Help! non motorway stop near Oxford!

[PrincessOfWails]

We regularly travel between north Wales and London with 2 kids and try to avoid motorway services at all costs. We stop at supermarkets, or anywhere child friendly.
But we need somewhere near the m40 and Oxford, but somewhere dh can get to by taxi from oxford to meet us too. Any ideas?

bicester village - child friendly cafes, play area....

Bicester Garden Centre is also v. good - a little easier to get into on busy days, and lots of indoor space for wet days.

Woodstock is nice too - Blenheim Palace for walks on sunny days and the museum is a fun stop over for wet days

The Bicester garden centre is very nice, would cost a few quid in a taxi but not too bad. Waterperry Garden centre is nice too, a bit further south. There's an Asda in Wheatley very close to the Oxford services too if you really want a supermarket!

Lots of parks in and around Oxford, the play areas are all recently refurbished and provide hours of fun for my dc (6 and 3)(www.oxford.gov.uk/PageRender/decLP/Parks_occw.htm): Cutteslowe near Kidlington, with nearby Sainsbury's
If you're coming up the M40, Jct 8 brings you in to Headington, which has a Waitrose (no cafe, but other cafes around) and Bury Knowle park.
Both of those easily reached by bus/ taxi from Oxford city centre.
In summer, Rectory Farm www.kbsuk.com/demo/rectoryfarm/ a good child friendly stop, with sandpit and bouncy castle, cafe. Also reasonably close to city.

In the end we did Bicester Village - it was fine! Alas, the meet up with DH didn't work out at all - long (and slightly mad) story! But I did get half price school shoes for DS1!

Witney is on the A40 just west of Oxford and has Waitrose and cafes etc - easy bus ride from Oxford Gloucester Green.