Things to do with young children in Farnham/Aldershot/Guildford area

[manicm0nday]

Hi,

Heading home from a week away tomorrow morning. We were planning to leave in morning, stop at Alice Holt Forest for most of the afternoon and then get something to eat and head home close to bedtime so kids could fall asleep. Just seen that Alice Holt will be closed tomorrow - any recommendations for other places we could go? I’d like something similar as quite looking forward to it.

We don’t need to stop and could just head straight home but we like to make the most of a travel day and visit somewhere we wouldn’t normally travel to specifically.

Children are 4 and almost 2, thanks in advance!

If the weather is bad Milestones Museum in Basingstoke is great for kids and all indoors.

The storm will mean anywhere similar will be closed. If you want indoor activities, Guildford Spectrum will be open.

Alice Holt itself won’t close, it’s just the main car park and cafe that won’t be open. If you want to spend the storm in the forest you can park in a number of places surrounding it and walk through.

Sculpture park near Farnham

Alice Holt is closed because of the weather I think so other outdoor things are possibly going to be too. I'd agree with Milestones in Basingstoke it's easy to get to just along the M3.

Just checked, Alice Holt say the entire site is closed, they can't stop people walking in through the woods but it's probably not advisable.

Milestones is not where OP asked, really. I would suggest Birdworld, although that is a mix of indoors and outdoors. The Rural Life Museum is also outdoors, but good. Farnborough Air Sciences Trust but the kids are really too small. Might give you some things to look up, anyway.

Birdworld is just down the road from Alice Holt and has an epic new playground. I guess the weather wouldn’t work though. They’re opening a new soft play this autumn so check if that’s opened yet?

Other than that, thinking mainly indoor:
• lookout discovery center
• hogmoor Inclosure for something similar to Alice holt - weather though!
• crazy golf at legoland (bit of a diversion?)
• brooklands museum (also maybe a diversion)

Also if you’re heading over to brooklands go to Mercedes Benz world. It’s free and kills an hour even if you’re not a car fan (I’m not!)

Was going to say Birdworld.
Not quite in the area,Coral Reef Waterworld | Bracknell's Water World | Swim, Slides & Spa

Weather dependent again but Stoke Park in Guildford is good for little kids, play area, paddling pool, duck pond, crazy golf, kiosk, you need the Lido end of the park not the Spectrum end. I think you can park in the college car park adjacent at weekends, I do sometimes when the Lido car park is full.

Not sure if paddling pool etc are still open at this time of year though.

Thanks all! I had not actually checked the weather - a bit silly this time of year really, but I didn’t realise there was a storm…

Will take a look at some of the indoor suggestions - I think some might be a little bit out the way but happy to detour if it will be a good afternoon out.