Any good for young kids (4 and 6 years old)?

We are running out of indoor places to take them thanks to this cock-awful weather.

My 2 are a little bit younger than yours, think we managed a couple of hours before they’d had enough. It’s a great place to run around though, slightly older kids might last a bit longer. You can always see a 3D movie as well as the exhibitions, though that’s pricey. Tropical World in Leeds isn’t a million miles away from Bradford, you could do a morning at the media musuem, afternoon at tropical world. Been to Eureka in Halifax?

Textile museum in Helmshore is much, much better than it sounds.
Not massively exciting, but interesting – they might be a bit young though.
Very nice caff too.

Bolton museum isn’t too bad – they’ve got a SNES on display.
Properly made me feel old.

Chatsworth?

Slate museum in Llanberis if you fancy a drive.

funnily enough I’ve worked in there (many moons ago) but I’ve never been as a visitor.

guess it’s true about people not bothering with “museums on your doorstep”

I’ve been within the last two years, so recent-ish.

You’ll easily get a few hours out of it, there’s the retro video games room if all else fails. There’s enough shiny/touch-y stuff to keep them going, even if they don’t understand or aren’t interested in the science-y bits.

As woody said, Eureka isn’t too bad for the kids, especially since its the type of museum where you can belt around like a loony if you’re a kid. Loads and loads of interactive stuff to keep them busy for a few hours. Its only 15 minutes walk from home so we go relatively often… Cafe there is a rip off though. Its just over the road from town so cheaper to walk up there and find somewhere nice.

If the weather clears up, theres also a good park 20 minutes walk/5 minutes drive from Eureka – Manor Heath. Theres a big greenhouse thing (Tropical World – its only a couple of quid to get in and its ok for that, even just to get out of the rain), nice little cafe next door, walled garden, kids playground and loads and loads of park to run around in (couple of nice super quick runs of singletrack down either side of the park too 😉 ).

As mentioned it will certainly entertain the kids for a few hours, another option depending how engaged your kids are might be to combine the day with the industrial museum which is a short drive. Both museums are free.

Royal armouries in Leeds – Free and great for big guns and swords etc!

Bolton museum isn’t too bad

yep got the fishes down stairs too, possibly more for younger kids tho (ours love it 2+4)

they’ve got a SNES on display.
Properly made me feel old.

aye me too.

Will maybe take a spin over to Bradford on Sunday. Please feel free to suggest other places that are within striking distance of Manchester. Free entry is a bonus. We also like somewhere dry where we can have a picnic or at least get chips. Diabetes means that we have to re-fuel my daughter at least once per outing, 3 times if we are making a day of it. So we need cover for our 10 minute pit stops.

I stated to think about where we have been to entertain the kids recently and it has turned into a bit of an essay. Here are my thoughts…

• Eureka – A bit of a let-down. Expensive and quite a lot of stuff was broken. The kids liked it, but I thought it was knackered. They were working on it last time we were there so perhaps it has improved.
• MOSI – Getting a bit tatty now (indoor picnic area)
• RAF Cosford – Brilliant if you like aeroplanes. A bit of a drive though.
• Bolton Museum – OK for an hour or so on a wet Sunday
• Fusilier’s Museum (Bury) – Very good. Good café.
• Bury Transport Museum – Freezing cold
• Portland Basin – Very good. Good café.
• Manchester Museum – OK. Stan the T Rex is impressive (indoor picnic area)
• National Railway Museum (York) – Excellent
• Salford Museum & Art Gallery – Very good
• Ordsall Hall – Very good, but small
• Rufford Old Hall – OK
• Hall ith Wood – Very good, but small
• Speke Hall – Better in summer
• Little Moreton Hall – Very good
• Quarry Bank Mill – The best NT property around IMHO. (indoor picnic area)
• Nostell Priory – Brilliant playground
• Lyme Park – Brilliant playground
• Tatton – OK-ish. Always feels like they would charge you for breathing if they could.
• Dunham Massey – Lacks a playground
• East Riddlesden Hall – Better in summer
• Beamish – Expensive and a long way away, but superb
• Chatsworth – Expensive. Expensive. Expensive.
• Imperial War Museum North – I liked it, but the audio visual display freaked the kids out
• Heaton Park – Falling apart. Manchester City Council need to pull their fingers out as they must be raking it in as a concert venue. Us locals could do with something in return for 3 days of piss, litter and noise
• South Lakes Animal Park – Very good, and free in winter (indoor picnic area)
• Lego Discovery Centre (Trafford Centre) – Hell on Earth despite being free on Tesco
• Chester Zoo – A bit too big for my kids – lots of moaning about tired legs
• Blackpool Zoo – Good (free on Tesco)
• Blackpool Sea Life – Good (free on Tesco)

• South Lakes Animal Park – Very good, and free in winter (indoor picnic area)

aye we like it, did not know about winter freebie.

• Lego Discovery Centre (Trafford Centre) – Hell on Earth despite being free on Tesco

duly noted this was on the cards, will swerve

Salford Museum & Art Gallery – Very good

pass it most days, had no idea it was there, cheers

Salford Museum & Art Gallery – Very good
pass it most days, had no idea it was there, cheers

Well worth a look, but opening times are limited. Combine it with a trip to Ordsall Hall.

• Lego Discovery Centre (Trafford Centre) – Hell on Earth despite being free on Tesco
duly noted this was on the cards, will swerve

It was utterly packed when we went and the cafe was extortionate. Full of grumpy kids and frazzled adults.

H_T_S

Cannon Hall Farm nr Barnsley is nice, great playground and a nice cafe & deli. Not free though.

Salts Mill in Saltaire (if you’re coming to Bradford anyway) is ok for a little wander round, not really for the kids I guess, but it does have a nice park just over the river (Roberts Park) and Shipley Glen is worth a visit.

Salts Mill in Saltaire (if you’re coming to Bradford anyway) is ok for a little wander round, not really for the kids I guess, but it does have a nice park just over the river (Roberts Park) and Shipley Glen is worth a visit.

nice big bike shop next door too! All Terrain Cycles

Age 4 & 6?

http://www.sundownadventureland.co.uk

Mostly outdoors but we aren’t in such a mudbath over here. Big indoor section and cafe to warm up if you pick the wrong day. Awesome place, completely given over to under 10s, nothing for teens and adults.

Towneley Park in Burnley has a great outdoor playground, two very nice caffs, clean, well looked after places to run around and a huge house to explore.
You get in to the house free if you have a Burnley postcode……

You could combine that with a walk to the Singing Ringing Tree, or a go on the mini-railway in the dog free Thompson Park.

The little museum in Whittaker Park in Rawtenstall has a good caff & is ok for an hour or so. Decent little park, 4 year old nephew loves the place.
Nice bar in the railway station now too.

Tropical World in Leeds

+1 I think it’s great. And warm too!

I also agree about Eureka – overpriced food and knackered exhibits. Rubbish.

And I agree about Cannon Hall Farm – it’s great (unfortunately mostly outdoors though) but the cafe is amazing (especially the steak & kidney pie). Isn’t there a new indoor play area opening this year though?

Photography museum will be good for that age bracket (well at least keep them entertained for a 2-3 hrs. Theres an on site cafe too which is ok. Free entry.

Saltaire Mill (free)is probably 30 mins down the road. More for adults than kids but they will still enjoy it. As above Park across the river.

Of course whilst your there thats the start of some of the best riding in the area (better than your side of the Pennines) 😆

Our lad must be missing out or some thing we just go to the park at the weekends etc 🙁

Never noticed Eureka being broken whilst I’ve been there. I’d assume some stuff does get trashed as I’ve seen plenty of examples of mini-Dwayne stood in front of something smashing the **** out of it.

I see you’ve done the NRM in York. I’d just go there again. When it was free (properly free) in the 80s, my dad took me and my brothers just about every single Saturday whilst my mum was in town. I love the place even now 30 years later, as do my kids. Best museum anywhere…

Textile museum in Helmshore is much, much better than it sounds.

Has it changed? I got dragged there on a couple of school trips and I recall it being the most boring place in the entire known universe. That was 25 years ago though.

It’s not that bad. 🙂

It’s got some good demonstrations upstairs and lots of people to explain the 729 ways it’s possible to die whilst working in a mill.

And like I said, the caff is excellent. 😀

Update.

Went to the Media Museum in Bradford today.

Spent 5 hours in it! Very good. Free entry, free car park and two indoor picnic areas! Coffee wasn’t bad either.

The computer section was fascinating and the kids loved being on TV.