What are the best things to do on Dartmoor with kids?

What are the best things to do on Dartmoor with kids?

Because there’s more to Dartmoor than just a good stomp.

We love a walk. Obviously. But sometimes, especially with tired little legs or a sudden change in weather, it’s good to have a few other tricks up your sleeve. Dartmoor is full of things to do with children that don’t involve ticking off miles. Here are 14 fun, simple ideas for families who want to enjoy the moor in new ways, whether it’s your first visit or your fiftieth. So, what are the best things to do on Dartmoor with kids? We'll tell you below!

1. Go pony spotting

Dartmoor’s wild ponies are one of its most iconic sights, often appearing like ghosts across the misty moor. You’ll spot them grazing in small groups, usually calm and unbothered by people. It’s important to give them space and never feed them.

They come in a variety of sizes, from the sturdy Dartmoor Pony at around 12 hands high to larger cross-breeds that have joined the herds over the years. They graze on moorland grasses, gorse, and heather, surviving in surprisingly harsh conditions all year round. Most of the ponies are owned by local farmers and commoners who turn them out onto the moor to graze. They may look wild, but each one is registered and cared for.

Best places to spot them include Haytor, Bellever, Postbridge, and Holne Moor.

2. Collect leaves and make a mini nature display

Dartmoor has a brilliant mix of woodlands. You’ll find ancient oak woods, commercial plantations, birch copses, and mossy valleys. From the twisted boughs of Wistman’s Wood to the sun-dappled trails of Yarner and Bellever, the tree life here is rich and varied.

There are over 30 designated woodlands across Dartmoor, some wide and open, others tucked along riverbanks. Look for Oak, Rowan, Hazel, Birch, Holly, Beech, and more. Each one has a distinct shape and feel.

Want a bit of help identifying what you find? Check out our Dartmoor leaf blog here.

3. Watch the clouds roll in

Dartmoor weather has its own rhythm. Sit quietly on a tor and you can watch huge clouds sweep across the land, shifting light and colour as they pass.

On days where the clouds are more spaced out, you can ask your child what they can see in the sky; a dinosaur, a cat chasing a mouse, anything! This is a great chance to practice your imagination and play together (all accompanied by snacks or hot chocolate of course).

4. Go Letterboxing!

Have you even been to Dartmoor with your kids if you havent joined in the ultimate game of hide and seek? Letterboxing is essentially a treasure hunt all over Dartmoor and involves finding hidden boxes containing stamps and logbooks. All you need is a sense of adventure and a little patience.; You can search for letterboxes or create your own! Just make sure you get a waterproof box, a notepad and a pen and the rest is up to you!

Good places to start include Hound Tor and Bonehill Rocks.

5. Play Pooh sticks at a clapper bridge

Clapper bridges are ancient stone crossings built from flat slabs of granite. You’ll find them all over Dartmoor, often beside quiet streams and rivers. They’re perfect for a game of Pooh sticks.

The name comes from the Winnie the Pooh stories, where friends dropped sticks into the water from one side of a bridge and raced to see whose came out first. Dartmoor has its own water games too. Try skimming stones, building a tiny dam, or floating a leaf boat downstream.

Top bridges to try include Postbridge, Two Bridges, Fingle Bridge, and Lud Gate Bridge.

6. Go rock hopping and clambering

Dartmoor’s granite tors are nature’s playground. Kids love to scramble over the boulders, leap across gaps, and climb up just high enough to feel brave.

Popular spots include Hound Tor, Bonehill Rocks, Sheeps Tor, and Great Staple Tor. Each offers a slightly different type of rock and view. Hound Tor has big, blocky formations. Bonehill is gentle and low. Sheeps Tor feels rugged and remote.

Wear good footwear, bring gloves if it’s cold, and set your own limits. The rocks are great fun to climb, but always watch for drops and check footing.

7. Make a dreamcatcher or forest mobile

Crafting with nature makes the walk feel like an adventure in itself. Fallen sticks, soft moss, tiny cones, bark and lichen can all become part of a beautiful dreamcatcher or mobile.

Just bring a bit of string or twine. Bend a branch into a circle and weave your treasures through. These are lovely to hang in a child’s bedroom or leave behind on the moor for another family to find (as long as its all natural materials of course!).

8. Bring a hammock, get cosy and listen to the birds!

Bring a hammock if you have one. They roll up small and offer the perfect excuse to lie still and listen. You can pick one up for about £20.00 and they'll quickly become your walk essential!

Top tip? Download the free Merlin app and use it to identify birds by sound. Kids will love learning bird songs and matching them to the birds they spot.

9. Picnic like a pro

There’s something unbeatable about eating outside after a good stomp. Dartmoor has picnic-perfect spots everywhere. Flat rocks. Sheltered nooks. Forest clearings.

Your picnic doesn’t have to be fancy. Squashed sandwiches and a flask of hot chocolate will do just fine.

10. Stargaze or stay up late

If you can catch Dartmoor on a clear night, the stars will stop you in your tracks. It’s a designated dark sky area, with very low light pollution in most places.

Autumn through winter is best for deep sky views. You might see the Milky Way, planets, or even the Northern Lights on a rare night. Use an app like Sky Guide or Star Walk to help spot constellations.

Top stargazing spots include Combestone Tor, Haytor upper car park, and the open areas around Sourton.

11. Spot birds and wildlife

Dartmoor is full of life if you pause long enough to see it. Look out for buzzards soaring overhead, wrens and robins darting in hedges, herons at river edges, and the flash of a kingfisher if you’re lucky.

Mammals include deer, foxes, badgers, and otters. You might find their tracks in the mud or hear them rustling through the undergrowth. In rivers and brooks, look for trout or even salmon returning to spawn in the right season.

This is where that hammock comes in handy again. Stillness invites wildlife.

12. Find a tree and sit still

Stillness can be as powerful as adventure. Find a tree in a quiet woodland, sit at the base, and see what unfolds.

Bellever Forest is full of tall, echoing pines. Yarner Wood mixes deciduous and evergreen trees and hums with life in spring and autumn. Pullabrook Woods is smaller and riverside, perfect for peaceful play.

Look at bark textures. Touch moss. Count rings on fallen branches. There’s a lot to learn just by being still.

13. Skim stones on a Dartmoor river

There’s no technique quite as satisfying as getting a stone to skip three, four, or five times across the water. Flat stones work best. So do calm bends in the river where the water glides instead of rushes.

Reservoirs are perfect for this, still and vast - although you might have to hunt for perfect skimming stones along the way!

14. Tick off a woodland walk from our collection

And yes, we had to sneak in a walk at the end. But it’s a gentle one.

Our Dartmoor Partner directory includes 35 family-friendly routes, many of which are woodland-based. That means shelter, shade, slower terrain, and plenty to spot. Perfect if you’re not up for the open moor but still want an adventure.

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Ready to roam?

Save this list, print it, or take a screenshot before your next outing. Each activity adds a new layer to Dartmoor — and the more you try, the more you’ll see.

If you’re ready to explore with your family, check out our full route collection here. We’ve done the testing so you don’t have to.

35-Routes