or is there nothing for junior school kids to do?

[Menagerie]

It's wet. I'd love to take my boys to a soft play area - the kind with big slides and zip wires, but all the ones I've looked up are for 5 and under. Our local park is the same. All the climbing equipment is for pre-school and infants. What are kids aged 7+ supposed to do to let off steam in the winter? I really don't want to have to inflict my white wobbly bits on the public at the swimming pool but what else is there. Unless we spend £20 going bowling for half an hour!

Skating? Loads of temp rinks around just now.

Do you have a 'Go Ape' near you?
Or a climbing wall?

Think it wholly depends on where you live. Near us there are soft plays upto 5' and a playground for older children and a skate park. Where we lived before there wasn't even a playground for the younger children.

If you don't want to expose your white bits or spend any money can't you go for a walk, go visiting or go on a bike ride?

Plue, Vue cinemas have Kids Am for 95p each, every morning this week.

We've been for several walks on the South Downs, gone kite flying, walked along the cliffs and visited a couple of castles so far. Depends what your children like to do.

Tell me about it, try having 2 with special needs, a nightmare !!

We finally got a sn softplay built in a leisure centre but it's aimed at babies/toddlers, the sensory rooms good but not somewhere they can run wild, we only get allocated 4 hours a week too, the rest is for the nt lot.

We went to this place in Wales.

My god it was a dream come true, mainly because us adults could go in (they also have adult only sessions) and they had a very good totally seperate area for younger ones, and a farking driving track on the top floor

Wish we had one here

I agree that this age group is not well catered for, but aren't they old enough to be making their own fun?

Anyone know where the info about vue cinemas is? I cant find it online, it says £5 for children before £5 mon-thur

Don't worry about the wet! Wrap up and go hiking, walking and exploring.

Here is a link for kids am at Vue.

go to the park? We used to go in all weathers

sledging, riding bikes, making dens, climbing trees, skateboarding, rollerskating, building ropeys, fishing, general troublemaking.............. why not tell them to go out and use their imaginations? A bit of rain should not be a problem to be honest

I was thinking the opposite yesterday, funnily enough. Mine are 7 and 4 and I was thinking the 7 yo is well catered for. He's at a football match ( his first! ) with DH at the moment, spent the morning scootering around near where we live ( snow nearly gone ), he also loves a bike ride. Do they hate the wet or do you? Rain won't kill you.

Can you rainproof you all, and just go for a bit less time? If they are into football, can you get together with some friends and hire a local place so they can have a kick about?

Activities for 7-11 YOs that we've done in the holidays at home

Walking/Hiking - every holiday without fail. At 7, they can do a 10miler relatively easily (which fact surprised me). Finish off with a pub supper as a treat
Swimming
Tennis - lots of places with indoor courts
Skating
Riding - you might be able to find a place that does half or full day treks
Painting/hobbycraft days
Cinema (last resort)

Do you have a climbing place near you? DD is 8y and loves going to the climbing walls and bouldering near us. They have various sessions during the holidand in term time.

They might be able to do a ten mile hike, but a lot of parents would struggle with that.

Swimming is our failsafe rainy weather thing tbh, I don't like being in my swimsuit either, but most people look as bad as me and needs must.
Our soft plays all take under 10s-where are you-maybe mnetters can help?

We have been for lots of walks/fed ducks in snow/rain. Had races in the park- often end up at family friendly pub after that- only have a squash, but kids think it's a treat and cheaper than starbucks!

Local museums/galleries/national trust and so on seem to be opening up now.

Can you arrange to meet up with other children?

My 7 and 11 year olds have spent the week p[laying in the snow, but in the night it wash washed away, so they've been on thier scooters. They would spend thier lives on a bike ride if let them, but I prefer the warm.

We have plenty of outdoor playgrounds near us with zip wires etc where the upper age limit is 12. DDs favourite is at WWT Martin Mere - great combo with walk round the place, indoor crafts and other activities, and next spring they're opening a canoe trail.

I have to say that with this weather we timed it right this xmas for us to get a Wii and DDs friends to get Kinect - between the two they've been on the go non-stop (though oddly there is evidence in my living room that they've reverted to good old twister )

But, as others have said, doing real stuff like hiking and biking is best.

Wet doesn't mean they can't walk or cycle

Are there any local attractions?

send them swimming on their own if they are strong swimmers or watch from the gallery .... most pools will admit kids aged 7 or 8 no problem

indoor tennis/football
dry ski slope
rollerblading
hillwalking
mini golf

Thank you. I've got a heavy cold so am feeling more pathetic than normal. We sound like such wimps. Riding's too expensive, and I really don't want to swim when I'm so blubbery. We don't mind rain but all have colds at the moment. We've spent days playing card games and doing hobbies - painting and model making, been to Christmas show, been sledging a few times and seen friends but snow's all gone now.

I just want them to be able to run around somewhere but am feeling too shivery for a cycle or hike right now. Climbing wall is a good idea. Last time they went one was terrified of heights but that was 2 years ago and he doesn't seem scared of anything at the moment. Think we'll try that tomorrow. Great mini-golf nearby but not fun when the weather is filthy.

Think we'll just go for a walk in the woods whatever the weather tomorrow.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I realise I've just been a wimp!

Grimma - that sounds fantastic. Where are you?