Tag: activities

Have a splashing day out

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Don’t let the British unpredictable weather dampen your days out as we’ve found just the thing to cheer the kids up in the form of an indoor waterpark! We’ve listed some of our favourites to keep up your sleeve for those grey days!

WaterWorld; Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire

A visit to this fantastic indoor tropical aqua park is a must during the school holidays and you’ll be guaranteed a splashing good time! Race your friends down the slides, swing on the lily pads and enjoy the wave machine. There is also an aqua disco held on a Friday night for all the family which includes use of the water rides and slides too!

The Rapids; Romsey, Hampshire

This fantastic leisure pool is a real hit with children and adults of all ages and offers plenty of fun. Ride the rapids, enjoy the flume and for the little ones there is a pirate ship to explore. There are also bubble seats and a huuuuge bucket which tips water so dodge it if you can!

Alton Towers Waterpark; Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire

Often forgotten about whilst everyone explores the theme park, the waterpark at Alton Towers is equally as incredible! With rides to keep the adrenaline junkies happy such as the Master Blaster Water Coaster, there is also plenty on offer for the little ones. So if your legs are feeling tired from walking around the theme park or you need to cool down, pay the water park a visit!

Sandcastle Waterpark; South Beach, Blackpool

This large indoor waterpark is one of Blackpool’s leading tourist attractions. Great for water babies of all ages you’ll find waterslides, fun pools, a wave machine, a lazy river, water shoots and much more. There are also a range of dining options so you can relax with a coffee whilst the children play.

Oasis Beach Pool; Bedford, Bedfordshire

Head to this tropical paradise which will keep the kids entertained for hours with two wild flumes, a wave machine, a mushroom fountain, a beach area and much more! And as we’re now enjoying the sunny weather a real highlight is the outdoor lazy river float ride!

Waterworld; Newquay, Cornwall

With something for all the family, this fully equipped indoor swimming pool is great for escaping the hot sunshine or even the rain clouds. With a tropical fun pool, a snake fountain, two flumes and so much more, you are guaranteed that the kids will have a great time! There’s even a 6 lane 25 metre swimming pool to practise your swimming techniques!

Splashdown; Poole, Dorset

This brilliant waterpark is great for all ages and abilities even the younger children! The daredevils of the family will love The Screamer which is basically a slide with a vertical drop, the Tennessee Twister, and Baron’s Revenge. Younger visitors can play in the Little Buccaneers SplashZone with a starter flume, play area and a toddler swimming pool.

The Leisure Pool at Leisure World; Colchester, Essex

For an action packed day out the Leisure Pool at Leisure World will provide the kids with exactly that! A real family friendly attraction, the little ones will absolutely love the water canons, bubbles, crazy river, tipping buckets and loads more! There’s also a 13 metre flume to zoom down, for those looking for something a bit more crazy!

Blue Lagoon Water Park; Narberth, Wales

Bring the kids along to Blue Lagoon where they will enjoy plenty of exciting rides, rapid rivers and flumes. The main feature is the large wave pool with a sloping beach area, however for a more relaxing experience there is a lazy river to just float around plus an outdoor hot tub. For the younger visitors, there is a special area called Nippers Cove which they can explore!

We hope these indoor water parks have given you some rainy day inspiration for keeping the kids entertained with some great children’s activities for all ages – whilst burning some energy! We suggest you sit back and grab a cuppa whilst the little ones are having fun!

 

Fun, and free

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If you’re looking for some fun and free days out, here’s some handpicked attractions across the UK that are sure to be a hit with all the family, whether you’ve got a budding author, nature lover or journalist in tow!

Heaton Park, Manchester

Head to Heaton Park for an active and fun day out for all of the family to enjoy! Visit the animal centre, where you can meet an array of delightful animals, including cows, alpacas, goats, rabbits and guinea pigs! Kids will also love the play area, as well as the huge range of activities available. Try your hand at rowing boats, step on board a train ride, have a go at mini golf and loads more!

BBC Birmingham Public Space, Birmingham

The entire family with love having a go at some BBC themed activities, which include presenting an episode of Newsround or the local weather, having their photo taken outside the TARDIS and an old Dalek! You’ll also get the chance to take a touchscreen tour of the radio drama studio, as well as take a glimpse into the Asian Network and BBC WM studios too!

National Railway Museum, Yorkshire

With a collection of over a million objects, covering over 200 years of history, you and your family will be spoilt for choice! You’ll get to see giant halls full of engines and railway legends and kids can let off steam in the outdoor play area. You’ll also get to enjoy lively science shows, take a ride on the miniature railway or learn through the interactive exhibits!

Museum of English Rural Life, Reading

The Museum of English Rural Life houses a national collection of agricultural, domestic and crafts exhibits including wagons, tools and a wide range of other equipment used in the English countryside for the last 150 years. Perfect for any budding historians interested in life in England throughout the ages!

Centre for Wildlife Gardening, London

Originally an old council depot, this award winning visitor centre is a must for little budding gardeners and lovers of nature! The demonstration wildlife garden has mini habitats, a wild flower nursery and some very well-used community raised beds. The kids will love the natural trail and exploring the mini beast village, summer meadow and woodland copse, as well as so much more fascinating wildlife!

Eynsford Castle, Kent

Bring the family to this early Norman enclosure castle, which is surrounded by beautiful countryside. There is plenty for the family to explore, climb and conquer, as well as information boards around explaining the history.

Durdle Door, Dorset

If you’re looking for spectacular views and the chance to grab some fresh air, head to one of Dorset’s most loved beauty spots! You’ll find two small but varied beaches either side of the iconic archway, which you can access from the top via steps.

Falmouth Art Gallery, Cornwall

With a motto like “Family Friendly and Free”, Falmouth Art Gallery is the perfect place to take your little budding artists! Here you’ll find a collection of children’s books, as well as Baby Paint groups for extra little Picasso’s in the making.

Riverwatch Aquariums, Northern Ireland

For a lovely family day out, head to Riverwatch Aquariums to see some wonderful creatures. There are many different displays, including The Louch, a Rockpool, Deep Sea and Freshwater Environment. You’ll see aquatic animals such as starfish, lobster, crabs, eels, rays and some wonderful native species!

Amelia’s Trust Farm, Barry, Wales

The Amelia trust is a fantastic farm which is set in 160 acres of countryside in the beautiful vale of Glamorgan. It has so much for the little ones to see from the smallest to the biggest farm animals, as well as an informative visitor centre!

 

Don’t do too much

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We are well aware of the pressures facing parents, and would like to tell you that those looking to create a memorable children’s party for their little one and should focus on simplicity and fun and try to ignore, where possible, the feeling that they have to compete with other parents as this can actually result in having an adverse effect on your children’s party!

Do remember that children love simplicity. Not to say the children’s entertainment shouldn’t be good or varied. It should definitely be good and varied. It needs to be engaging, fun and imaginative too. But parents should avoid the temptation to overload their kid’s party with too many activities at the same time as this will end up being over stimulating and confusing. We’ve seen it time and time again where parent book an entertainer, bouncy castle, popcorn machine, mascot, face painter, etc. all in one party that last just 2 hours.

Parents should choose no more than a handful of activities for the children and to make sure that there is plenty of time for the kids to enjoy all of it.

In the same way, parents that don’t plan enough children’s party activities or have any form of children’s entertainment at all, can often find that their children are completely underwhelmed, bored or worse become very restless and start running around and be difficult for parents to control. If there is no structure to the entertainment planned this can happen a lot, which is something all parents want to avoid.

A perfect party has a few fun party activities planned for different times, but parents should be prepared for their party ‘timetable’ to change slightly during the celebration so it can be adapted to suit the kid’s energy levels on the day and to accommodate any unforeseen events e.g. food running late.

 

More Family days out in Scotland

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1. Dundee Science Festival, Dundee

 

Visit one of the UK’s biggest science centres with over 80 hands-on exhibits for an all round sensory experience your kids will love! Have a go at making your own fun, wacky sounds with the Music Mayhem exhibition, whilst under 5s can discover the ‘Musical Mystery Bus’ – an interactive, live show run throughout the day.

 

Best for: Interactive experience

2. Blair Drummond Safari Park, Stirling

We bet you hadn’t counted on spotting any of the Big 5 on your trip to the Scottish lands! Get up close and personal with wildlife from around the globe at one of Scotland’s most famous safari parks. Animals include zebras, lions, tigers, meerkats, elephants, giraffes to name only but a few.

 

Take a boat trip around Chimp Island, enjoy the stunning sea lion show or take a ride at the fun fair and get your face painted – there’s absolutely loads to do! Don’t miss the ‘Meet the Keeper’ talks throughout the day to get even more inspired by these amazing creatures.

 

Best for: Value

 

3. The Time Capsule Water Park, Lanarkshire

 

If you’re not sure you can quite rely on the Scottish weather,the Time Capsule is a perfect day out come rain or shine. Experience the Storm Chaser flumes in the tornado pool, glide across the newly refurbished ice rink or let off some steam at the fitness centre, there really is something for all the family and fun children’s activities to try.

 

Best for: Rainy days

 

4. Mabie Farm Park, Dumfries

 

Mabie’s has something for all the family, from donkey rides, to quad bikes, to paddle boating, kids can try new adventures, and explore the Scottish countryside in this beautiful and action-packed farm. Plus, every afternoon, kids get the chance to feed and handle some of the animals.

 

Best for: Boys’ toys!

5. Deep Sea World, North Queensferry

If you’re kids are fascinated with sea life and dream of deep sea diving and underwater exploring, this one must be on your list. As Scotland’s National Aquarium there’s plenty to see and do. Meet Stella the stingray, enjoy the beautiful range of the tropical fish and get a true ocean-floor experience in the UK’s longest underwater tunnel.

 

Best for: Shark dives

 

More Midlands days out

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1. Birmingham Botanical Gardens, Birmingham

 

Take some time out from the bustle of the city and enjoy the tranquillity and beauty of Birmingham’s Botanical Gardens. Explore the various tropical glasshouses, stunning gardens and breathtaking lake.

 

Send the kids on their own trails to explore everything nature has to offer, from beautiful butterflies to magical plants. They can even pick up an explorer backpack for the day, bursting with creative children’s activities. Their seasonal events, such as Halloween’s Spooky Story Night Trail or their Santa’s Grotto are legendary.

 

Best for: Scenic walks

2. Si5 Spy Missions, Nottingham

For kids who want to crack codes, solve puzzles and dodge lasers this is the perfect day. Teams must complete their mission within the time limit, in order to prevent the ship from being blown up! This is a great chance to get your kids off their Xboxes and instead throw them into the scenarios they so love to play out. This action packed day will leave your children ‘gunning’ for more!

 

Best for: Older kids

3. Monkey Forest, Trentham

Want to see animals roaming free? Visit this amazing 60-acre forest where you can interact and walk amongst up to 140 free roaming monkeys. Unlike anything else, this experience will allow your kids to see how these animals act in their natural habitat and capture heart-melting memories they’ll never forget.

 

Best for: The whole family

4. Tudor World, Stratford Upon Avon

Bring your kids’ history education to life with this fun interactive Tudor museum. Instead of old artefacts and displays, your kids can dress up, take their place at the dining table, rest in the bed and sit on the throne! Let them discover how life was all those years ago by experiencing it first hand! We promise your kids will never enjoy learning quite so much.

 

Best for: The costumed ghost tour

5. The Heights of Abraham, Matlock Bath

If it’s time to get a breath of fresh air, take a trip up the hill on the cable car and absorb the stunning views the Peak District has to offer. Once at the top, take a guided tour of the two great caverns, perfect for any little adventurers your might have. Check out the amazing fossil collection and climb the Prospect Tower. If your kids are still energetic, there are two great adventure playgrounds which we highly recommend!

 

Best for: The views

 

5 favourite family days out in the Midlands

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1. Cadbury’s World, Birmingham

Just a short drive away from Birmingham’s bustling city centre comes a factory that needs no introduction, Cadbury’s World is every kids dream, with chocolate confectionery wherever you look!

 

Discover the origins of the cocoa bean, jump on board the Crunchie Rollercoaster or simply dive into a bowl of liquid Dairy Milk. And with a restaurant, playground park and picnic area, there’s something for everyone. You could be there for hours.

 

Best for: 4D interaction (and chocolate lovers, too!)

2. National Space Centre, Leicester

For all you space lovers out there, this one is not to be missed when hitting the Midlands. The exhibition holds galleries, interactive displays and an incredible Planetarium all surrounding the history (and future!) of space travel. And that’s not all; they hold themed special events for kids during the holidays.

 

Best for: Science buffs

3. Holme Pierrepont Country Park, Nottinghamshire

This one’s for all you action-adventure types! If your kids are into trying out new children’s activities, from Whitewater Rafting to Sailing, Wakeboarding to Segways, this activity-packed park is a fantastic day out and great for children’s entertainment of all ages. Kids can get lessons on the water, try out the army-inspired assault course or try their hand at some mini golf or high ropes. The Rambo-inspired, Combat Experience gives your kids the chance to engage in thrilling military missions, live on the battlefield!

 

Best for: Teens

4. Plantasia and Maze World, Warwickshire

The kids will love this amazing fun adventure into Plantasia where there’s something for everyone. From the Maze world and Interactive exhibition, to the wildlife park and nature trails, enjoy a fun-filled day out in one of Warwickshire’s most beautiful, natural settings. Conquerors of the maze even receive a very special gift.

 

Best for: Your budget

5. Drayton Manor, Staffordshire

You might be expecting a grand, country house, but Drayton Manor is actually the setting of one of the UK’s top rated theme parks! There are hundreds of things to do, from thrilling rides and attractions, ‘Thomas Land’ for the tots, and an activity park, museum and crazy golf for all the family! There’s even a zoo with dozens of wildlife, reptiles and primates. Remember to book a week in advance as on-the-day prices are almost double.

 

Best for: Hours of fun

 

Beaches to explore

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Luskentyre Beach, Scotland

Luskentyre Sands, located on the west coast of South Harris in the Outer Hebrides, is a stunning beach boasting beautiful white sands and amazing green-blue water. You’d be mistaken for thinking you’re in the tropics! Luskentyre is a dog friendly beach.

Montrose Beach, Angus

This famous beach runs north from Montrose to the mouth of the North Esk River with beautiful clean sands. With a short promenade and lots of parking available, as well as a Seafront Splash play area, this beach makes for a lovely family day out! The beach also has a shop, amusement centre and family run cafe nearby.

West Cliff, Yorkshire

This picturesque Blue Flag beach is the perfect seaside escape. With free and pay and display car parking available nearby, as well as Whitby’s train station a short walk away, this beach is easy to get to… after a stop for fish and chips in the town centre that is! West Cliff has cafes, toilets and a lost kids centre, as well as a first aid post. See if you can spot the famous Whale Bone Arch!

 Druridge Bay, Northumberland

This seven mile stretch of glorious sand has lots of sand dunes and rock pools to explore, as well as the 100 acre Ladyburn Lake with surrounding woodland. Pop into the nearby cafe (open on weekends and during the summer holidays) or their visitor centre for more information on the fascinating wildlife you can spot in Druridge Bays many nature reserves!

Formby Beach, Liverpool

This beautiful beach’s dunes are a certified Site of Special Scientific Interest! You can even spot some prehistoric human and animal footprints and visit a red squirrel reserve… the last one of its kind in the UK! Ice creams, snacks and drinks are available from vans on site during peak periods.

Barafundle Bay, Pembroke

With crystal clear blue waters, this popular National Trust owned beach is the perfect place for a more relaxing day out. It’s your very own staycation Mediterranean escape! There’s no direct road access to the beach itself, but this allows you to take in the beautiful surroundings on a fifteen minute walk from the car park to the coastline.

Constantine Bay, Cornwall

Whilst more commonly known for being one of the most popular spots for surfing in the UK, this stunning beach has lots to offer for families! With unbeatable views of the Cornish coastline, this beach also has lots of rock pools… perfect for exploring and discovering how many beach critters you can spot! Dogs are allowed all year long.

 Botany Bay, Kent

This Blue Flag beach offers amazing views of the white cliffs and impressive chalk stacks! When the tide is out, it’s perfect for fossil hunting and rock pool exploring. There are kiosks on site selling ice creams, or you can pay a visit to nearby cafes offering hot food and drinks. Dogs are not permitted on this beach from 10am to 6pm from May 1st until 30th September.

Studland Beach, Dorset

This National Trust owned beach, located a short five minute chain ferry journey from Poole Harbour, is a lovely family day out! This beautiful beach has four miles of protected golden sands and a stunning view of Old Harry Rocks and the Isle of Wight. It’s perfect for a variety of watersports and for exploring lots of exciting wildlife, including deer, insects and birds! For rumbling tums, visit the Knoll Beach cafe.

 Bournemouth Beach, Dorset

This famous activity and events packed beach is great for children’s entertainment and offers something for all of the family… even a zip wire from the pier to the stretch of seven glorious miles of sand! Hosting events such as the Bournemouth Air Festival, Arts by the Sea and more, you’ll be spoilt for choice! Head to one of the many cafes and restaurants nearby, including West Beach and Harry Ramsden’s for traditional fish and chips by the sea!

 

Great gardens to explore

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Here’s our favourite gardens for you to explore

Discover plant’s, parks, history and more

Beautiful colours you will see

alongside beautiful butterflies and maybe even a bee!

Trelissick Garden, Truro, Cornwall

This tranquil garden, which is home to an array of stunning exotic plants and four summerhouses waiting to be explored, is the perfect place to bring kids to blow off some steam! Head to The Roundwood Quay, where you can watch the passing wildlife and boats. In the gallery you can discover work from Cornish artists and craftspeople too!

Plas Yn Rhiw, Pwllheli, Wales

This organic garden, which is brimming with a variety of plants and is framed by over 1/4 mile of box hedges, is a feast for the senses and is sure to fascinate your mini budding gardeners! In spring you’ll find magnificent magnolias, camellias, rhododendrons, azaleas, daffodils, tulips and so much more!

Dunster Castle, Minehead, Somerset

Not only is this fascinating castle a fab visit for days out for little historians, but their gardens alone offer lots to see and do! Pay a visit to The South Terrace, which stems from the Victorian period, to learn all about its microclimate which allows tender plants such as Chusan Palms to grow!

Dunham Massey, Altrincham, Cheshire

This beautiful Georgian house, set within a deer park, is the perfect place to bring kids after a challenge! You can complete a fun quiz, with clues hidden in the beautiful garden, where you’ll be sure to spot lots of interesting wildlife!

Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal Water Garden, Ripon, North Yorkshire

Explore the ruins of this stunning and history rich 12th century abbey, it’s amazing water garden and deer park, which is home to three different types of cute deer! Kids will also love the play area, which is situated near the Visitor Centre.

Scotney Castle, Tunbridge Wells, Kent

This glorious estate is sure to be a hit with little ones and their family looking to brush up on their history! Take a visit to their stunning garden, which is landscaped with many plants, flowers and secret parts to explore. There’s also a Natural Play Trail, Discovery Room and building dens in the Wilderness Camp!

Stourhead, Warminster, Wiltshire

Come and see this world famous 18th century landscape garden, which is truly breathtaking with a beautiful lake at its centre and fascinating temples and grottoes to explore! Pay a visit to the house, stunning interiors and interesting history, being one of the first houses built in the fashionable Palladian style.

Fenton House and Garden, London

This 17th century house and garden, which is a hidden treasure within London’s bustling streets, offers a retreat for and lots to explore! Discover the Walled Garden, which features a formal lawn and terrace, sunken rose garden, kitchen garden and historic orchard… home to 32 different varieties of apples and pears!

Polesden Lacey, Dorking, Surrey

This amazing house and garden, which provides stunning views of the Surrey Hills, is one of the best places to see some snowdrops in spring. King George VI and Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother also spent part of their honeymoon here! You can also spot a sea of bluebells as you walk throughout this gorgeous garden.

Mottisfont Abbey and Garden, Romsey, Hampshire

These picturesque gardens are perfect for letting your little ones blow off some steam! Find rivers, see rolling hills and even spot an artist in residence or two working iín one of the studio huts. Kids will love the Wild Play area and children’s activities, as well as the chance to follow a fascinating trail to learn all about Mottisfont history.

 

Roller skating party idea

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This party was inspired by a family who hired out a hall for a roller skating party, loads of fun was had by all and of course it wore everybody out!!

Invitations:

Invitations were homemade and drawn skates on each piece of card shaped into a ‘roller-skate’. The time and venue were written and also the duration etc.

The venue;

A hall at the local gym is able to accommodate ‘roller-skating’ and because it was a council run sports centre it was really reasonable as in price.  It was £50 for an hour and we had to include the food etc. 40 Children were invited and the children’s party venue was just the right size – not too big and not too small.

Glow necklaces were purchased for each child and as the lights dimmed everyone’s glow sticks started to glow.  They played the standard skating rink games of limbo and the dice game and each winner was given a “prize”. They skated for 1 1/2 hrs and then it was time for cake.

Food:

They had pizza delivered and had a cake. For the cake they made a girl with blond hair and blue eyes out of fondant. It was made sure she had on a pair of skates and an outfit to match what the birthday girl was wearing that day.

At the end the guests got downloaded pictures of the day and on the pictures read ‘Thank you for sharing in my 6th Birthday’.

Ice-skating party

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My daughter’s tenth birthday party was fastly approaching and we needed to plan a children’s birthday party that wouldn’t require too much money. That is when my daughter asked if we would be able to do an ice skating party. Of course, I thought this would be a great idea since it was not our home, so we wouldn’t need to clean up or plan much. So, the next day I called up the local skating rink and they told me I could rent a party room for 3 hours for only £80. This was great!

Then, my daughter and I picked up some nice stationary from a hobby craft shop and wrote all the information down on a piece of it – one for each guest (we invited 12).

The day of the party, we went to the rink early to set up the tables and decorations, and to rent the skates (we had called everyone in advance and asked what shoe size they were). The skates were complimentary with the party room.

An hour later, almost all of the guests had arrived so they got their skates on and met up with one of the rink instructors who would be leading the party. For about an hour, she showed them tricks and they played a variety of skating games.

Later, they were called to lunch where they were given their choice of pizza, hot dogs, or chicken nuggets. We also laid out hot chocolate so they could come back from skating to get some whenever they wanted.

When they finished lunch, they went back to skating and there was disco lights and music playing! They all had great fun and skated to a light show for about 30 minutes, when they got tired and decided to come back in and open gifts. Before they knew it, it was time to go.

They were each given their goodie bags which were supplied by the rink. They were a plastic bag with an ice skate on it, an ice skate keychain, sweets, ice skating pencil, and other traditional party bag treats.

This party was great – they had fun, there was no clean up, it was extremely inexpensive, and it required about 30 minutes of planning!