Playgrounds in chippenham and surrounding areas

[Monkey3003]

Hello
I have just moved to the area from Chippenham from London and wondered if anyone can suggest any playgrounds apart from the big one with the water fountain on Malmesbury Rd? Happy to travel in car to village playgrounds.
Also any good and not too busy playgroups suitable for a 20 month old and 3.5 year old.
Thanks in advance!
Kate

[jo10000]

Not quite Chippenham but Lydiard park off the motorway by Swindon is lovely if you want to make a half day if it with a picnic. There's a play area, big grounds, two cafes and a walk round the lake. 20 mins by car .

[Monkey3003]

Thank you Jo10000!

[jo10000]

I think they brought in parking fees recently but not sure what, they have a website though. I've just moved away but used to go all the time with kids .

[Merguez]

Parking at Lydiard costs £2 for 2 hours.

A few miles outside Chippenham on the A4 towards Calne is Bowood. Huge adventure playground, plus Tractor Ted. Quite expensive but a good day out.

Cotswold Water Park, not too far away - lots of different playgrounds & activities.

[madamegazelle1]

Lydiard Park is great- huge areas for picnics and games, large playground and a lovely lake to walk round and lots of nice shady areas if it is hot!

[Phillipa12]

Season ticket for bowood is very reasonable, we have already made our money back and more. Lydiard park is lovely and the play park at Lacock is also fab.

[CokeFan]

If they're 3.5 and 20 months are you looking for a big playground or just some swings etc?

On Pewsham there's some swings/slides near Kings Lodge/Tesco, there's a little playground on Wood Lane (between Charter school and where Wood Lane crosses Ave La Fleche) but it's only got a couple of swings and some very low stuff. There's a little set of swings/climbing frame on Blackwellhams off Webbington Road.

Monkton Park's a bit scruffy but it has the trampoline set in the floor which seems quite popular.

There's a nice little park on Stainer Way near Morrisons which is fenced in for little ones.

Haven't been for a while but there's also one near Bumpers with a big slide and climbing frame.

There's a toddler group on Monday and Friday mornings at Station Hill Baptist Church.

We had Bowood membership for a year - personally I think it's very expensive. I get emails every year asking me if I want to renew early for (gasp) a 50p discount off tickets. If you've got children who can use the big pirate ship and you're not too far away so you can drop in often then you'll get value for money but yours are quite young. There is an indoor soft play bit there but it's quite small and very hot in summer. Bowood's only open, I think, March until October?

We now have National Trust membership instead. There's loads of places nearby that have children's activities on and I think it's much better value (and you get to go to different places). Lacock, Dyrham Park, Avebury, Courts Garden etc.

[Monkey3003]

Thank you everyone! Big thanks to Cokefan too as the park by Morrisons is perfect since we are living Malmesbury Rd way. Will try the toddler groups too at Station Hill Baptist church and the Bumpers park. If you come to these groups pls do come and say hello, i have a little boy and a 3.5 year old daughter and we will be there looking like the newbies!

Yes, we already agreed NT would be a great one.

Thanks so much

[LadyMonicaBaddingham]

There's a really great playground at Whitehall Garden Centre just off the A350 between Chippenham and Melksham. Near Lacock, if that helps... There's also a good little villagey playground at Gastard.

[CokeFan]

Oh yes - Whitehall Garden centre has a "Little Acorns" club that you can sign up to for free. They have quite a lot of children's activities in the holidays that you get discounts for (the Little Acorns membership will also make sure you get to find out about them!) They have a "Nature tots" group that runs on a Wednesday and Tuesday I think. It's drop in but first come first served so you might get turned away if there are too many. It costs £4 per child and is very good.

whitehallgardencentre.co.uk/nature-tots/

Other activities....

Tumble tots at the sports centre....
www.tumbletots.com/Bath/

and Wiltshire scrapstore at Lacock has a preschool make and play (think this is Thursday and Friday - we've done Friday)

www.wiltshirescrapstore.co.uk/

They also have other activities on.

There's Messy Monday every week at the museum in the education room - usually has a water table, toys, sandpit , painting etc. They used to do "noisy Friday" but that's been changed to a monthly Friday event.

www.facebook.com/ChippenhamMuseum/posts/278060405546230

[jo10000]

And do Whitehalls at Christmas, they're indoor displays are amazing, and they have an ice rink .