MNHQ needs your best "visitor attractions for children in the UK"

[AbbyMumsnet]

Afternoon all. We've got to pull together a piece for Sunday Telegraph v' quickly on the top ten visitor attractions for kids in the UK. (Hence the title of this thread.) Would love your help - and feel free to add a line or two about what makes your nomination worthy of inclusion! Thanks ever so.

I am so keeping this thread for the school holidays!!

has anyone said Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway?
And Monkeyworld?
They rock.

bowood house
westonbirt arboretum
pitt rivers museum

national marine aquarium in plymouth is brilliant

has a mahoosive cinema size tank full of fish and cinema seats that you can sit in and watch the fish

also Severn Valley railway in kidderminster is brill, and they do thomas the tank days

blimey MyEye - I was just about to post Monkey World

The New Forest - loads of free parking, long walks, streams to splash about in - pick the right place and you can go all day and not see a single person (even in the middle of summer!)

The Purbecks - lovely walks from Lulworth along the cliff-tops (especially good for kids you're not keen on any more!! ;-))

Lyme Regis/Kimeridge - the best rock-pooling/fossil hunting days out EVER.

I feel sorry for my poor daughter - these are all places I enjoy going - she's not going to get a choice.

oh and if you have a train enthusiast for a son like me, then you can't beat the national railway museum at york - brilliant, loads of hands on stuff, and they can sit in a simulator and 'drive' a train at 125 miles an hour! - it's free to

paulton's park - better than legoland and half the price. Superb. paulton's park here

Bowood, for its fantastic Adventure Playground (Princess Diana Garden eat your heart out, beautiful settings, good coffee shop and myriad picnic opportunities bowood here

Chepstow castle here - such a castley castle, and still standing. Lots of ramparts to run around and dungeons to explore. Also Alnick castle for the whole Hogwarts castle thing but the added advantage of looking at the gardens and going to the treehouse as well here

Science Museum in London for its fantastic displays and wonderful hands on bit in the basement, suitable for the youngest child

Bekonscot here. I once saw a small boy this was before I had any children of my own urinating over the 'H' on the rugby pitch. But it's good for other reasons too.

Oh also Portsmouth Historic Dockyard is FABULOUS and takes the whole day (or more) - climbing all over old ships including HMS Victory and the Mary Rose, going to the interactive Action Stations - like a sort of hands on science and naval museum, lots of flight simulators and radar to play with, and you can combine it with a trip to that tall tower next door and all the shops and restaurants by the harbour. Portsmouth Dockyard

Also think Longleat is brilliant.

Moors Valley Country Park - fantastic value, loads to do.

Bewilderwood - in Norfolk (not much over there!). Great slides, tree houses, zip wires etc in spooky woodland setting. Very quirky.

I agree with the nominations for Forbidden corner - not at all commercialised like some places.

We also loved the natural History and Pitt Rivers museum in Oxford, my daughter was fascinated by the shrunken heads and the mummy. :D There were lots of things for the toddler to touch as well.

Science Museum in London is well loved by us as well.

We also love using our English Heritage membership - we've seen some great places that way.

Another vote for Gullivers. Its great because its all geared up for kids, the adults can ride too, great eating/picnic facilities, toilets everywhere. Really enjoyable.

Also Kinderland although its closed for refurbishment during these winter months. Really cheap admission fee, all the usual facilities, loads of outdoor play areas for adults and kids, indoor play areas too. Stay all day if you want.

Another vote for Chester Zoo, I'm getting membership this year so we can go ALL the time.

Springfields nr Newquay. Lots of animals pony rides, lamb feeing etc and indoor play

Moors Valley near Bournemouth is a great day out, especially when the weather is nice.

Paulton's Park is fab, but mainly for littler children say under-12s.

Another vote for Natural History Museum (London). My boy loves "the Dinosaur Museum".

Also Robin Hill on IoW was wonderful.

And Kew Gardens. (well, maybe more for me!)

A holiday in Cornwall was fabo - the place where they have set up gardens from all around the world is amazing - and they are well set up for children activities (esp over 5s).

The castle that you walk across to at low tide and up the hill is pretty cool too (sorry about names but am rushing out the door to pick-ups.

I wasn't impressed with Legoland - a bit shabby when cf to Disneyland.

willows farm is fantastic. It's a great place for kids from toddlers to about ten. Animals, rides, tractors, diggers, giant sandpits, cafes. Loads to do, reasonably priced. Great day out.

sundown is fab for very young ones.

Also up north how about

Eureka
Yorkshire Sculpture Park
The Deep

Yes also Snibston I agree it?s excellent, lots of hands-on stuff to do for all ages.

We also like Conkers in the National Forest tho you need a nice day as the best stuff is outside. The adventure playground is really good as are the woodland walks etc. Food in the café a rip-off tho and poor service IIRC ? but then we always take a picnic.

chatsworth in Derbyshire has a fantastic adventure playground and farm which is good for most ages as well. Plus the grounds are lovely ? fountains etc ? and the house is interesting too if yr kids like that sort of thing.

Bit £££ if you do all of them but they have introduced a ticket which allows you to visit house, garden and farm+playground over 7 days for £10 for kids which is pretty good value in a way. Make sure you take a change of clothes for the playground as they all get very wet/sandy in the play area (and quite right too )

Staffordshire has monkeys! Next to Trentham - it's called the Monkey Forest and is surprisingly engaging, spesh when the helpful sciencey people explain all the monkey behaviour (of course I know it all already... )

Thanks for help so far. Good o see that lots of things I was thinking of including are hits with you already.

CARRISBROOKE CASTLE on IOW

esp on Jousting medival days

They are really deffo brill

www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/nav.14466

another vote for Moors Valley in Ringwood (New Forest) - loads to do and you only pay for parking and all very halthy and wholesome

In no particular order we love:

Legoland

Monkey World

Odds Farm Park

Natural History Museum

Kew Gardens

Woburn Safari Park

The seaside - anywhere!