If you’re looking for that one special day out for your toddler(s) this summer, look no further than our top 10 things to do with toddlers this summer list.
We’ve stress tested scores of parks and attractions, and these are the ones that the toddlers rated the most…
Thomas Land
If your children are obsessed by Trains, Thomas & Friends, or simply just love fairground rides, this has to be your number one destination.
Thomas Land is a theme park set within the larger Drayton Manor theme park (located in Staffordshire, not far from Birmingham). This means tickets give you access to both, which is perfect if you have older children or teenagers in tow who can head off to the adult focussed areas of the park.
Thomas Land is based on the popular children’s TV show Thomas & Friends. This park is perfect for any Thomas loving toddler, with a wide choice of rides and attractions.
The park has been lovingly created to transport the toddlers into Sodor. They’ll be able to take a trip on Thomas himself, or Percy, or virtually every other character from the show. They’ll be able to ride through Sodor Quarry, take a water-pistol filled boat ride, or even see the fat controller wandering around.
Other rides include “troublesome trucks runaway coaster ” and “Spencer’s outdoor adventure play”. Also, parents have the opportunity to turn the day trip into an overnight stay, with hotels in and around Drayton manor to house you and your children after a long day of fun and games.
We sent a family to try out Thomas Land and their three and four year old boy’s heads almost came off when they entered the part. Apparently they haven’t stopped talking about it for weeks, which speaks for itself.
Thomas Land is celebrating its 10th Anniversary, so keep your eye out for a number of celebratory events, money-can’t-buy competitions, and special ticket offers.
Find tickets here: https://www.draytonmanor.co.uk/thomas-land
Lego Land
Lego Land Lego, Windsor, has been a staple of childhood fun for decades. The park is continually updating and adapting, and continues to bring fun to children across the country.
This summer (between 7th July– 2nd September) Lego Land brings you a summer of fun. The Resort will be hosting its first ever Beach Party built for kids with pop music, LEGO® build activities and challenges, and even a pop up sandy beach to build your own sandcastles. Your kids can also meet Minifigure guests including LEGO Shark Guy and LEGO Sea Captain.
The party continues over at Splash Safari and Drench Towers – the UK’s largest outdoor water play structure complete with slides and the famous giant tipping DUPLO brick!
After all the party fun, guests can take on the Make a Splash challenge featuring splashtastic rides such as Pirate Falls, S.Q.U.I.D Surfer, Viking River Splash and Raft Racers.
Children can enjoy rides targeted at different age groups, from toddlers to older children. There is also a shop, containing all the Lego sets your children are waiting to build up (which you may or may not want to avoid!).
Lego land provides all of this fun in one place, and like Lego Land, contains a hotel for overnight stays with themed rooms and restaurants.
Tickets can be booked here: https://www.legoland.co.uk/tickets-and-passes/online-tickets/
Peppa Pig World
Peppa Pig World, is located inside Paulton’s Park in the New Forest. It’s a family friendly theme park specifically designed for younger children and their parents.
Like Thomas land, if your children are Peppa Pig obsessed, just watch their faces as they are transported into Peppa’s world. Toddlers are able to take flight on Peppa’s Balloon Ride, splash about in the Muddy Puddle Water Park and venture inside Peppa’s house.
The park contains rides and attractions so your child can make the most out of their day. This park is perfect for those wanting to bring the fun of Peppa to their children. Children under one metre tall can enter the park for free.
Find offers and tickets here: https://www.paultonsbreaks.com/special-offers/
Bristol Aquarium
Hello fishy!
Bristol Aquarium is filled to the brim with exotic and unusual creatures for your children to gaze upon.
The aquarium, which was built in 2009, was designed with children in mind. You won’t have to continually pick up your toddlers to gaze through the aquarium windows. Thankfully, windows and viewing platforms are made for toddler height as well as adults.
The aquarium holds daily talks about the many species of fish on view, as well as different display halls including the “sunken ship” and the “urban jungle”. As well as this, the aquarium hosts birthday parties for children too.
The Aquarium is currently has a ‘kid for a quid’ offer: https://www.bristolaquarium.co.uk/kid-for-a-quid-is-back/
SS Great Britain
If you’re around the Bristol area, the SS great Britain is also worth a visit to capture your toddler’s imaginations.
The SS Great Britain once took Men and Women all the way to Australia to start new lives, and is now restored to its prime and ready to be visited by tourists.
Toddlers love boats, and pretty much anything different that they can explore. A visit to the ship is a unique experience, and a landmark of Bristol.
Although your toddler is sure to enjoy the whole experience, the ship also contains entertainment for the parents, with interesting information on the history of the boat and its passengers. So, if a theme park isn’t your thing, try this instead.
Tickets can be found at: https://www.ssgreatbritain.org/your-visit/tickets
Digger land
Many toddlers absolutely obsess about diggers. That’s why Digger Land is absolutely genius.
The park contains ride after ride, all themed around diggers and other heavy duty vehicles, including but not limited to “Dirt Diggers” “dumper trucks” and ” Go-Karts”. Digger land is perfect for any family looking for a day of action and adventure.
Your toddler will be able to drive and control life sized diggers and earth moving equipment in specially adapted rides.
Digger land is the thrill filled theme park, which is located in several areas of the country; Kent, Devon, Durham or Yorkshire.
This park is fun for all the family, with adults being able to partake in the fun too. After all, who secretly doesn’t want to have a go in a digger!
Tickets for all four of the theme parks can be purchased at: https://www.diggerland.com/tickets-and-prices/
Peccorama Pleasure Garden
Toddlers love trains. Running since 1975, Peccorama Pleasure garden has been making families smile for over thirty years.
If you like all things twee, this is the place for you. Located in the beautiful fishing village of Beer, East Devon, Peccorama contains a wide variety of games and trains, including soft play and games for younger toddlers and crazy golf for older children.
Considered by many to be the finest 7¼ inch gauge railway in Britain, the Beer Heights Light Railway (BHLR) is an absolute delight and you get a free ride included in the entry price.
In addition to this, adults can enjoy the garden too with a station gallery and a beautiful garden. Overall, the pleasure garden is the perfect destination for any day trip with a toddler and/or older children.
Dinosaur Park
If you’ve got a reptile-obsessed tot, this place will feel like heaven. There’s a dinosaur trail through the woods, with life-size models of dinosaurs to either enthral them or scare them silly!
Other attractions include family rides, adventure playgrounds, crazy golf and indoor play areas.
The great thing is your little ones can learn something too, with daily fossil hunts and a Dino Quiz. You only have to pay once and then you can use all rides, plus if your little one is under three, they’ll go free.
Tickets are on sale here: https://www.thedinosaurpark.co.uk/park-information/prices/
Longleat Safari Park
Longleat Longleat is the no.1 safari park in the whole of the UK, and definitely lives up to the title.
When visiting there, you and your children can enjoy the sight of a plethora of exotic animals in the safari. However there is more to Longleat than safari. Tickets include entry into Longleat house and grounds which contains a small zoo, an amazing adventure playground, softplay, a ‘bat cave’ and a hall of mirrors to mention just some of the attraction.
There are continually exhabitions aimed at children which maintains an element of education while also providing fun for the family. It’s located right next door to Centre Parcs making it a good choice for a day out if you happen to be in the area.
Tickets can be found at: https://www.thedinosaurpark.co.uk/park-information/prices/
Gulliver’s World
Gulliver’s World is a group of theme parks located in Milton Keynes, Matlock Bath, Warrington. The parks are aimed squarely at toddlers and younger children, so they are perfect if you have two to four year olds.
You’ll find different zones packed with rides and attractions, including classics like spinning teacups, a log flume, ferris wheels and rollercoasters. Little ones will love the Junior Discovery Cove — home to cowboy-themed rides, shows and attractions specifically for toddlers. In Milton Keynes there is also a dinosaur farm and park.
Find out more here: https://www.gulliversfun.co.uk/
I hope you find this list useful. Of course, there are millions of fun things you can do with your little ones that don’t cost a penny – but these suggestions are for that special summertime treat. If you have more ideas about things to do with toddlers this summer, let us know in the comments below.