Put an end to stressful days out with your kids at these fabulous family-friendly destinations. Fun-packed activities guaranteed? so sit back, relax and enjoy the ride.
South east
The Rare Breeds Centre, Kent
Price: Adults, ?9.95; children, ?8 (under threes go free)
Open: April-Nov, 10.30am-5.30pm, every day; Nov-Mar, 10.30am-4.30pm. Closed Mondays
Good for: Farm animal antics
A day of farmyard fun awaits at the Rare Breeds Centre; your kids will love getting involved with pig racing or a ?meet the animals? session, let them come face-to-face with rare butterflies in the walkthrough tunnel or discover the woodland trail.
www.rarebreeds.org.uk
Diggerland, Strood, Kent
Price: Adults and children 2ft or over, ?17; kids under 2ft go free
Open: 10am-5pm, weekends, Bank Holidays, weekdays during main school holidays; check website for variations. Closed 5 Nov-31 Dec
Good for: A chance to drive machinery. Drive and ride real JCB diggers and test your driving skills on different vehicles including dumper trucks, 4x4s and go-karts. There are mini JCB challenges for children, a buried treasure dig, dodgem cars and the Sky Shuttle digger offers fantastic views from 50ft in the air!
www.diggerland.com
Dickens World, Chatham Maritime, Kent
Price: Adults, ?13; children (age 5-14), ?8
Open: Mon-Sun, 10am-5.30pm
Good for: Literary fun
What better way to celebrate 200 years of Dickens than to pay a visit to an attraction entirely dedicated to the author? Your kids can learn about his life and works, take a trip to a Victorian school or if they?re feeling particularly brave, they can visit The Haunted House of 1859, complete with special effects used in Victorian times. A walk through the damp, dingy corridors of Marshalsea Prison is also a must, but be warned, the prisoners have been known to escape!
www.dickensworld.co.uk
South west
The Roman Baths, Bath, Somerset
Price: Adults, ?12.25-50; children, ?8
Open: Times vary throughout year, but Sept-Oct, 9am-5pm; Nov-Dec, 9.30am-4.30pm
Good for: Delving into history
Explore the Roman baths and discover the history of those who lived over 2,000 years ago. There is even a specially recorded children?s audio tour, where the kids can hear stories from the viewpoint of children their age during the days of the Romans.
www.romanbaths.co.uk
Eden Project, Cornwall
Price: Adults, ?23.50; children, ?9.50
Open: Every day, times vary (visit the website for more details)
Good for: Exploring the environment
This haven of nature allows you and your kids to explore the world?s largest indoor rainforest and learn about green living. There are also daily storytelling sessions, kids? play areas, interactive exhibits and exciting trails to keep children busy.
www.edenproject.com
The Milky Way Adventure Park, near Clovelly, north Devon
Price: Adults and children over three, ?11.50 (under threes go free)
Open: Sept-4 Nov, 10.30am-5pm; 5 Nov-29 Mar, 11am-5pm. Closed 3-21 Dec, 24-26 Dec, 1 Jan
Good for: All weather family fun
Everything from soft play and ball pools to Devon?s highest, longest and fastest rollercoaster is on offer here, making it suitable for very little ones up to braver teens. Kids can meet aliens in the Clone Zone or drive a dodgem on the Droid Destroyer. If it?s raining, the Timewarp is all indoors and has an adventure play area with rope bridges, assault courses and The Black Hole, a free fall drop slide which offers 25ft of pure adrenalin! There are daily live entertainment shows and Merlin, the escapologist from Britain?s Got Talent, performing death-defying tricks!
www.themilkyway.co.uk
East Midlands
Wicksteed Park, Kettering, Northamptonshire
Price: Adults, ?13; children, ?17
Open: Dependent on season, check website for details
Good for: Rides for people of all ages, from scaredy cats to daredevils.
For a day out with a difference, visit Wicksteed, one of the UK?s oldest theme parks. Visitors can make a splash on The Waterchute, one of the first aquatic rides of its kind (opened in 1926), take a trip on old-fashioned rides including a carousel and double pirate ship. Finish the day with a relaxing stroll through the English Heritage Grade II-listed park and garden, before pitching your tent to camp.
www.wicksteedpark.co.uk
Sundown Adventureland, Retford, Nottinghamshire
Price: Adults and children, ?11 (under-twos go free)
Open: Sept-28 Oct, 10am-5pm, 29 Oct-16 Nov, 10am-4pm; Dec times vary, check website for details
Good for: Enjoying rides
A theme park built especially for the under-10s, there are lots of attractions ideal for your little ones. Dare they take a ride on the Rocky Mountain Railroad or try the Boozy Barrel? For fans of The Wizard of Oz, there?s even a chance to join Dorothy and friends on a trip down the Yellow Brick Road.
www.sundownadventureland.co.uk
National Space Centre, Leicester
Price: Adults, ?13; children, ?11
Open: Tues-Fri, 10am-4pm, Sat-Sun, 10am-5pm; school holidays, Mon-Sun, 10am-5pm (sometimes closed on Mondays, check website for details)
Good for: Space exploration
Take off on a space voyage at the National Space Centre with over 150 hands-on activities your kids will love. They can explore planets and even create their own alien!
www.spacecentre.co.uk
West Midlands
Drayton Manor Theme Park, Staffordshire
Price: Adults, ?36; children (11 and under), ?25; ages two to three, ?5
Open: Sept-2 Nov, 9:30-5pm; Nov-Dec, times vary, check website for details
Good for: Thomas the Tank Engine fans
There?s something for all ages at Drayton Manor with whizzing roller coaster rides and a 15-acre zoo, or why not go full steam ahead with the Thomas & Friends attraction? Thomas Land is home to 12 themed rides and lots of other Thomas-related fun.
www.draytonmanor.co.uk
Cadbury World, Birmingham
Price: Adults, ?14.75; children, ?10.75; under fours go free
Open: Sept-Dec; dates and times vary, check website for details
Good for: Chocolate lovers
Cadbury World does what it says on the (chocolate) tin! A museum where chocaholics can learn the history of the treat and try some titbits, too.
www.cadburyworld.co.uk
Scotland
Pirate Pete?s Family Entertainment Centre, Ayr
Price: Children, ?3.85-?5.50 (dependent upon day and age of child)
Open: Mon-Sun, 9.30am-6pm
Good for: Adventure play
Delve into a treasure trove of fun with Pirate Pete?s dedicated soft play area and mini cinema playing cartoons especially for tots; there?s something for the more adventurous pirates, too ? climbing frames, bridges and ball pools so children can put their swashbuckling skills to the test!
www.piratepetes.co.uk
Go Ape! Tree Top Adventure, Crathes Castle, Aberdeenshire
Price: Adults, ?30; children, ?20
Open: Feb-Dec; time and dates vary
Good for: Outdoor action
For a day brimming with tree top adventures, fresh air and outdoor exploration, Go Ape! is ideal.
www.goape.co.uk
Camperdown Wildlife Centre, Dundee
Price: Adults, ?3.80; children, ?3; under-threes, ?1
Open: Mon-Sun,10am-4.30pm, Mar-Sept; 10am-3.30pm, Oct-Feb
Good for: Exploring wildlife
Situated within an 18-acre site, the centre is home to everything from the domestic donkey to the African elephant; there?s even a picnic area for alfresco dining, too. Don?t miss out on the free Community Open Day event (14 October), where you can watch animals feeding and learn more about life at Camperdown.
www.camperdownwildlifecentre.com
North East
Tynemouth Blue Reef Aquarium, Tyne and Wear
Price: Adults, ?8.75; children, ?6.25
Open: Mon-Sun,10am-6pm
Good for: Underwater lovers
Perfect for water fans, children can get acquainted with the colourful marine wildlife, meet a variety of species including Asian short-clawed otters, watch seals perform clever tricks in an entertaining show and get up close and personal with other underwater crabby creatures. www.bluereefaquarium.co.uk/tynemouth.htm
Lightwater Valley, Ripon
Price: Over 1.3m tall, ?23; under 1.3m tall, ?16; under 1m height, free
Open: Seasonal, check website for details
Good for: Thrills and chills!
With rides and areas split into sections called Ultimate, Mega and Mini, there is something for everyone. Signature ride, ?The Ultimate?, is the longest rollercoaster in Europe ? six minutes of thrill or fear! And when it comes to fear, the park?s dark ride, Raptor Attack, is not for the faint hearted.
www.lightwatervalley.co.uk
Life Science Centre, Newcastle upon Tyne
Price: Adults, ?9; children, ?6.25
Open: Mon-Sat, 10am-6pm; Sun, 11am-6pm
Good for: Learning about science
Children can study the stars in the planetarium or try a state-of-the-art motion simulator ride. A new 4D ride, Hover Chase, offers the chance to go on a high speed race.
www.life.org.uk
North west
National Football Museum, Manchester
Price: Free
Open: Mon-Sat, 10am-5pm; Sunday, 11am-5pm
Good for: Footy fans
For a fun, educational day out, plan a visit to the re-opened National Football Museum. Brimming with all things football, there will be over 140,000 objects, photographs and art works making up the collection and a range of interactive attractions. For a real ?hands-on? display, there?s even the shirt worn by Maradona during the infamous 1986 match between England and Argentina where his unpenalised handball earned the first goal.
www.nationalfootballmuseum.com
Catalyst Science Discovery Centre, Cheshire
Price: Adults, ?4.95; children, ?3.95; children four and under go free
Open: Term time: Tues-Fri,10am-4pm, Sat-Sun, 10am-5pm; school holidays: Mon-Sun, 10am-5pm. Dates vary
Good for: Interactive science
If your child?s bedroom resembles a laboratory, then Catalyst is the place for them. Kids can test out interactive exhibits, try their hand at experiments in the Catalytic Discovery Lab or watch a bespoke 45-minute science-based film in the centre?s Alchemy Theatre.
www.catalyst.org.uk
Chester Zoo, Cheshire
Price: Adults, ?13.50-?16.30; children, ?10-?12.60 (seasonal)
Open: 10am-4pm (5pm, 5.30pm or 6pm depending on day)
Good for: Seeing rare animals
Set in the historic city of Chester, this zoo is located in 110 acres of lush gardens, boasting over 8,000 animals and 400 species of rare or endangered wildlife. Bursting with outdoor space and play areas for children, as well as a changing list of special events and activities, there?s plenty to keep your little monkeys busy all day long.
www.chesterzoo.org
Picture credit: Shutterstock
The above feature was
published in at home's
'Parenting with Jo Frost'
July 2012.
Click here for more
Jo Frost.
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Source: http://www.athomemagazine.co.uk/more-celeb/jo-frost/6152-fantastic-family-days-out
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