18 things to do with kids in Cheshire
You’ll find plenty of options for fun days out with the kids in Cheshire, with a variety of indoor and outdoor options to suit any weather forecast. With so many lovely parks and recreation spaces, you can easily plan a picnic and playtime, or you can explore one of the many historical sites and gardens. Family days out in Cheshire are sure to be memorable, with indoor options ranging from science centres and historic bunkers to play spaces and games.
1. Monkey around at Chester Zoo
Chester Zoo houses rare and endangered species in 52 hectares acres of lush zoological gardens, ranging from otters, elephants and anteaters to giraffes, lions and penguins. Kids activities include play trails, a treetop challenge, animal encounters and a children’s section. The zoo also houses a unique water bus and a monorail system.
2. Explore history at Norton Priory Museum and Gardens
Norton Priory Museum and Gardens contains an excavated historic site, a museum and ornate gardens. You can explore the remains of a medieval church and priory, including a 12th-century undercroft that features beautiful vaulted ceilings. The museum houses thousands of objects and artefacts discovered at the site and examines 900 years of history within the complex, including a large statue of St Christopher. On the museum grounds, you’ll find woodland walks, sculptures and a stream glade along with walled gardens, orchards and a rose walk.
3. Enjoy farm-fresh ice cream at Blaze Farm
Blaze Farm, otherwise known as Ice Cream Farm, is a family-owned farm with animal encounters, nature trails, a tea room and homemade ice cream. You can check out the farm’s diverse animals and creatures and explore different nature trails through the woods. The in-house tea room serves snacks and meals along with creamy homemade ice cream made with milk from farms in the Peak District. Entry to the farm is free, but you can support this family business by purchasing one of their many offerings if you like.
4. Go be salty at Lion Salt Works
Lion Salt Works is a historic open-pan salt-making site that’s been restored in the village of Marston. Inside the site’s restored buildings, you’ll learn how the saltworks operated, as well as the regional history of the area. Each building houses different interactive displays to engage the imagination, like in Pan House 3 where you can watch a large-scale theatrical rendition of boiling brine into salt crystals, complete with audio and video projection, lights and smoke. The complex also houses a children’s play area, butterfly garden and nature trails.
5. Play in the gardens at Walton Hall and Gardens
Walton Hall and Gardens houses an opulent Elizabethan-style hall as well as beautiful gardens, a kids’ zoo and an in-house cafe. You can tour the lavish rooms inside the historic Walton Hall, picnic on the grounds and enjoy a super playground and crazy golf. The children’s zoo is home to lots of different friendly animals, from alpacas, donkeys and potbelly pigs to sheep, goats and plenty of birds. Older kids and adults can even go on an alpaca walk around the grounds, guided by a ranger.
6. See birds of prey up close at Vale Royal Falconry Centre
Vale Royal Falconry Centre focuses on conservation and education on birds of prey and offers a range of experiences at their centre, including falconry, archery, and animal encounters. During your visit, you’ll learn about the art of falconry and meet and learn about their diverse team of birds. The centre offers tours by appointment only so that each visitor has the opportunity to get hands-on and enjoy seeing these amazing birds up close. Make sure you book in advance for this unique opportunity for family days out in Cheshire.
7. Play in a kids’ theme park at Gulliver’s World Resort
If you’re looking for things to do with kids in Cheshire, Gulliver’s World Resort is a family theme park specifically designed for children ages 2 through 13. Each of the park’s different themed areas offers kid-friendly rides and attractions, plus games, face painting and events and activities. The complex also houses separate indoor attractions, including a warm-water park, game arena and roller-skating rink.
8. Ride the miniature railway at Grosvenor Park
Grosvenor Park is home to a Victorian-style park housing a miniature railway, activity zone, open-air theatre and a cafe. Riding the railway is a kids’ favourite, with steam- and diesel-hauled trains running circuit around the lake. Kids 10 and under can also participate in a drive-your-own ‘Trevor the Tram’ and drive up a short track. The park also offers a kids’ play area, walking trails and lovely historic sites throughout the property.
9. Learn about farm animals at Blacon Adventure Playground
Blacon Adventure Playground is a free children’s playground and community farm that’s home to farmyard animals and kids’ play structures in a wooded area. Kids of all ages can enjoy activities ranging from a zip line to climbing structures and forts, slides and nets. Children can also join in on caring for the farm animals and livestock, from donkeys and goats to pigs, ducks and sheep. It’s recommended to wear shoes and clothes that can get muddy and to bring a picnic, as there are no food facilities onsite.
10. Explore a grass labyrinth at Ness Botanic Gardens
Ness Botanic Gardens is a beautiful place to visit on days out with the kids in Cheshire, with 26 hectares of lush gardens to explore. There’s a kids’ play area that includes games and climbing frames, balance beams and little cars and tractors. Family-friendly walking trails abound, including a grass labyrinth, and there are lots of secret spots to discover within the gardens. There’s even a garden cafe if you get peckish whilst exploring.
11. Run and play in Victoria Park
The 1900’s-era Victoria Park has recently been restored to be a great offering for family days out in Cheshire. The park houses a large lake and fountains with scenic walking trails, a cafe and accessible facilities. Kids can run around large play areas with climbing equipment, cool off in the summertime splash pad or catch some air in the skate park. Victoria Park also offers a seasonal butterfly house, a dog park and sports facilities.
12. Explore a charming village at Port Sunlight
You can visit Port Sunlight on your family days out in Cheshire, a cosy 19th-century village known for its charming architecture, historical buildings and tranquil setting. At the Port Sunlight Museum, you can pick up a self-guided village trail map or an audio guide and explore the museum’s exhibits on the town’s colourful history. Take a stroll through the village to enjoy parks and sculptures, a large war memorial, charming cottages and boutiques and local cafes.
13. Stroll the Japanese Garden at Tatton Park
The historic estate at Tatton Park includes a beautiful neoclassical mansion and ornate gardens and park grounds. You can tour the 19th-century mansion house and stroll winding trails through lush gardens, including a Japanese garden and a 19th-century fernery. Kids will love running around the playground and seeing the 1930’s-era working farm that houses animals like donkeys, goats, and pigs. There’s also a massive landscaped deer park to explore on the estate, where herds of red and fallow deer roam freely.
14. Explore the underground Hack Green Secret Nuclear Bunker
The Hack Green Secret Nuclear Bunker is a massive underground defence complex that was kept secret for over 60 years during the Cold War. It’s now open to the public, so you can step through the massive blast doors to explore the facility and see what it was like to work there. Tour exhibits on 20th-century military history and nuclear-war preparedness, and then grab some survival rations from the bunker bistro.
15. Go on an underwater adventure at Blue Planet Aquarium
Blue Planet Aquarium houses over 20,000 species of marine life in freshwater and saltwater exhibits. You can stroll through the aqua tunnel as sharks swim overhead, or you can visit the Aquatheatre to watch scuba divers feed sea creatures. Kids can run around on the Pirate Playground and watch birds at Pelican Cove.
16. Navigate a ninja obstacle course at True Ninja
If you’re hunting for indoor things to do with rowdy kids in Cheshire, you can head to True Ninja for some seriously adventurous fun. This is the spot to burn off some energy, as kids can navigate a giant obstacle course with climbing, swinging, crawling, jumping, foam pits and wild challenges. The course is recommended for ages 4 and up, but even active young teenagers like the challenges here.
17. Perform experiments at Catalyst Science Discovery Centre
Check out Catalyst Science Discovery Centre for days out with the kids in Cheshire, where you’ll find a ton of interactive exhibits suitable for pupils ranging from Key Stage 1 through to Key Stage 4. Kids can explore spaces including an observatory, an interactive gallery and a live-science theatre. You’ll also find reconstructions of historical events that help bring the past to life for children.
18. Jump and bounce at Velocity Inflatable Park
Velocity Inflatable Park is a great space for kids of all ages to burn off some energy and wear themselves out in a massive indoor inflatable park. Bounce, jump and explore around an inflatable arena that’s complete with slides, an inflatable climbing wall, an obstacle course and games. There’s a separate play space for kids 4 and under, so the little ones can bounce away with no big kids around. The park also hosts a monthly Autism and Disability Friendly Session on the first Saturday of the month.