a large beer garden and enclosed children’s play area with play frame and slide.
Pubs with Play Areas Nearby
Whilst these ones aren’t pubs with play areas they do have great village playgrounds nearby, so would be easy to combine with a trip to the playground, before, after or even whilst you’re waiting for your meals.
Jolly Cricketers, Seer Green
They have an outdoor dining area and do seriously good food! Whilst there’s no play area at the pub itself they do have a lovely village playground just a 5 minute walk away.
The Red Lion, Little Missenden
Beautiful beer garden on the banks of the River Misbourne in Little Missenden. Whilst they don’t have their own playground there is a great village playground just across the road. You can also combine a trip here with a walk along the South Bucks Way.
The Plough, Hyde Heath
The food here is amazing and there are loads of outdoor benches on the common opposite the pub with a great kids playground. The playground isn’t linked to the pub and it’s not enclosed so you’d have to go with them to supervise but it’s a great playground.
The Swan Pub, Beaconsfield
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If you know of any other pubs with play areas that you think should be added to the list then please leave them in the comments.
