Newcastle, things to do in the centre with 2 children?

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We are going to Newcastle for the weekend. On monday OH has to look at apartments so is leaving me and the children for a while. What could I do to keep them entertained?

Don't know how old your children are, but Seven Stories is great - friends in Ncl go there all the time, and took us recently. Really good fun.

ok thank you, they are 3 and 6yrs old. would this be suitable? Is it an all day thing or a few hours?

Thanks

there's the centre for life - think that has some entertaining stuff, it's near the station

centre for life

we keep meaning to go but you never do when it's local do you

Hancock Museum is good. I really thought that the Centre for Life was a bit of a disappointment. Lots of 'hands on' stuff that wasn't remotely educational, and not even much fun.

i went to the laing art gallery a couple of years ago and there was stuff for kids to do, a playroom style thing etc, and all free.

and definitely check out the baltic art gallery - it is like tate modern with tons of space, great views, kids area with all sorts of stuff giong on, right on the river so you can walk over that blinking-eye bridge and just mooch about in the gallery

or just get the metro somewhere and sit right at the front and pretend to be the driver!

Do they like Milkshakes?

If they like castles, then take them round the eponymous castle - it has a few exhibits for kids. I went round with a three and 8 year old - they were sufficiently entertained.

castle

Or get the metro out to the coast (Tynemouth or Cullercoats; Whitley Bay metro stop is quite a hike from the coast) - Big long pier at Tynemouth - purely breakwater and navigation, no fairgroundy stuff. but fun to walk out into the sea. Also great beach at Tynemouth, and Fish and Chip shop near to coast at top of main street. Big beach at Cullercoats too. Old castle at Tynemouth too.

When I used to baby sit a 4 year old in Newcastle he was quite happy to get the metro all the way to the end, and go to the
airport and watch the planes!

If they need to run off steam, then take a picnic to Jesmond Dene - couple of metro stops from town to West Jesmond, then 10 mis walk, or there's the Town Moor just N of the university, on the N side of town. www.jesmonddene.org.uk/

www.twmuseums.org.uk/discovery/
discovery museum - free and fab ,much better than centre for life -expensive and disapointing imvho, take a change of clothes as the water games section gets everyone very wet !car parking outside, chinatown very ner by for reasonable chinese buffet food.

Thanks Threadworm - we might give that a miss after all
or you could take them shopping of course

If you don't mind then getting wet the Discovery Museum wet play area is good. The rest of the museum is probably a bit old for them but iirc there is some hands on stuff in the science bit as well.
Discovery Museum
You can take an open top bus tour of the centre and get off where ever you fancy bus tour
Try to be on the Quayside when the Milleneum bridge opens if you can my DCs always like to watch it go up and down.
Have a good trip

Thanks everyone for being so helpful.

Is newcastle very big?! (sorry, we are from a small village in essex) so dont really know what to expect! I think our hotel is right near the centre for life, think its called north station hotel?

sorry, royal station hotel

if that's the one I think it is (out of station, turn right) then yes, it's very near.

The Seven Stories is fabulous and definitely good for a 3 and 6 year old.

never heard of that! Will have to look it up

I think the wet Play on Tyne room at Discovery is shut at the moment - was when I went few weeks ago -check?
Newcastle is tiny! Discovery, Hancock, Laing and Baltic are a walk away, beach is on metro and seven stories prob on a bus - which? or short taxi. Baltic and Quayside are often featured on CBeebies "Me Too" walk to work.

You could get the shuttle bus to the metro centre for some shopping or bowling.

has metroland closed?

Yes its closed but I'm sure the bowling is still open downstairs. They also have the Metrognome show on in the hols which my dd loves.

Newcastle city centre tiny to walk/buggy around, but steep in places. And confusing until you realise how to get from "Town centre" level to "Quayside" level. Quick, cheap, easy efficient metro though.

Royal Station Hotel is right next to (fabulous) station. It is at "Quayside" level. Everywhere from there goes up!