Whippersnappers Winter Wonderland is an annual immersive theatre event for all the family!
If you have children aged 3 to 7 year olds with younger and/or older siblings, we recommend this main Winter Wonderland event as it is suitable for the whole family.
If you have a child under 2.5 years only, we recommend our ‘Santa Meet and Greet event’ which is tailored to suit babies & toddlers only. For more information about our baby & toddler only event click here.
If you have any questions, you can visit our FAQ page here.
✨🎄 2025 DATES 🎄✨
✨ Sunday 30th November – Tuesday 23rd December ✨
💫 About us: 💫
Whippersnappers are a community arts organisation who have been running their winter Wonderland immersive grotto in Dulwich Park since 2012 🎄✨ Each year Father Christmas and his Elves help Whippersnappers raise money for the upkeep of their Park Keepers Lodge and to support the activities they deliver for children with SEND throughout the year.
Whippersnappers pride themselves on being a diverse organisation and can guarantee you an alternative Santa’s grotto experience with occasional outside the box ideas – to keep each year fresh and new. Themes alternate over the years, so don’t expect the same storyline every time you come. Last year we celebrated Christmas around the world, this year we’re getting space-y in the Elves No.1 radio station & meeting Hans the magic toy maker in the cinema.
We hope you enjoy and can value the time and creative process that goes into creating this special annual event for our customers every year – whilst raising money to support the work we do in the community!
✨🎄 What to expect from your experience – 2025: 🎄✨
On the edge of Dulwich Park by College Gate stands the old Victorian Park keeper’s Lodge. A Magical ‘Gingerbread House’ where each year Father Christmas and his Elves climb down the chimney and entertain children with their Winter Wonderland Experience.
You will go on an immersive journey through our festive Park Keepers Lodge. Split into small groups guests will be led through a series of immersive activities with 15 minutes in each area – before finally meeting the Big Man in red himself upstairs.
VIDEO HERE?
☕️🌳✨Arrival Woodlands Café & Santa’s Sleigh: ☕️🌳✨
On arrival, guests will be greeted by Santa’s elves at the Woodland Café for a cup of hot chocolate or mulled wine for the grown-ups & enjoy a mince pie or shortbread in the Wyld Woods.
Take it in turns to climb into Santa’s sleigh and take your own festive Sleigh photographs before being led through the garden gate where your festive immersive theatre event will begin.
🎤🎶 Elves Number 1 Radio Station: 🎶🎤
First, it’s a visit to The Elves No1 Radio Station in the Yurt. This year Mista Beat has discovered a new genre of music he wants to explore. Get ready to join our musical Elf band and help us record a new Techno Space themed Christmas tune. Any budding artists children or grown-ups this is your chance to grab the mic or a drum and show Santa’s Elves you’ve got talent!
🎞🍿🎥 Elves Toy Workshop & Cinema: 🎬🍿🎞
Next, it’s a complimentary ticket to visit our “Elf Cinema & Toy Workshop” where you will be given your own bag of popcorn, watch a short film about “Toy Maker Hans & His Magic Hands”, then get ready to help the Elves doing some very important ‘Toy Testing’ . You will need to make sure the toys are all working fine & get them ready for delivery on Christmas Eve.
🎄🤶🏼🥄 Mrs Claus kitchen: 🎄🤶🏼🥄
Next an invitation to visit traditional Mrs Claus’s kitchen where the children will get busy decorating their very own Gingerbread biscuit and spend some quality time with Mrs Claus.
🎄🧚♀️ Santa’s Waiting Room & Meeting Father Christmas: 🎄🧚♀️
Following Santa’s Sooty Footsteps upstairs to the Wonderland Waiting Room the children meet Star Frost our Christmas Tree Fairy who gets busy painting faces with her fairy dust.
Children can write or draw a Christmas Wish for Santa and play a few Victorian pantry games. Santa’s Elf will ring his bell to call each child and their family into Santa’s Grotto when it is time to meet the man himself.
🎅🏽🎄 Meeting Father Christmas: 🎅🏽🎄
Meeting the big man in red the children greet and share their wishes with Santa. Santa’s helper will help take a family photo of you all together on your chosen phone or camera (so make sure these are charged and carried with you). With special Santa words of wisdom each child will receive a personalised present and be wished a very merry Christmas from Father Christmas himself.
🛍 Toy shop & Collecting Gingerbread; 🛍
Finally, it’s downstairs to our Christmas toy shop clutching Santa’s present to pick up the children’s Gingerbread they decorated with Mrs Claus. We have a special Whippersnappers Toy shop here so also cater for any of your Christmas shopping needs. The toy shop will be open throughout the run, so if you have to pop back in secret another day you can come to visit our toy shop during any of our December opening hours.
⏰ Timings ⏰
Your Whippersnappers Winter Wonderland experience will last approx. one hour and fifteen minutes but please allow for the time to be extended to one hour and forty-five minutes as timing depends on whether you visit Santa first or last within your allocated slot.
✨🎄 Ticket includes: 🎄✨
- ✨ Complimentary refreshments upon arrival – Mulled Wine or Hot Chocolate with a Mince Pie or Shortbread biscuit
- ✨ A photo opportunity in Santa’s sleigh
- ✨ Karaoke Christmas Experience in the yurt
- ✨ Cinema experience in the cabin – including popcorn
- ✨ Decorate & take home your own Gingerbread with Mrs Claus
- ✨ Face-painting with Christmas Tree Fairy
- ✨ A visit to the man himself, Father Christmas aka Santa Claus
- ✨ A personalised age-appropriate present from Santa
- ✨ A digital family photo with Santa on your mobile phone
✨🎄 MORE INFO: 🎄✨
Location: Whippersnappers College Lodge, Old College Gate, Dulwich Park, College Road, London, SE21 7BQ
Ticket: £28.50 – Child / £17.50 – Adult
(all children must be accompanied by an adult with an adult ticket)
Duration: 1 hour to 1.45 hours
Payment: Online bookings only
Contact us: info@whippersnappers.org
Suitable age: Our winter wonderland is suitable for the whole family. The recommended age is 3 – 7 years with older & younger siblings.
If you have a child under 2.5 years only, we recommend our ‘Santa meet and greet’ which is a baby & toddler only event. More info here.
Group sizes: Each experience is split into small groups with limited availability. For this reason all adults and children require paid tickets. Only babes in arms under 9 months go free. If your child is sitting in a seat & taking part in the activities, they will need a paid for ticket. For more info you can visit your FAQ page here.
Cancellation Policy: Any bookings cancelled after the 24th November are non-refundable & non-transferable. Booking changes before the 24th November can be transferred or cancelled with a 25% admin charge.
Booking tickets: This is a very popular event which will likely sell out, so we recommend booking tickets well in advance to avoid disappointment.
For any question please visit or FAQ page here.
🎄🎅🏽✨ We cant wait to get festive with you at our Winter Wonderland 2025! 🎄🎅🏽✨