Places to go/things to do with a toddler in the Beds/Herts/Bucks area

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DD is 2. When the weather's nice we spend a lot of time outdoors, at the local nature reserve, going for walks in the woods, zoo membership, playground trips, local farms etc.

I'd love to add to my list of places to visit and things to do, in nice weather but actually especially indoor activities for crap weather days. I always struggle to know where to go on rainy days. One rainy day is fine as a day at home is nice but DD needs the chance to run around etc.

Any ideas please...

Odds farm, soft play, swimming & play dates are all we do on rainy days. Yesterday we went to Sainsbury’s then painted cardboard eggs and now I’m begging for a sunny day. It’s hard!

This will sound ridiculous but I'd forgotten that going swimming is a good rainy day activity. Having said that, it's as bit of a challenge to find a slot in the pool timetables when the public are allowed in, that isn't lane swimming, that isn't at 7pm

Willows Farm in Herts (near St Albans) is fab, we used to go there loads when the dc were small. They have indoor space too.

Oasis Beach Pool on the outskirts of Bedford is indoor tropical beach pool with crystal clear waters and temperatures in the 80s. There are water cannons, water mushroom, bubble beds etc.... and lots of public swim times. www.fusion-lifestyle.com/centres/oasis-beach-pool/timetables/swimming/

Tiggywinkles Animal Hospital www.sttiggywinkles.org.uk

Buckinghamshire Railway Centre www.bucksrailcentre.org

Wycombe Sports Centre has a toddler pool area "Splash Pad". The "just swim" options on their timetable for the main pools are the ones without too many lanes.

It's difficult at 2. There's lots to do as they get older, but at a younger age there's only so many soft play centres you can go to! Speaking of which, some Wyevale garden centres have soft plays and they tend to be quieter and cheaper.

Indoor wise - baking?

Get togethers with other parents with children of a similar age? At least you can then drink tea and eat biscuits and moan about the weather together?!

Outdoor wise - have you been to Wendover Woods? Black Park, Langley Park and Burnham Beeches are all good parks/woods too.

Thank you for these ideas. I'll have a look into them

Tring museum. Aylesbury museum. Both good wet weather options

Hitchin swimming pool have open swimming at all times they just have lanes roped off.

They also have an outside pool open from May to September. They also have a play area sandpit.

We have been to tring natural history museum today. My 2 yr old loved it but he is very placid I suppose it depends if yours likes to run around. Was a nightmare parking and was rammed because of the school holidays but we will be going back when it's quieter.

Bless him.

Bekonscot model village at Beaconsfield
www.bekonscot.co.uk/

Leighton Buzzard railway
www.buzzrail.co.uk/

Stockwood Discovery Centre on the outskirts of Luton near M1 junction 10. Most of it is free except for any special exhibitions.
www.lutonculture.com/stockwood-discovery-centre/

Swiss Garden near Biggleswade
www.shuttleworth.org/swissgarden/
The pictures on tripadviser show it better
www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g503716-d501412-Reviews-Swiss_Garden-Biggleswade_Bedfordshire_England.html