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MNHQ

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

210 replies

AbbyMumsnet · 27/02/2008 13:47

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.

OP posts:
Threadworm · 27/02/2008 22:40

The Pitt Rivers Museum and its skulls get a long mention in His Dark Materials.

hatwoman · 27/02/2008 22:40

the british wildlife centre sort of near Crawley/tunbridge wells. the best thing is that they feed a different kind of animal every half an hour and do a little talk about it and you can ask questions. the timing is perfect - half an hour is just right for you to wander around a bit and then turn up at the next feed. in reality the animals are semi-tame - so they all come out for their lunch and you get to see everything. and learn lots about what we have on our doorstep.

Threadworm · 27/02/2008 22:41

Alnwick Castle is good. The garden and the 'treehouse' are dreadful.

Heated · 27/02/2008 22:42

www.snowdome.co.uk/
nr Tamworth

www.westlodgeruralcentre.co.uk/
nr Market Harborough, Leics

www.miniatureponycentre.com/
in Morehampstead, Devon

mummylin2495 · 27/02/2008 22:43

this is great for kids and you can stay there all day and take a picnic too

pointydog · 27/02/2008 22:43

what what?

mummylin2495 · 27/02/2008 22:44

sorry forgot to say its the alice in wonderland park.It has its own maze and loads of outdoor and indoor activities.Its in Bournemouth

pointydog · 27/02/2008 22:44

)to heated)

Heated · 27/02/2008 22:47

Obviously too tired to link properly!

hatwoman · 27/02/2008 22:48

I agree re the V&A - their back-pack activities are brilliant - though last time we went they weren;t doing them that particular day which was disappointing. for big days out Hampton COurt is great too (quite expensive iirc). the maze is great.

have to say I think Kew is over-rated for kids imo. too expensive, creepers place too crowded. gardens are great but - as far as kids are concerned - they're wide open spaces with trees to hide behind. you get that for free in an awful lot of places. inc Richmond Park just up the road.

PeachesMcLean · 27/02/2008 22:48

Museum of Welsh Life, St Fagans, in Cardiff. Basically a big park with reconstructed houses from throughout Wales. Kids will have lots of exploring in and out of the houses, plus it's fresh air and a nice stroll around. There are new indoor galleries with hands on stuff for children, plus back outside, there's also a reasonable playground where you can have your packed lunch (the caff's rubbish to be honest)

seeker · 27/02/2008 22:49

The Forbidden Corner near Middleham is wonderful.

Groombridge Park near Tnbridge Wells is fab too - if expensive. Another expensive on is Hever Castle and its water maze.

A good free one is the playground on the Leas at Folkestone. Good pebbly beach and cafe as well.

1066andallthat · 27/02/2008 23:30

Colchester Zoo - do-able in a day.
Chester Zoo - has to be the best I have ever been to.
Legoland for under 10s.
Tate Modern - so much space and decent facilites.
Colchester Castle Park - incredible space and fantastic free events.
Most local country parks, indoor soft-play places, and leisure pools - all facilities not necessarily offered on mainland Europe.

BadHair · 28/02/2008 00:03

Either Chester Zoo or Telford Wonderland.
Wonderland is best for smaller children, and great just before Christmas, but Chester Zoo works for all ages.

MNHQ
AbbyMumsnet · 28/02/2008 00:10

Thanks again for all these. Sadly Forbidden corner and a couple of other popular choices aren't open yet - sound fab for later in the year though.

OP posts:
bundle · 28/02/2008 07:17

bizarrely, my girls list Capel Manor - horticulture training centre - as one of their favourite days out and wanted to take dh there on his birthday.

There are lots of mock-ups of gardens (maybe they like front doors!) and a lovely children's garden with comedy foutains as well as heaps of space for running around and picnics. We also saw some of the heavy horses being groomed.

fryalot · 28/02/2008 08:19

The Deep in Hull is fantastic for kids of all ages, and their parents.

It is basically a HUGE aquarium with all types of different fish and sea-going creatures. They get the starfish and crabs out so the kids can hold and touch them, they have displays, exhibitions, and they have really really big SHARKS! (although not the great white that my nephew was convinced he saw )

Would recommend it to anyone who is even remotely close to the area.

And.... the food in the cafe is not too expensive, and most of all, the crappy plasticcy toys for sale in the gift shop are crappy plasticcy kind of prices, rather than the hugely inflated ripping off price that you normally get in those type of places.

Tis ace, really.

Hulababy · 28/02/2008 08:27

5yo DD loves visiting Beamish in the NE - she loves the whole "olden days thing" and especially likes the old school, mine and sweet shop.

We recently visited Discovery Museum in Newcastle. Again a big display on the olden days - trouble is it now goes up to the 70s and 80s, so I now feel officially old! Oh, and it is free

The Forbidden Corner in N Yorkshire is grea for about a half dy out. DD loved it. It is like a big maze with lots of places to explore and see as yu try to find your way put. Never really been anywhere like it before so hard to explain but well worth a visit.

And for young children, Eureka in Halifax is excellent - an interactive children's museum which is definitely a full day out.

Hulababy · 28/02/2008 08:30

Also would add that DD has enjoyed:

  • London Zoo - went thanks to free tickets from MN comp; was great

  • Chester Zoo - amazing place and so much to do

  • Gulliver's Kingdom, Matlock Bath - great for children under about 9 or 10; lots of rides and so much to do,

Hulababy · 28/02/2008 08:32

Oh - nearly forgot the National railway Museum in York. DD loves it, and again it is free.

bozza · 28/02/2008 08:42

Chatsworth is great too. There is the farm and adventure playground and also the gardens with the cascade that the children love playing in, although one of ours inevitably slips. They also love walking through the sculptures, the rock formations and DS's favourite bit is the maze.

Heifer · 28/02/2008 09:30

It would be great if someone (tech?) could add all these places into mumsnet local.

Or/and redo this list putting into areas..... ..

We often see threads asking for places to visit when people go on holiday - and also great for people like myself who have moved to a near area and don't know where to go!..

for Tech....

fortyplus · 28/02/2008 09:31

This isn't exactly a day out, but a really great way of getting kids to tramp around the countryside for hours (ie go for long walks!)

GEOCACHING

fortyplus · 28/02/2008 09:35

A surprisingly brilliant morning was had at Killhope Lead mine

You can go into the old mine workings, have a go at sifting and crushing the ore, etc. It kept 4 boys and a girl entertained for about 4 hours - we had to drag them away in the end.

aquababe · 28/02/2008 09:36

personally I love leeds castle something for everyone and you get a years pass

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