George Hadley
The main character of the story and the one who originally realise's the mistake he and his wife had made by purchasing the nursery and mechanical house. His futile attempts to close down the nursery are easily maneuvered by his children who go in anyways disobeying him. He is a very worrysome man, and his actions are only to better his family and to keep everyone safe and on the right path. He feels the nursery is a bad influence on them so he attempts to close it off. When this fails he comes up with an idea to move away for a month and become independent from the home. The children do not take kindly to this idea.

Lydia Hadley
She seems to be just as worrysome if not more then her husband George. She too wants what is best for the family but from the sounds of things, doesn't want to have to work more than anyone else. She enjoys the luxuries the house provides and doesn't immediatly go with Geogge's plan to shut it down and move out. But she is fairly easily persuaded showing that she is possibly a bit of a pushover and also lacking wit and brains. She doesn't take actions on her own but requires the help of others to perform them and is completely dependent on the house.

Wendy & Peter Hadley
They are classified under one heading because they seem to do everything together. They also share the same general thought process. Both loving the home and agreeing to disobey their parents. Neither like the idea of the nursery being shut down and locked off, and both even more dislike even the thought of moving away from the mechanical home and having to do things like brush their own teeth. They are very spoiled children who get what they want, and when they don't get it they set out to receive it on their own. They are quick to act and within a span of approximately 5 minutes create a plan to save the house and rid their not so good parents. They are more faithful to the home then Lydia and George, and rather have it stay then their parents. They remain faithful to whoever gives them what they want, and when their parents stop doing so they turn to the house for support and the role of "mom & dad."

Mr. McClean
Although he doesn't play a very big role in the story he is included because he is the person who confirms the problems with the nursery. He is a psychologist and comes into the story very late on.

The Machines and The Nursery
Although the house and the machines within help lead to the death of Lydia and George they aren't evil. It is just a simple house fulfilling simple goals. Some machines brush, others clean and others prepare. It's nothing they directly do that makes the children stop loving their parents but what they indirectly do. They allow Peter and Wendy to have the perfect strain-free lives. Leaving them no chores and no worries. This creates Peter and Wendy to love them and think of them as parents and the ones who will take care of them.
Along with the Nursery, it doesn't do anything wrong just what it is told, and that is to create Africa. But this idea of Africa becomes so realistic it creates real lions that can inflict very real damage.