Things To Do With Kids in East Midlands

Most of the choice here comes down to your children's ages. One source describes the East Midlands as having several excellent theme parks, and the three listed are pitched young. Twinlakes Park in Melton Mowbray suits ages 3 to 8 most naturally, with short queues even at peak times and indoor soft play as wet-weather cover, though reviewers say children over 9 may exhaust the rides by midday. Gulliver's Kingdom at Matlock Bath is built for ages 2 to 12 on a hillside steep enough that ski lifts move families between levels. Robin Hoods Wheelgate Park in Newark bundles rides, animals, falconry and indoor play into one entry price, and reviewers suggest allowing six hours.

Train-loving families have a separate set of options. Great Central Railway - Loughborough sells day tickets with unlimited boarding, plus a platform museum and locomotive shed to fill the gaps between rides. Barrow Hill Roundhouse Railway Centre in Chesterfield offers an authentic turntable and signal box tours, but gravel surfaces throughout make pushchairs hard work. Midland Railway (Butterley) near Ripley draws its strongest reviews for the Christmas Santa specials.

For animals and active days, Twycross Zoo at Little Orton works from toddlers to teens, with a winter lantern trail reviewers rate as exceptional; parking is charged separately. Matlock Farm Park runs a daily timetable of talks and feeding sessions worth planning around. CONKERS at Swadlincote rewards children over five with high ropes, an assault course and bushcraft, with a miniature railway to cut the walking between sites. Indoors, the National Space Centre in Leicester, which one source calls a must-see for anyone interested in space, is quieter after midday and includes an annual return pass with entry.