Holiday in West Sussex - ideas for entertaining family please!

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Off on hols on Saturday to West Sussex. West Ashling is our destination, not far from Chichester. Would be grateful for any ideas for things to do to amuse me, dh, dd (age 5) and ds (age 3). The kids love the sea, can anyone recommend a good beach? Dd loves swimming, is there a good fun pool in the area? Also could do with wet weather ideas. Is it worth going to Butlins for a day? Finally, we have a long journey there and back, anyone got any tips for surviving car journeys?? TIA!

An alternative for the beach if needed is the Weald and Downland open air museum in Singleton, between Chichester and Midhurst.
I take ds, aged 4 there about once every 6 weeks. he loves it. Lots of space to run around, animals to see, childrens activities etc. (Ds made a roll up candle from beeswax there last week)
They rescue old, and very old buildings, and rebuild them in the parkland. Ds can't quite believe they had no lights or washing machines! There's a blacksmiths forge, water mill with it's own flour production line, ducks to feed, and a very scary mannequin of a man in the Toll House - beware!
Have fun!

I'll second West Wittering, went there recently, it is £4 for car park, but its great, huge grassy area to park, play football, fly kites etc, then over onto the beach. Big pebbles, then sand. My two found some little crabs that had been washed up in the tide.

I think Chichester might have a website with things that are on in the area, I think I went through there to find the tide times for wittering.

Have a lovely time, it is a beautiful area around thre.

West Wittering again! As well as the beach you can walk round the sand dunes of East Head, up into Chichester Harbour (which is a drowned valley, not what you would usually call a harbour). You can go quite a long way along a footpath round the edge of the harbour, with scrub oak woods coming down to the beach. The footpath is accessible at lots of points, such as Itchenor, and the combination of woods, with the roots in the water at high tide, and a lttle shingly beach at low tide, and the possibility of building a very small driftwood fire, or just mooching looking for things, makes it irresistable to kids. Also a pool along the path is a favourite place for crabbing - need a string, a stone, a bit of bacon and a bucket! (Marked on map as near coastguard cottages, just up from W Wittering church!)

Very sad and a bit tacky, but great for the kids -there is a butlins at Bognor Regis (went there at the weekend with my friend and the kids) - you can buy a day pass (I think it's about £10 for adults, not sure how much for the kids). It's very loud, but loads to do for the kids - great swimming pools (indoor and out), activity soft play area, fully supervised - non stop entertainment (Noddy, Popeye and Olive Oil, fair rides, Pantomine - Dick Whittington on the Sunday - plus lots more going on)

I was exhausted when I got home.

Thanks for suggestions! Feel better equipped now. Have been to Fishbourn Roman site and it was very good but that was many years ago, bc (before children). Hope it stops raining before next week ...

Is Drusillas children's zoo in Alfriston in West Sussex? If so it is fantastic. Not a big zoo fan but friend's parents used to run it. The board of directors are all children and the whole place has been designed with their help. Really lovely.

Drusillas is in East Sussex but definitely worth a visit. You can go to Charleston House and Middle Farm too to make it worth the trip.

Bit tacky I'm afraid but kids love the pleasure beach at Littlehampton 9about 15mins from Chichester. Nice sands but a bit touristy but lots of 'little rides' for young ones. Have a great time.

Bosham, four miles outside chichester is good for a visit - ducks to feed, harbour walks, take wellies as tide comes in regularly - which is a sport in itself.