Small OutingsLocal updates

Writtle with children: playgrounds, library mornings and village groups

Climbing equipment and rope bridge above a leaf-strewn play surface at Oxney Green Park in Writtle.
Writtle Parish Council

Writtle works well for a small village outing rather than a dash between Chelmsford’s bigger attractions. Start with books and songs at the library on The Green, choose outdoor play at Oxney Green or Paradise Road, or make a regular group the reason to leave the house. The Christian Centre, All Saints Church and Beryl Platt Centre offer quite different ways for children to play, sing and meet other families.

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Start small at the library

Writtle Library is on The Green, making it a useful starting point for a short outing with young children. Rhymetime combines songs and stories for ages 0–5; the published regular timetable gives Wednesday and Saturday mornings, 10.30–11am. It is free and you do not need to book, but under-12s need an adult with them.

For the very youngest families, Little Beginnings offers a different pace: parents and carers with children aged 0–2 can meet and share experiences. Look at the current calendar for its actual Monday dates. Preschool crafts are term-time Tuesdays, but the branch timetable and dated calendar disagree on the start time, so ask the library before setting off. Volunteer opening on Monday, Tuesday and Friday provides a limited service.

Choose between two different playground stops

Oxney Green Park and Paradise Road are separate parish-council playing fields, not two names for one park. Oxney Green has children’s equipment, basketball hoops, football goals, pétanque and an outdoor gym. The photograph above shows its climbing equipment and rope bridge; it does not show a current organised session.

Paradise Road adds a skateboard strip and outdoor table tennis alongside its children’s play area. The wider sports field has pitches, tennis courts and a floodlit games area. Those facilities have their own hire arrangements, so taking a ball to a play area is different from booking a court or organised class. Writtle Minors football is based here: enquire about a suitable team and a place rather than turning up to an assumed drop-in.

A regular group can anchor the week

At the Beryl Platt Centre, Writtle Green Pre-School’s public baby-and-toddler group is separate from preschool enrolment. It meets on Friday mornings during term time, 9.30–11.30am, costs £3 per family and does not need booking. This makes it a different proposition from a paid course or a one-off holiday event.

All Saints’ Edward Bear Club welcomes babies and children up to school age with their mums, dads, grandparents or carers. Term-time Monday afternoons include a short act of worship, stories, songs, crafts, drinks and toys. Messy Church is another explicitly Christian gathering for adults and children together, and the church advertises Junior Choir with music and games afterwards. Check the church’s actual calendar before planning around a date.

Role play, dance and active children

The Christian Centre’s published clubs include Little City role play, tots karate for four- and five-year-olds, youth kickboxing from eight, and traditional European dance from Reception year upwards. Little City’s current organiser booking page gives ages 0–6 and a car-wash theme on 19 November 2026, with two 75-minute sessions. It is pay-as-you-go from £8.95 for one child and an accompanying adult; extra adults need a capped £4 ticket. The other classes have their own joining arrangements. A free introductory class is not the ongoing price.

For school holidays, Kings Camps advertises Multi Active at Writtle College on Lordship Road, with an October half-term week starting 26 October 2026. Its venue page offers daily booking, 8am–6pm, at £55 a day and advertises a discount code. Check the actual package, age stream and final booking total; do not apply the older teenagers’ Rookie Academy terms to younger children.

Keep seasonal plans tied to the current calendar

For October half term 2026, Writtle Library advertises Halloween rhymetime and crafts on 31 October, with songs from 10.30–11am and crafts until 2pm. A Winnie the Pooh centenary event follows on 14 November for families with children aged three and older. Both are free drop-ins, with adult accompaniment for under-12s.

The 28 November Festive Vintage and Makers Market is a browse-and-shop outing at the Christian Centre, not a supervised children’s workshop. Entry is free with optional charity donations. The organiser directs visitors via Pump Lane off Writtle Green and warns that parking is limited. Use the current listings below for dates and visit conditions rather than assuming any seasonal event repeats next year.

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