Here are the best accessible days out for children in Sussex

At the parkSussex is full of beautiful parks, but our favourite is Hotham Park in Bognor. The playground has accessible equipment such as a wheelchair swing, the miniature railway has a wheelchair-accessible carriage and the paths are all flat and smooth, perfect for a lovely stroll looking at the stunning carved Alice in Wonderland figures. Cycall at Brooklands Park in Worthing has a wide range of accessible equipment to ensure everyone can enjoy the fun of cycling.Brooklands Park in Lancing has a new playground with a wheelchair swing and a Changing Places bathroom. They also do seasonal adapted bike hire for different abilities.

On the waterWetwheels has boats all over the country, specially adapted to ensure wheelchair-users and people with limited mobility can enjoy the exhilarating experience of powerboating. We have taken Chestnut Tree House children on Wetwheels trips in Eastbourne and Portsmouth, we’ve seen seals and porpoises and many of the children and young people have even driven the boat! You can book individually places or reserve the entire boat for your group. Based at Bracklesham Bay, Scooter the Surf Therapy Dog has a specially adapted surfboard and beach wheelchair. He runs his own surf therapy sessions called Fluro Fridays and Super Salty Saturdays with local charity One Wave Bracklesham Bay.

At the beachBrighton has accessible wheelchairs and other equipment that supports those with limited mobility to access the beach. You can hire these by visiting the Seafront Office (between the two piers on the lower promenade).It’s always worth checking with your local council to see if they provide this service at your local beach. Scooter the Surf Dog and his owner Kirstie, mentioned above, also run beach school sessions for all abilities.

In the air Lodge Hill, an inclusive outdoor centre near Pulborough, is another great place to enjoy accessible cycling. The centre has a range of bikes to suit everyone’s needs and offers accessible zip lining on their 100m zip line, 11m in the air. Users can be hoisted directly from the wheelchair, making this experience accessible to every thrill-seeker, no matter their ability.

At the circus Circus Starr tours the country performing super-accessible circus shows for families. They have multiple wheelchair spaces at their performances (which must be booked in advance) and adapt their performance so it is fully inclusive for all. This includes the provision of a touring Changing Places toilet with a hoist and changing bench. The troupe also provides a sensory story pack to help audience members with profound and complex learning difficulties to prepare for their visit.

At the theatre Accessibility is not just about mobility. Some experiences can be overstimulating to those with additional needs due to noise, sound or lights. But “relaxed performances” are a great, inclusive way of enjoying the theatre in your own way. They are quieter, the auditorium is lighter, and audience members can get up and move about should they feel they need to. Relaxed performances have become a regular feature at most theatres and it’s worth contacting your local theatre about when their next relaxed performance may be. Lots of theatres also offer audio-described performances for those with visual impairments and signed performances for those with hearing impairments. With wheelchair spaces on the rise, theatres are becoming one of the most accessible days out. Some of our favourites for accessibility are Chichester Festival Theatre, Brighton Dome and the De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill.

Chestnut Tree House is the children’s hospice for East Sussex, West Sussex and South East Hampshire. Chestnut Tree House cares for children with life-limiting conditions and their families, helping them make magical memories together.