To ask what to do in Bristol with young kids?

[FelicityBob]

We have booked two nights in Bristol this week with our three and four year old boys. I know Bristol quite well as I used to live there but that was pre kids so have no idea what there is for young ones.
Can anyone suggest any days out? Unsure about the zoo due to covid restrictions, reviews aren’t great.
Thinking Blaise castle, aerospace museum for my husband, possibly zoo/any farm parks?
Weather forecast isn’t great unfortunately.
Thanks

The Aquarium. Jungle mini golf on the top floor of Cabot Circus. I love the zoo but haven't been In The Time of Covid.

Oh, there is the "bigger" animals zoo. Wild Place? May be quieter.

There's Bristol aquarium, it's inside but wouldn't take all day.

If you have a car you might want to look at The Wild Place or Avon Valley Country Park.

The M shed is also interesting as is walking along the docks looking at the boats.

I'm not sure of all the current opening restrictions so you'd be best checking before going.

I love We The Curious (formerly @Bristol), but I'm not sure about for that age. I think my daughter was about 6 when I went first but you could check their website? Brilliantly set up and next door to the aquarium.

The wild place project or just outside of Bristol Noah's ark zoo farm. Both are great days out for kids and much cheaper than the zoo etc and IMO better.

M shed isn't reopen yet I don't think. We love we the curious (again not sure if it's open), wild place, a boat around the harbour, the aerospace museum and slimbridge. My boys are 6 and 3. They also really enjoyed going up to the downs and looking at the suspension bridge a couple of weeks ago, Ashton Court is also lovely. Have fun!

The Wild place is a really good day out and is far better than Bristol zoo, Durham park NT is good too. Also as a pp said We the curious.

@Bristol (We the Curious). There are fountains in millennium square just outside, you always have kids paddling in there in sunny days.
Wild Place
Aquarium
Windmill Hill City Farm
M- Shed (and train ride outside)

I forgot NT but Tyntesfield is nice.

We went to We are curious in its previous name, but my son absolutely loved it, he would have been about 6 at the time. He didnt want to leave, and at the time there were a good range of age appropriate items to play with. Not sure how much will be accessible at the moment as it was all hands on stuff.

We also liked NT Tyntesfield. Lots of grounds to explore if the house isnt open.

SS Great Britain.

Zaza bazaar for food :)

The Wild Place
@Bristol
MShed
SS Great Britain
Air Hop (near Cribbs Causeway)
Boat trip
Open top bus tour

There's also new crazy golf not too far away - Congo Falls (near Keynsham). I think you have to book.

Have a great trip!

Unfortunately We Are The Curious is reopening in November.
A few miles from the city centre, there’s a big estate in fishponds called Oldbury Park which has woodland, riverside paths, a cafe kiosk and a fantastic kids’ playground. It’s one of the more exciting play areas, entered via a Jurassic Park-style wooden gate, with a pirate ship, zip wire, water and sand play zone, roundabout, see saw, super long embankment slide, springies, climbing rock feature with rope bridge, natural play features, woodland den area, you name it, they’ve got it!
SS Great Britain is quite fun for kids. Pre-covid times there were lots of interesting interactive bits for children such as a dressing up box. Not sure what it’s like now, but they’re bound to have something for kids.

Puxton Park is the best of the animal park type places IMO. Great for that age. It's slightly out of Bristol but not far.

www.windmillhillcityfarm.org.uk/news/visiting-us-during-social-distancing-restrictions/

But I think the city farm at St Werburghs is still closed

The Wild Place is great but you have to pre-book so don't just turn up. They've been really good at handling post-lockdown opening and have a one-way system in place, plenty of hand washing stations, lots of keepers around the places that have the potential to get built up like the bear wood. They've also closed the indoor places like the giraffe barn and the shop and also the lemur enclosure because of all the gates.
Whenever we have visitors we take them there and we have annual passes because we love it so much.

Thanks everyone!!

Noah's zoo park isn't far, or if it's warm enough drive out to Clevedon to the marine lake - there's a paddling pool, small pool, mini railway, bouncy castle, mini golf etc but not sure what is open on weekdays as I've only been on weekends. Currently low tide is lunchtime ish so good for rock pools and crabbing (they sell lines and buckets at the ice cream stalls)

The Wild Place project is great but I would swerve the aquarium - we went last week with our DD and it wasn’t great. 1.5 hours max with dirty enclosures and not much to see.

Weston is also nice if you want to run off some energy on the beach. There's plenty of parking and loads of cafes and some lovely ice cream.

Recommend the M Shed and the dick area, and Aerospace Bristol, and don't forget the Bristol Museum it is surprisingly great for kids! We the Curious is good (but expensive). The aquarium is ok but pricey for what it is. I love aquariums normally but I've always been distinctly underwhelmed. Wild Place is fab but v outdoors so if weather is bad might not be great. Have a lovely time!

*dock area

Does anyone recommend Puxton park? I’m not sure as we have a very similar looking place near us at home.
We had a lovely walk along the harbour this afternoon and have booked aerospace museum for Friday morning before we drive home, so got tomorrow to fill. Weather looking hit and miss.
Are there play areas at the wild place?

I think the play areas at wild place are still closed