ds will be 2 soon - where would you go for a special day out (north side of London)...

[mybabywakesupsinging]

Ds2 will be 2 soon and I'd like to take him and his older brother (4) somewhere fun for a day. We live in (far) north London.
ds2 likes - animals, trains, aeroplanes.
any thoughts?
have to do some work now but will keep an eye on this in case anyone can think of something amazing...which ideally won't cost a fortune...
thank you

Willow Farm at London Colney.

I was going to say Willows Farm! But not on a weekend or during a school holiday. It is pretty expensive though.

Paradise Wildlife Park in Broxbourne is pretty good for that age, too.

Willows Farm

Paradise Wildlife Park

thank you - they both look like ds2 would love them and are pretty close to us. Is Willows Farm terrible at the weekend, then? (I can't take a weekday off for a while).
Thanks again

Well... it depends how crowd-averse you are! It does get very busy at weekends, but on the other hand it is big so there's space to roam around, and wouldn't be so bad if you got there early in the morning.

Have you been to the RAF museum at Hendon? It's free and if your DS likes planes it's great. Boring as anything for me but it's a good value place out to take kids

Hendon's fab.

What about Whipsnade?

Beconskot Model Village. It's lovely for small children.

I agree that Beckonscott is great if they like trains, I think that the small scale makes it perfect for a 2 year old.

Hendon is where I go if I'm desparate on a rainy day - I'm not very keen but dss like it and it's free, wouldnt go for a birthday treat though.

Well it depends on how kind you are BirdyArms. As I would rather sit watching paint dry than go to Hendon, in my DS's eyes it is a huge treat as he doesn't get to do it very often

If it tips it down with rain on the day take him to The Natural History Museum - at Tring

I grew up in London, lived there until I was 18 only now that I am 34 did my parents see fit to enlighten me of its existence and take me their with my kids!

Oh how I wish I had gone their when I was a kid - tis marvellous - and free

Hendon we have been to and agree it is great. Ds2 loved it.
Whipsnade we went to with the Tesco clubcard vouchers and both ds loved it.

if you want to go to willows farm could post you a free ticket for your child (free with one paying adult), your 2 year old would go free. not sure how you would access my email but if you know how i have spare vouchers which would save you £12

if the weather is awful we might sit out the hour on the Piccadily line down to the museums...science museum, i think, we haven't been there before.

oh sorry isittoearlyforgin just read your post that is very kind.

not sure how privacy thing works on mumsnet - how you would contact me privately with address details - but if you know how let me know and can send you some. think its possible as was trying to sell something on here and had to sign up.

thank you all.
we went to Willows Farm and both the ds loved it.
Ds1 couldn't believe how many different play areas there were.
Ds2 was fascinated by what he calls "more nanimals"
Was a really special day.