So with summer looming and the frightening thought of how you’re going to entertain the kids over the summer holidays, I decided to start a thread dedicated to the family day out.

It would be easy to suggest places like Lego Land which are fantastic but cost the earth (approx £90 for a family of 4), so let us know your cost effective days out in your area that the whole family can enjoy.

Odds Farm Park
Wooburn Common Road
Wooburn Common
High Wycombe
Bucks HP10 0LX

http://www.oddsfarm.co.uk/

Single Group*
Adults £8.50 Adults £6.80
Child (2-16yrs) £7.50 Child (2-16yrs) £6.00
Under 2yrs Free Under 2yrs Free
OAP £7.50 OAP £6.00
Special Needs £4.00 Special Needs £3.20

Top tips... look at collecting tesco's clubcard vouchers..

you can collect them in many ways, but the accrued value of clubcard points can then be converted for 4x their face value against things like entry to legoland, drayton manor etc etc...

We just went to legoland for the 3rd time and it cost us the fuel to get there and that was all...

But - places to go that we've found worthwhile with our kids....

Legoland Windsor.
Drayton Manor Park and Zoo.. They even have rides suitable for really young kids.
Twycross Zoo.
Thinktank in Birmingham
Severn Valley Railway - steam train trips..
West Midlands Safari park

I decided I wanted to centre our days out around attractions I'm interested in, so next month we're off to walk over the Pontcysyllte aqueduct in Wrexham:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pontcysyllte_Aqueduct

Of course there's all the camping and walking shops in Betws-y-coed just a few miles west of there too, and plenty of walking areas to wear out the kids.


After that weekend we're going on one of the "Thomas" trains from Tyseley station in Birmingham.

Then:

1. Snowdonia railway
2. Science museum Birmingham (ThinkTank)
3. Ironbridge gorge - utterly utterly fabulous day out. There's loads of museums linked under one ticket-system.
4. Bristol - Clifton suspension bridge, SS Gt Britain, Bristol Zoo
5. Anderton Boat lift in Cheshire
6. Falkirk Wheel (actually too far for me, although I have been on it before)
7. Funicular railways - I've been on the Cairngorms one, Lynton/Lynmouth, etc
8. Kew Bridge steam museum - kids love steam engines
9. Hatton Farm and the canal locks (Warwickshire)

I just missed a traction engine day just around the corner to me. So disappointing. I didn't get to hear about it but thought to compile this list, and entered "steam engines redditch" into Google only to find I'd missed it by 3 days.



Loads to do..!!

Wow, excellent. Thanks. That looks just the ticket.

Howletts Zoo could be an option (based near Canterbury, Kent - kids under 4 get in free.

I went here on Saturday. It was bloody excellent. I knew my 4yo son would love the traction engines but my 11month old daughter sat in her pushchair literally open mouthed as they chuffed past. I don't think she blinked for about 10 mins.

There was a mini-motorcycle display (mini motorcycles, not a mini display), and a load of WWII vehicles. Dog show and a fairground. All in, it was a great family day out.

Many thanks for the recommendation.

http://www.birdfair.org.uk/

Rutland Water, 21st, 22nd & 23rd August, adults £10, under 16s free.

Another vote for Hollycoombe, a lovely place.

Also good - Portsmouth Naval Dockyard

Fishers Farm Park - Surrey
Birdworld Near Liphook
Corfe Castle


Lake Swimming in Frensham (big) pond. There is even a sandy beach and an Icecream stall. Beautiful

Kelvingrove Museum Glasgow. YOu have to pay for the Dr Who exhibition (which is great) but the rest of the gallery is free with loads to keep the kids busy, also there was a hands-on creepy crawlie workshop, art workshops, tours, organ recitals etc.

Really good family day out.