Norwich

[WindowGazers]

Name changed for this. I live in Norwich. Have done for a few years. Moved to be near family. For anyone who lives in Norwich, AIBU in thinking there's not much 'fun' stuff to do here with kids that doesn't cost an arm and a leg? Having lived in London, Sheffield, Nottingham and Birmingham throughout my career, I am bored here. Places I loved when I was little like donisaur Park are extortionate now for what they are. Bewilderwood which my son loves costs us £40 which I don't have. Loads of parks and playgrounds which is great but sometimes need to do something a little more exciting. Am I looking in the wrong place? Can anyone suggest anything for a lone mum and a 4yo?

Norwich Puppet Theatre for shows and workshops: puppettheatre.co.uk

The monkey is definitely still there!

I’m hoping the castle will be good for kids once it reopens properly but agree it’s looking so sorry for itself at the moment. If you pay for the Castle you get a free ticket to the Bridewell at the moment (now branded the Museum of Norwich).

I'm always SO envious of the stuff that's on in holidays as a lone parent who works but understand this is my problem and nobody else's.

me too! Is so annoying not qualifying for the discounts that family tickets get and missing out on lots of stuff in the holidays as working.

I’m the winter months/wet weather we tend to go to

• children’s library then Marzano for a cuppa
• Gravity (££)
• labyrinth (small - quickly exhausted)
• cinemas (££)
• soft play - Broadland Brewers Fayre or Salhouse Road Castle Carvery - not the most salubrious but it’s a cheap couple of hours. You don’t have to eat, just get a refillable cuppa.
• swimming at Riverside - look out for the inflatable stuff in the holidays

When they’re a bit older you can do climbing at Highball.

There’s Funky Monkeys (skating/soft play) too but haven’t been for a long time.

There's an outdoor play at the nest which is quite good and cheap and a cafe there.

www.thenest.org.uk/facilities/challenge-woods/

Whitlingham Broad has an orienteering route

Nice walks and safe place to swim in river with rope swings at marston marshes

Danby woods is a disused quarry so has steep sides which are fun for kids to explore and climb and is next to the marshes

Caister st edmunds and the Roman ruins - there's an app

Bracon ash park

Further afield there’s Felbrigg Hall, Blickling Hall, Sheringham Park - NT membership is £7.60 a month for a single parent plus children.

There’s a good soft play in Rose Lane car park I think - weird place, but it is there! The Slice and Dice cafe is fun - on St Benedict’s, board games and pancakes!

Labyrinth - soft play and laser tag

Slice and dice you have to pay an extra £7 to play board games, and that's on top of your food and drink. It's got really good reviews but I wasn't that impressed. Possibly better if it's just adults going though. We tend to go to Williams kitchen soft play which we like but will have a look at rose Lane.

Ah I looked at this before if its the laser tag! As far as I can remember 4 is too young.

Underrated comment.

A-ha!

Would you like to go to an owl sanctuary?

So been here to the South of Norwich for a number of years. I have always found Norfolk quite good for kids, but it does depend if you can travel. Thoughts: Cinema City- really good and cheap options for kids, marvellous cafe for the adults. Bewilderwood as already mentioned. Great Yarmouth really nice and does not take itself too seriously. Just down the coast for Horsey and the wildlife including the seals- a marvellous walk can be planned here. The forum’s children’s library. Jarrold’s childrens books section. The Marriotts way- traffic free cycling out to the countryside, great for little ones. Kayaking down the river, which you can do out from central Norwich, but much more pleasant if you go out a bit. Beccles Lido- outdoor swimming is great fun. The dinosaur park- though little ones grow out of this. Therefore Forest, particularly Go Ape. Cycling though the Holkham (back entrance so you go past the deer). Followed by Holkham beach.

I'd bloody love to!

Sorry, you lost me at 'Yarmouth is really nice' 😅

Hyper at Horsford or Jump for Joy in Rackheath?

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11817029/Best-beach-Britain-Norfolk-seaside-town-braced-tourism-boom-TripAdvisor-vote.html
My friend sent me this earlier- I mean it’s the Daily Mail but still!

Definitely not, it is like death row for birds.

The waterways part of GY with the little boats and the beach hut cafe etc is actually really pleasant and away from the amusements etc I sent a total GY snob to that end and she loved it 😂

Oh really? I pictured it as somewhere for rescued owls that wouldn't cope in the wild. How naive. If it's just captive owls taken from the wild this sounds awful.

www.google.com/amp/s/www.norfolklive.co.uk/news/great-yarmouth-named-one-uks-7026683.amp

It has done well in 10 months then! I really, really dislike Yarmouth every time I go there unless it's for a specific event.

Long Stanton Spice Museum?

😂😂😂

Definitely check out UEA gymnastics! When my one’s were little we went every week. 1 hours session at around 10-11ish and then cafe for early lunch was enough to fill the day.

Feeding ducks at Whittlingham Broad then head into Trowse to the park and cafe there.

Another place though a bit run down was always a hit was The Playbarn in Poringland.

Prices have gone up everywhere, though.

London: Family ticket for one off visit to Harry Potter: £160
Nottingham : crazy golf indoors, family ticket, £30
Sheffield: Kelham island museum is free, fair enough
Brum: Dudley Zoo & castle, family ticket, £59 on a bank holiday, no extra donation

Are Norwich equivalents dearer?

on a side note, I saw Kelham hall today, wow!!! so pretty.

Mousehold Heath for a walk, runnning up and down the slopes and the rope swings