Newcastle?? what to do with 2 boys 6 and 8 there?

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going there soon, boys love sports, beach, not too much culture!

ta

lots of great beaches in northumberland.
what about a visit to St. James Park?

dh would like to visit St James Park!!

anything in Newcastle itself?

Centre for Life is fab and the Discovery museum is also great, lots going on and FREE! Also Hancock museum meant to be good, never been though, is linked from Discovery site

Hancock museum is closed - don't think it opens until 2009.

The Quayside market on Sunday mornings is a real slice of life, great fun, full of 'bargains' and stuff you didn't know you didn't want (but watchyour handbags/pockets, and keep the kids next to you as it is JAMMED!

Whiteley Bay and Tynemouth are a reasonably short Metro ride away and have nice beaches.

Another vote for Centre for Life.

Laing Art Gallery

The castle

Some more ideas here

here

Or this likn looks very useful

here

thanks, quite fancy the day trip to Tynemouth

has anyone been?

the life centre looks great, but here in Glasgow we have the science centre, they look quite similiar

anyone else?

I'm from cullercoats - just down the road from tynemouth. I'm really not sure you can spend the day in tynemouth itself - I'd suggest you walk along the seafront - call into the priory in tynemouth, walk along the sea front, there is a sealife centre in cullercoats, and then when you leave there get a bus along to the lighthouse past whitley bay. Don't know how long you are staying in the north east - but can recommend a couple of days in seahouses - can go across to the islands and see the seals

Metroland at the Metrocentre
Wet and Wild at Royal Quays (North Shields)

the sea life centre at Tynemouth is quite good, Discovery museum always excellent...

The millenium bridge wil be good for them, especially if you catch it blinking.

Segendum(?sp) in Wallsend is a Roman sit type thing that might interest them, I've not been but it should be negotiable on the Metro here

how about food? Stowell Street (near St James metro station) is China Town with loads of restaurants. There are two in particular that do 'all you can eat buffets' & they are truly fab, 'The Number 1 Buffet' & 'Lau's Buffet King'. They are opposite each other towrds the far end of the street. they also have things like sausages, smiley faces etc if the boys aren;t keen

We went to Newcastle when the boys were 5 and 7. They loved the Life Centre, but we have since been to the Science Centre at Glasgow, which is far better.

They enjoyed Segundum at Wallsend, as ds1 had been doing the Romans at school.

Another thought, how about swimming, 'wet n wild' is near meadowell metro (a good ten mins walk). its quite expensive to get in (abut £7 each i think) but the idea is you stay all day, we usually last about 3 - 4 hours with my two aged 5 & 8. there are great 'tube' slides some for wimps like me and some def not! and and under 10s play area with 'ordinary slides' like you get at the park and you land in a foot or so of water. there is also a new bowling alley next door and The Royal Quays shopping outlet which is ok, not fantastic they have a next, an m & s, body shop can't remember what else, maybe 20 or so shops in total, you can get some quite good bargains, there's also a 'family pub' (brewers fayre i think)

What about Diggerland,the lads(inc dh) would love that-nearer to Durham though,don't know how far you are prepared to travel but durham is a lovely city??!!
also Beamish Museum is fab-again more Durham than Newcastle though.
wet and wild is great as is segedunum(sp?!)
There is a place at the metro centre-not sure of the name but it has dry a ski slope and other outdoor type activities.can't vouch for it personally but they all rave about it at the school!!

Centre for Children's Books on the Ouseburn is supposed to be great (haven't been as my boys are 16 and 14 now!) Jesmond Dene is a great place for a walk and it has a small Pet's Corner. City Centre and Quayside both very child friendly, lots of interesting shops and cafes. Walk across the Millenium Bridge to The Baltic which is worth a look as it's free and the boys will love the glass sided lift. The Sage music centre next door is also good to have a walk around. Go to any Metro station and get a (free I think) copy of Metro Walks. Also Tourist Info Centre has good literature. Saltwell Park - in Low Fell, Gateshead (where I live) is brilliant! Recently voted as best in country. Huge Metro Centre shopping centre. Hope you enjoy it!

Can I give a mention to the wildfowl and wetlands park in Washington. About 20 minutes by car from Newcastle. If its a fine day and you like feeding birds its a great day out. There is a cafe there with lots of home cooked food and a playpark for the dc's.

The dryslope beside the metrocentre is called Whickham Thorns.