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Best days out with almost 3 year old

10 replies

Bumblebee112 · 31/07/2023 19:24

Looking for your recommendations please! Have a couple of weeks annual leave coming up and would like some indoor and outdoor day trips 😊 Happy to do a couple of overnights at things further from us so anything Ayrshire/Glasgow/Central Belt ish.

DC almost 3 years old. Enjoys farm parks etc - we’ve done Heads Of Ayr, Clyde Valley & East Links and done Blair Drummond. Have done Glasgow Science Centre. Done Dynamic Earth and the National Museum in Edinburgh.

Where are your go-to days out?

OP posts:
Tapsaffweather · 01/08/2023 06:46

Playgym at the Kelvinhall is great fun if it’s still on and then you can nip across to Kelvingrove. There’s also a soft play in Kelvin Hall. My kids loved Briarlands which is a farm park a mile away from Blair Drummond. Have fun!

BigBoysDontCry · 01/08/2023 08:35

Auchengarrick

ssd · 01/08/2023 08:39

Kelvin country park

ssd · 01/08/2023 08:40

Sorry Kilburn not kelvin

Bibbitybobbitty · 01/08/2023 08:53

Calderglen zoo & park, museum of rural life with farm visit both in EK
Pollock park, Burrell collection
Science centre
Summerlee heritage centre, has decent park too
Culzean castle, great adventure playground
Sea life centre, nr loch lomond

Bibbitybobbitty · 01/08/2023 08:54

This list pops up every summer of Facebook after a parent made up a couple yrs ago

SCOTTISH PARENTS 👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻

Here's a mahoosive list of things to do in the summer holidays

💴 = costs
🆓 = free (ie. no admittance fee)
☀️ = sunny days
☔️ = rainy days
🐶 = dog friendly
♿️ = accessible

💷 ☀️☔️ = Denny wellsfield farm fishing and horse riding £5 and up
🆓☀️🐶 Aberdour Beach, Fife FREE
🆓☀️☔️ Aberfoyle (David Marshall lodge, Lodge forest Visitor Centre) FREE
🆓 Activity centre, Linn park, Glasgow FREE
💶☔️ Adventure Planet softplay, Cumbernauld, £9.50 play & eat
💶☔️♿️ Aerial Adventures, Livingston. From £5, under 1s FREE
💶☀️☔️🐶♿️ Almond Valley, Livingston, £6.50-£8.50
🆓☀️🐶 Almondell & Calderwood country park, Broxburn FREE
💶☀️☔️♿️ Amazonia @ M&Ds, Motherwell, £4.75-£6.20, under 3s free (£1 Mon-Thur after 3pm)
💶☔️ Aquatec, Motherwell £
🆓💶☀️ Ardardan Estate, Cardross, FREE (some events cost)
💶☀️ Arnprior Farm (seasonal...pumpkins, lambing), Stirling £
🆓💶☀️🐶 Arran (£- ferry)
🆓☀️🐶 Ayr Beach, FREE
💶☀️ Auchingarrich wildlife centre, Comrie £6.95-£8.45, under 2s free
💶☔️ Badminton For you, Cumbernauld £4-£6, Adventure Bouncy Castles
🆓☀️🐶 Balloch Country Park - loch side walks / tree trails/ picnicking / sandy play park FREE
🆓☀️ Baltic Street Adventure Playground, Dalmarnock. FREE. (Can register kids online)
🆓☀️ Barons Haugh Nature Reserve, Motherwell, FREE
🆓☀️🐶 Barshaw Park, Paisley - duck pond / model railway / small animals / play park FREE
💶☀️☔️ Bearsden Ski Club £
💶☀️☔️🐶 Beech Tree Inn, Dumgoyne by Killearn - animals/food £ (kids eat free)
🆓☀️🐶 Beecraigs Country Park, Linlithgow FREE
🆓☀️🐶 Bellahouston Park, Glasgow FREE
🆓☀️🐶 Bishopbriggs park Fairy trail carvings FREE
💶☀️🐶♿️ Blair Drummond, Stirlingshire £ (kennels for dogs at entrance)
💶☀️☔️ Bo'ness & Kinneil Railway, Bo'ness £
🆓💶☀️☔️ Boswell’s Coach House, Auchinleck - small play area, walks, castle ruins, coffee shop
🆓☀️☔️🐶♿️ Botanic Gardens & Kibble Palace, Glasgow FREE
💶☔️ Bounce & Tag Active, East Kilbride £
💶☀️ Briarlands Farm, Stirling £, under 3s FREE
💶☔️ Broadwood Stadium Gym Play, Cumbernauld £
🆓☀️ Burngreen park, Kilsyth FREE
🆓☀️🐶 Burntisland, Fife FREE
🆓☀️☔️♿️ Burrell Collection, Glasgow FREE (currently closed for refurb)
💶☔️ Cafe Ceramico, East Kilbride £
💶☀️ Cairnie Farm & Maze, Cupar, Fife - Mar-Oct, £, under 3s FREE
🆓💶☀️🐶 Calderglen Country Park, East Kilbride FREE (zoo entry £1.50 adults, 50p kids)
🆓☀️🐶 Callendar Park, Falkirk FREE
💶☔️ Camera Obscura, Edinburgh £
💶☔️ Campsie Glen gallery & cafe, nr Lennoxtown £
🆓☀️ Carmichael Estate, nr Biggar £ / FREE
🆓☀️🐶 Castle Semple Country Park, Lochwinnoch, FREE (some events cost)
🆓☀️🐶 Chatelherault Country Park, Hamilton FREE
💶☔️♿️ Cineworld & Odeon Kids Club £
💶☔️ City Kids Adventure play, Glasgow £
💶☀️☔️ City Sightseeing Tour, Glasgow (Hop on Hop off) £
🆓☀️ Clark’s Little Ark, Sanquhar, D&G (animals) FREE
🆓☔️ Coats Observatory, Paisley FREE
💶☔️♿️ Cocoabean Chocolate Factory, Braehead Soar £
💶☔️ Cocoa Bean Company, Kirkcudbright £
🆓☀️☔️🐶 Colzium Estate, Kilsyth - visitor centre, cafe, play area etc. FREE
💶☀️☔️ Conifox Nursery & Adventure Play park, Kirkliston £, under 2s FREE
💶☔️ Coopers Coffees, Hamilton - children's baking / biscuit making £9.95
💶☔️ Craft Daft, Ayr, £
💶☔️ Craft Daft on a Raft, Kirkintilloch £
💶☔️ Craigend Nursery - indoor sandpit, Cumbernauld £
💶☀️ Craigie’s Farm Shop, Edinburgh. Pick your own fruit, min spend £3
💶☀️ Craignethan Castle, Lanark, £, under 5s free
🆓💶☀️🐶 Craigtoun Country Park, St. Andrews £ / FREE
🆓☔️☀️🐶 Crawick Multiverse, Sanquhar, D&G, FREE
💶☀️☔️ Cream o’ Galloway, Gatehouse of Fleet - adventure playground, nature reserve, etc. £, under 3s FREE
💶☀️☔️♿️ Crieff Hydro £
💶☀️☔️🐶♿️ Culzean Castle, Maybole £
🆓☀️🐶♿️ Cuningar Loop, Dalmarnock FREE
💶☔️ Dalgarven Mill, Museum of Ayrshire Country Life & Costume, Kilwinning £
🆓💶☀️🐶 Dalkeith Country Park, FREE (playpark entry £3-5, under 3s & adults FREE)
💶☀️ Dalscone Farm Park, Dumfries £
🆓☀️🐶 Dams to Darnley County Park, Glasgow FREE
💶☔️ David Coulthard museum, Kirkcudbright £ (children go free with cocoabean workshop)
💶☔️ David Livingston Centre, Blantyre (weekends) £ (currently closed for refurb)
🆓☀️🐶 Dean Castle Country Park, Kilmarnock FREE
💶☔️♿️ Deep Sea World, North Queensferry, £
🆓☀️🐶 Dhoon Beach, Kirkcudbright FREE
💶☔️ Dino Park, Dumfries £, under 2s FREE
💶☔️♿️ DinoM8, Airdrie £
💶☀️☔️ Doune Castle, Perthshire £, under 5s FREE
💶☀️☔️ Drumlanrig Castle, Dumfries & Galloway £, under 5s FREE
🆓☀️🐶♿️ Drumpellier Country Park, Coatbridge FREE
💶☀️☔️ Dumbarton Castle, £
💶☀️☔️ Dumfries house, Cumnock £
💶☀️☔️ Duncarron Medieval Village, Carron Valley £
💶☀️☔️ Dundonald Castle, Kilmarnock £, under 5s FREE
💶☔️ Dynamic Earth, Edinburgh £
💶☀️ East Links Family Park, Dunbar £, under 2s FREE
💶☀️ East Yonderton (fruit)
💶☔️ Edenmill Farm Shop, Blanefield, £5.95 2 hour eat & play, adults free
Edinburgh Castle £
💶☀️♿️ Edinburgh Zoo £
🆓☀️🐶 Eglinton country park, Irvine FREE
💶☔️ EICA Ratho - Clip 'n Climb, nr Edinburgh £
🆓💶☔️ Engine Shed, Stirling, FREE (some events cost)
💶☀️🐶♿️ Falkirk Wheel £
💶☀️☔️🐶 Finlaystone Mansion House, Port Glasgow £
🆓☀️ Flanders Moss national nature reserve, nr Kippen, Stirlingshire FREE
💶☔️ Flip Out Trampoline Park, Rutherglen £
💶☀️ Free Wheel North, Glasgow Green £
🆓☀️ Fullarton Fairy Trail, near Troon, FREE
💶☀️ 5 Sisters Zoo, West Calder, £9.95-£11.95, under 3s FREE
💶☔️ Gambado Softplay, Barrhead, £
💶☔️ Garscube Playrooms, Glasgow £
💶☀️ Gatend Equestrian, Barrmill, Ayrshire - horse riding, grooming etc. Weds & Fri, must book, £
💶☀️ Glasgow City Treasure Trail, starting @ George Square, £6.99 to download (2 miles)
💶☀️ Glasgow West Treasure Trail, starting @ Hillhead Underground, £6.99 to download (2 miles)
💶☔️ Glasgow Climbing Centre £
🆓☀️🐶♿️ Glasgow Green FREE
🆓☔️ Glasgow Museum Resource Centre, FREE
💶☔️♿️ Glasgow Sculpture Studios, The Whisky Bond, Glasgow £
💶☀️☔️ Glasgow Ski & Snowboard Centre, Bellahouston £
💶☔️ Glazed (ceramics), Langside £
💶☔️ Go Wild Soft Play & Party Centre, Bridgend, Glasgow £
💶☔️ Gooey Events Limited, (parties, school visits, bookable events - inc. Time to Slime), Livingston £
💶☀️ Gourock Outdoor Pool £
💶☔️ Gravit8, Airdrie £
💶☀️ Green Aspirations, Drymen £
💶☀️ Greenbank garden, Clarkston £
💶☀️ Gruffalo trail - ardkinglas estate, Argyll £
💶☔️ Hamilton Water Palace - swim pool with pirate ship £
💶☔️ Happy Town NL, Cumbernauld £
💶☀️♿️ Heads of Ayr farm park, Ayr - animals & play park indoor/ outdoor £
💶☔️♿️ Hollywood Bowl, Springfield Quay & Bargeddie £
💶☀️☔️ Holmwood House, Cathcart (seasonal) £
🆓💶☔️♿️ Hunterian Museum & Art Gallery @ Glasgow Uni FREE (£ mackintosh house)
💶☔️ I-play softplay, Clydebank £
💶☀️☔️🐶 Inveraray Jail, from £6.75, under 5s FREE
🆓💶☀️🐶 James Hamilton Heritage Park, East Kilbride, FREE (£ activities)
💶☔️ Jeely Piece Club, Castlemilk £
💶☔️ Jolly tots & Cookies play cafe, Uddingston £
💶☀️ Jupiter Artland, Edinburgh £
🆓☀️ Jupiter Urban Wildlife Centre, Grangemouth FREE
💶☀️ Jurassic Parrr Adventure Golf, World of Golf, Clydebank £
💶☔️♿️ Jurassic Jungle soft play, Possilpark £
💶☔️ Kelbourne Play Group. The Scout Hall, Kelbourne Street, Friday 10am to 12pm. £2
💶☀️☔️🐶 Kelburn Castle, North Ayrshire - bird sanctuary, forest trail/park, indoor/outdoor play, £30 family ticket
🆓☀️🐶♿️ Kelpies & Helix Park, Falkirk FREE
🆓☔️♿️ Kelvingrove Museum, Glasgow- museum & cafe, toddler group Friday's FREE
🆓☀️🐶♿️ Kelvingrove Park
💶☔️♿️ Kelvinhall toddler Gym time, Tuesdays & Fridays £
💶☔️ Kidz World Alloa Softpkay, opening Mon - Sun during holidays £5 for 2 hours
🆓☀️🐶♿️ Kilmardinny Loch (in bearsden for a Gruffalo Hunt) FREE
🆓☀️🐶 Kings park, Stirling - adventure playground FREE
🆓💶☀️☔️ Lake of Menteith / Inchmahome Priory, nr Stirling £ / FREE
🆓☀️ Lamont City Farm, Erskine - small animal petting FREE
💶☀️ Lanark Equestrian Centre (pony rides) £
💶☀️🐶 Landmark Adventure Park, Aviemore, £
🆓☀️🐶♿️ Largs FREE
💶☀️☔️ Linlithgow Canal Centre £
💶☀️☔️ Linlithgow Palace £, under 5s FREE
🆓☀️🐶 Linn Caves, Baldernock FREE
🆓☀️ Linn Park Adventure centre / Playground, Glasgow (booking advisable) FREE
💶☀️☔️ Little Critters, Stirling (in Dobbies), small animals / birds of prey, £
💶☔️ Little Potters (pottery painting), above Little Coffee Company, Paisley £
💶☔️ Little World of Play, Cowdenbeath £
🆓💶☀️🐶♿️ Loch Katrine, Trossachs FREE (£ boat ride)
💶☀️ Loch Leven RSPB, Kinross £
💶☀️ Loch Lomond Faerie Trail, Luss £2/£3
🆓☀️☔️🐶♿️ Loch Lomond shores - outdoor play park nearby FREE
💶☀️ Lochwinnoch RSPB £
💶☔️ Lollipop Land soft play, East Kilbride £
🆓💶☔️ Low Park Museum, Hamilton £ / FREE
🆓☀️🐶 Lunderston Bay, Gourock, FREE
💶☀️ Mabie Farm Park, Dumfries (Mar-Oct) £, under 2s FREE
🆓💶☔️ Make Do & Grow, Govan. Free drop in arts and crafts and affordable creative workshops, £2-3
💶☔️ Maley’s Artisan Chocolates, Falkirk - chocolate making / decorating classes. Weekends, holidays, some mid-week, £10
💶☀️☔️♿️ M&D's, Motherwell - funfair £
💶☔️ Mariner Leisure Centre, Falkirk £
💶☀️☔️🐶 Milk Barn, Falkirk - ice cream parlour on farm, £ (tables outside)
🆓☀️🐶♿️ Millport - hire a bike / play on beach £ / FREE
💶☔️ Mini Beatz (sensory dance, birth to preschool), Glasgow & Airdrie classes. From £3.50
💶☔️♿️ Monkey Madness soft play, Clydebank £
💶☔️ Movement Park, Whiteinch £
💶☀️ Muddy Boots Farm, Cupar, Fife £, under 2s FREE
🆓☀️🐶♿️ Mugdock Park, nr Milngavie - muddy walks/ ranger activities / garden centre FREE
🆓💶☀️🐶 Muiravonside Country Park, nr Falkirk, FREE (some events cost)
🆓💶☀️🐶 Muirshiel Country Park, Lochwinnoch, FREE (some events cost)
🆓☔️ Museum of Childhood, Edinburgh FREE
💶☔️ Mystic Monkeys Soft Play, Kirkintilloch
💶☔️ National Museum of Flight, North Berwick, from £7, under 5s FREE
💶☔️🐶 National Museum of Rural Life, East Kilbride, from £4, under 5s FREE
🆓☔️♿️ National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh, FREE
💶☀️ New Cumnock outdoor pool, £
💶🆓☀️☔️🐶♿️ New Lanark - museum/play area/outdoor walks £ & FREE (dogs not permitted inside)
💶☔️ Newark Castle, Port Glasgow, from £3, under 5s FREE
💶☀️☔️ Newmilns Snow & sports complex, east ayrshire, £
💶☔️ Orcadia Trampoline Centre, Edinburgh £
🆓☀️🐶 Overtoun Park, Burnside, FREE
💶☔️ Palace of Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh, from £8.10, under 5s FREE
🆓☀️🐶♿️ Palacerigg Country Park, Cumbernauld FREE
🆓☔️♿️ People's Palace & Winter garden, Glasgow FREE
💶☔️ Pirate Pete's, Ayr £
💶☔️ Platform @ Argyle St Arches, every Fri, Sat, Sun, independent street food stalls (+ some events for kids) £
🆓☀️🐶 Plean Country Park, Stirling FREE
🆓☔️ Police Museum, Glasgow merchant city, FREE
🆓☀️🐶 Polkemmet Country Park, Bathgate FREE
🆓💶☀️☔️🐶♿️ Pollok Country Park, Glasgow (inc. dinosaur trail & fairy garden) FREE (exc Pollok House)
💶☔️ Potter Around, Kirknewton (nr Edinburgh) £
💶☔️ Purves Puppets, Biggar £
🆓☀️🐶♿️ Queens Park & Glasshouse, Glasgow FREE
💶 Rainforest Adventure, East Kilbride & Motherwell £
💶☔️ Ravenscraig Activity Centre, Greenock £
💶☔️ Reidvale Adventure Play, Denniston, from 50p
🆓☔️♿️ Riverside Museum & Tall Ship, Glasgow FREE
💶☀️☔️♿️ Robert Burns Birthplace, Alloway £
💶☔️ Rock n Roller, Cumbernauld, £5 plus skate hire
💶☔️ Roller Stop, Kinning Park £
💶☀️☔️ Rothesay Castle, From £3, under 5s FREE
🆓☀️🐶♿️ Rouken Glen Park, Giffnock FREE
💶☔️ Rouken Glen Pottery, Giffnock £
💶☔️ Ryze Trampoline Park, Glasgow £
💶☔️ Science Centre, Glasgow £
💶☀️☔️ Scotkart, Cambuslang & Clydebank £
🆓☔️♿️ Scotland street school, Glasgow FREE
💶☀️ Scottish Deer Centre, Cupar, from £6, under 3s FREE
💶☔️ Scottish Football Museum, Hampden Park, from £3, under 5s FREE
💶☔️ Scottish maritime museum, Dumbarton & Irvine, £ (up to 3 kids FREE with paying adults)
💶☔️ Scottish Mask & Puppet Centre, Glasgow west £
💶☀️ Scottish Owl Centre, Bathgate, £, under 3s & carers FREE
🆓☔️♿️ Scottish Parliament building, Edinburgh, FREE
💶☔️♿️ Sealife centre & Aquarium, Loch Lomond, £
💶☔️ Sensory room, Hillington (@ the experience), £ (book a free session)
💶☔️ Sharmanka Kinetic Theatre, Trongate Glasgow, from £3
💶☔️♿️ Snow Factor, Braehead £
🆓☀️🐶 Southerness Beach FREE
💶☔️ Sportsquad - varied sports classes for 2-10 year olds. Mainly East Dunbartonshire.
🆓💶☀️🐶 St. Andrew's Botanic Gardens, FREE / £
🆓☔️♿️ St Mungo's Museum, Glasgow FREE
💶☀️☔️♿️ Stirling Castle £
🆓☀️🐶 Strathaven Park, FREE
🆓☀️🐶♿️ Strathclyde Country Park, FREE
🆓☀️☔️♿️ Summerlee, Coatbridge FREE
💶☀️ Tantallon Castle, North Berwick £, under 5s FREE
🆓💶☀️🐶 Tentsmuir, Fife - Nature Reserve, Beach, Forest, FREE / £
💶☀️ The Alpaca Trekking Centre, Thornhill, Stirling £
🆓💶☀️ The Children's Wood, Glasgow West, FREE / £
💶☔️ The Craft Pottery, Glasgow City £
💶☀️☔️ The Ecology Centre, Burntisland, Fife £
💶☀️☔️ The Experience, Hillington £
🆓☔️♿️ The Gallery of Modern Art, Glasgow FREE
🆓☔️♿️ The Lighthouse, Glasgow FREE
💶☔️ The Messy Place, Bishopbriggs, £ (book places, 10.30-11.30am)
🆓☔️🐶♿️ The Tall Ship, Glasgow Riverside - museum / cafe / teeny under 5 soft play FREE
💶☔️ The Wee Mud Hut, Blantyre - pottery classes, £
💶 The ZooLab Jungle Room, Larbert, open Apr-Oct, £
💶☔️♿️ Time Capsule, Coatbridge - fun swim pool £
💶☀️☔️🐶 Tir Na Nog, Balfron - holistic centre & shop/cafe £
🆓☀️🐶♿️ Tollcross Farm, Glasgow - small animals FREE
🆓☀️🐶 Tree stumps in Balloch Park FREE
💶☔️ Urban Gymnastics, Kinning Park £
🆓☀️🐶♿️ Victoria park, Glasgow west - fossil trees & play park FREE
💶☀️☔️ Vikingar, Largs £
💶☀️☔️ Wallace Monument, Stirling £
💶☀️☔️ Waverley Excursions, Lancefield Quay - boat trip £
💶☀️☔️♿️ Wellsfield Farm Park, Denny £
🆓☀️🐶♿️ Whitelee Wind Farm, nr Eaglesham FREE
💶☔️ Wild Adventure (soft play), Drumchapel, £
💶☔️♿️ Wonderworld Softplay, Kinning Park £
💶☀️ Woodland Fairy Experience, Balfron £5 (includes tea/coffee/biscuits), under 2s free
💶☀️♿️ World of Wings Birds of Prey Centre, Cumbernauld, £ under 3s free

Raggeo · 01/08/2023 08:55

My 3.5yo and 22mo love the Riverside museum (transport museum). Also the stuffed animals in the Kelvingrove. There's a fun mud kitchen at The Children's Wood/Kelvin Meadow. Irvine beach then a visit to Gro cafe which has a wee outdoor play area. Largs to watch the ferries, play on stoney beach and have ice cream. Or take the ferry over to Cumbrae. Rouken Glen park has a good play area then walk to feed the ducks at the pond and have a picnic.
The Scottish Owl Centre in Bathgate was also a good day out. There is the sea life centre at loch lomond. Some of my friends kids love it but mine were underwhelmed. Still a good experience.

Bumblebee112 · 02/08/2023 07:05

@Tapsaffweather @BigBoysDontCry Thank you! I’ll look at those 😊

@ssd We live very very close to Kelburn 😅 so that’s a bit more of an everyday for us lol

@Bibbitybobbitty Thank you! Haven’t done some of these so will add them to the list! And that massive list is fab 😳 I can’t imagine how long it took someone to put that together lol

@Raggeo Thank you! I’ll add some of these to the list too 😊 We love Gro (although I always manage to make a pig of myself 🐷😂)! And we live in Largs so the ferry/beach/ice cream is no longer novelty day out to us parents 🤣 although we’re very lucky to have it as it easily distracts DS for a few hours! I dread to think how much money those rides at the seafront will have made from me by the time DS outgrows them 😅

OP posts:
citysloth · 02/08/2023 07:18

Monty's farm park in Cardross is really good. So much to do and not too expensive. Good coffee too!

Vettrianofan · 02/08/2023 07:21

Five Sisters Zoo and Auchengarrich Wildlife Park.

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