Families invited to explore, rescue, protect on an Octonauts: Above and Beyond adventure at Wakehurst this spring

Sound the Octo-alert! This spring, Wakehurst will host a brand-new Octonauts: Above and Beyond family trail, celebrating the buzzing world of pollinators. Over the Easter holidays, budding explorers will discover the challenges facing pollinators in ecosystems around the globe, following the daring crew’s mission of explore, rescue, protect! Inspired by The Honeybee Rescue episode, visitors step into the role of pollinator guardians, discovering the cutting-edge pollination research taking place in the gardens, and learning real-life skills for protecting wildlife. The Easter adventure comes during Wakehurst’s year of connecting to nature, as the gardens have been transformed into a living laboratory through Nature Connectedness wellbeing research, investigating how different habitats and sensory experiences shape our emotional responses to the natural world. This new family trail will encourage visitors of all ages to engage with nature in new ways, inspiring a passion to protect it.  

Weaving through a blooming landscape of Kew’s wild botanic garden in Sussex, Octonauts: Above and Beyond at Wakehurst brings together wildlife conservation and family fun, forming the perfect springtime day out. Children are invited to join the Octonauts crew as their latest recruits, receiving a mission briefing from Captain Barnacles, before tackling bee-spotting puzzles, practicing waggle dances and more. Photo points along the way offer moments to capture memories of this collaborative adventure, and young explorers can take home their reward for completing the mission - a beautifully embroidered Octonauts badge, to iron on to their Nature Heroes cape (available for purchase). Accompanied by the backdrop of bold rhododendron and carpets of pastel daffodils, the multi-sensory trail promises to spark curiosity and inspire the next generation of nature guardians. 

Eva Owen, Public Engagement Manager explained: “At Wakehurst, everything we do is rooted in inspiring people to explore the natural world and feel empowered to rescue and protect it, so partnering with Octonauts: Above and Beyond is a perfect fit. The crew's mission mirrors our own commitment to curiosity, and it’s a joyful way to spark wonder while nurturing the next generation of environmental stewards. We hope to see many budding young ecologists enjoying the trail this Easter, taking home a badge as a memento of the day, but also equipped with practical skills to protect our pollinators.” 

The trail draws inspiration from pioneering pollination and wellbeing studies as part of Wakehurst’s Nature Unlocked research programme. Using the landscape as a living laboratory, scientists are investigating the benefits of different trees and plants on our pollinator population, employing innovative techniques to map out which species native pollinators prefer and why. High-tech bioacoustics monitors in trees measure the abundance of bees by listening to their buzz, whilst visitors become citizen scientists, counting the pollinators they see on trees around the gardens. Grown-ups and children alike can download the free Trees for Bees app, and complete their own pollinator counts in tandem with the Octonauts adventure, contributing valuable data directly to researchers.  

Beyond the main family trail, Wakehurst’s landscape is open for a world of exploration, whether that’s messy play in the Mud Kitchen, exploring the woodland play area, Tree Trunk Trek, or seeking out spring in full bloom across the gardens. Uniting families across the generations, a day out at Wakehurst offers even more adventure, curiosity and horticultural wonder. Kew and Wakehurst members can benefit from free entry year-round, and discounts on the trail and Nature Heroes capes.   

At Kew Gardens in London, families can also join an exciting Octonauts: Above and Beyond mission in Kew’s beautiful landscape. Perfect for children aged 3–6 and their families, the interactive trail invites young explorers to complete fun challenges, discover amazing facts, and learn how to protect our planet.