Chiswick House and Gardens is hosting an “Autumn Treasure Hunt with Percy the Park Keeper”, beginning in October all the way to 14th November. 

I attended this event with my 13 year old sister; we spent just under an hour on the treasure hunt from start to finish. Throughout this experience, Percy, whose character was performed amazingly and entertainingly, leads you around the beautiful grounds of Chiswick House and Gardens. He takes you to collect several clues from animals, eventually leading you to deliver them to “Hedgehog” before he goes into hibernation. 

As Percy performs, he also uses the animal puppets to create a storyline and adds excitement into the whole experience with his lively puppeteering. In my opinion, this is the best part of the whole experience. He makes the audience feel entertained and welcome to take part by being involved in the hunt for clues. 

The theatrical storytelling consists of jokes and even facts about the animals on the treasure hunt. This helps the event to be not only fun, but also educational, making this an ideal experience for young children as well as adults who want to learn about nature and also explore the grounds of Chiswick Gardens. 

When the event finishes, you have the opportunity to take pictures with Percy the Park Keeper and visit the tent, which is full of activities relating to the treasure hunt. My sister said, “I found it really fun and educational learning about the habitats of animals in the wintertime. I really enjoyed seeing all the puppetry that Percy did, it was so entertaining.” 

I would really recommend this unique event to both children and adults as it is just a great mix of fun and education! 

Further details can be found on the Chiswick House and Gardens website.