15 Best Days Out with Toddlers in England

Looking for the best days out with toddlers to keep your little one busy, happy and occupied? There are lots of great days out toddlers will love. Here’s what we’d recommend you do for a fun 2-3 year-olds day out…

Toddlers are energetic, hyperactive, and… oops! There they go again, chasing bugs and jumping on tables. You might be sceptical about taking your toddler for a day out to explore England, but science has proven that going out with your toddlers can greatly improve their development. 

So, if you’re lost for ideas and frantically Googling ‘things to do with a 1 year old near me’, don’t worry. You’ll be glad to find out that we’ve done the work for you to find out what to do with your toddler on a day out in England.

Here are 15 exciting things for you and your toddler to do in England, and a few places where you can easily find those activities.

What are you waiting for? Let’s dive in! 

15 Best Days Out with Toddlers in England

Find the best days out for toddlers near you with these great ideas to keep them happy.

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1. Play around in theme parks with your toddler

What is synonymous with maximum fun levels that includes screaming, laughing, and seeing popular cartoon characters live? An exhilarating visit to one of England’s theme parks. Your tot will love nothing more than to play in these colourful parks, especially the ones with the best kiddies sections.

You can enjoy days out with toddlers at the most kid-friendly theme parks in England, such as Peppa Pig World in Hampshire. This is an excellent choice if you’re looking for a toddler-focused park with a variety of options for a fun day out. Your toddlers will have the time of their lives, not just because Peppa Pig is a loveable character, but because of the muddy splash park, the Miss Rabbit’s helicopter ride, and let’s not forget the spaceship indoor play zone. This rainbow-coloured park makes for an amazing day out with toddlers.

Our editor went with her 18-month old, check out what she thought of a day out at Peppa Pig World here.

If you and your kids are animal lovers, then you’ll appreciate the epic Chessington World of Adventures in Surrey. There’s a live show for Madagascar fans where King Julien and the penguins make an appearance. There are also cool rides for both adults and kids, the zoo, and the sea life centre with an awesome aquarium. What more could you ask for?

And of course, there are lots of other theme parks in England, such as Thorpe Park, Drayton Manor, and many more.

Quick links for the best aquariums in England – buy your tickets in advance to make it easier on the day!

• Sea Life Brighton
• National Sea Life Centre, Birmingham
• Weymouth Sea Life Adventure Park
• Sea Life London Aquarium
• Sea Life Manchester
• Sea Life Scarborough 
• Sea Life Great Yarmouth
• Sea Life Blackpool

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2. Connect your toddler to nature in a beautiful garden

If you and your toddlers adore the outdoors, explore the fascinating gardens of England. If your days out with toddlers are a regular thing, then it could make sense to sign up for an English Heritage or National Trust membership to save money on visiting the same places time and time again.

The Lost Gardens of Heligan, Cornwall, is a pleasant choice if you want your toddler to experience a real-life fairy tale. The Lost Gardens of Heligan look like something out of a mystical storybook, with meadows, wildlife, and beautiful walled gardens. There’s a sturdy Burmese rope bridge if you’re willing to take the adventure an extra mile.

The Ralph Court Gardens in Herefordshire make for a picturesque garden where you can take your toddler to enjoy walks behind cascading water, see the popular characters at the Mad Hatter’s party, and enjoy the fairy tale and culture. It’s nothing short of a magical experience for you and your toddler.

You could visit one of the most famous attractions in England; Stonehenge. It is located in Amesbury in Wiltshire, and you can have a tour of Stonehenge, explore the Neolithic houses, and eat with your toddler at the café. There’s also plenty of space around the stones of Stonehenge for a picnic or a run around.

Here are some great-to-know tips if you plan on going hiking with your baby.

READ MORE: The Best Days Out for a Birthday

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3. Take your toddler on a train ride

There’s something about toddlers and trains… they love them! OK, not all toddlers love trains, but a surprising amount do. Whether it’s looking at them from afar, climbing on a stationary train, or taking a ride on a moving one, your toddler might enjoy a day out if there are trains involved.

One of the best toddler days out you can do (particulary good if you’re looking for great days out for 2 year olds) is to find your nearest steam train ride and book a spot for the whole family. Usually there’s plenty to do around the train ride too, so you can take the train to somewhere special for another activity such as a picnic or a walk in a nice park. However, the exciting train ride will always be the highlight.

You’ll find steam trains all over England, but you may want to take a look at one of these spots:

• If you’re in Hampshire, check out the Watercress Line (and if you have a miniature Thomas the Tank Engine fan with you, keep an eye on when their next Day Out With Thomas event is taking place)
• You could take an authentic steam train around Moors Valley Country Park in Hampshire to watch your toddler’s eyes light up
• If you live near Sheffield Park Station, Horsted Keynes Station, Kingscote or East Grinstead, Bluebell Railway offers lots of great day out options that will suit everyone, from toddlers all the way up to grandparents
• West Somerset Railway also captures that old time-y atmosphere for the adults, while providing lots of ‘ooohs’ and ‘aaahs’ for the toddlers
• For a steam train ride by the sea, Swanage Railway is a great place to visit with amazing views for you and your toddler

4. Teach them some history and culture early at a museum

Who said your toddler can’t play and learn at the same time?

England is loaded with museums that are enriched with culture, heritage, and memorabilia that go back several years. Let your tot roam about these museums, staring wide-eyed and mouth open at the interesting items placed for display. Museums are great rainy days activities for toddlers as the best ones will have sections especially for little kids.

Most kids have an undying love for anything that has to do with airplanes and flying. At the Bournemouth Aviation Museum, your little pilot will get the chance to see real-life aircraft! The Fleet Air Museum is also a great airplane-centric museum dedicated to the Royal Navy where you and your toddler can even enjoy a simulated helicopter ride and see some amazing aircraft too.

The Oakham Treasures Museum is a super museum of collections. In there, you will find many items that will take you down memory lane and intrigue your little one as well. There are several halls with unique, vintage, and current items. Your kids will love the toy shop, the vintage cars, the post office, and other features in Oakham Treasures. It’s also an avenue for you to teach your toddlers about some of the items from your childhood. There’s also the fantastic Acorn Café where you can have a lunch. This nostalgic museum is well worth the visit.

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5. Play and learn about several species of animals

Most kids love to play with animals, and the variety of aquariums and zoos in England offer your little one the opportunity of seeing many of these animals while having a good time too. England’s animal experiences are some of the best days out for toddlers. Here are a few to get you inspired:

• Let your kids be wowed by the marine creatures at SEA LIFE Brighton Aquarium in East Sussex. Seahorses and fishes like piranhas and sharks will excite your kids and give them an experience they will never forget.

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• See lions, gorillas, tigers, and a host of other animals can be found at the London Zoo. Your toddler will even learn all about how the animals are fed. There are so many activities to choose from, and one thing is for sure, you’ll never be bored here! Go and visit the penguins to see them splashing about – how many species can you spot?

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• Your toddler will love the sights of the graceful swans at Abbotsbury in Wiltshire. These swans are gentle and tolerant of human presence, so you and your toddler will have no problem at all watching them make their nests, and tend to their eggs. Toddlers love anything on their eye level, so duck and swan ponds are a great idea!

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6. Check out what’s on in your local area

You don’t have to travel far to get a great day out with your toddler. You can also check out fetes happening in your neighbourhood, local classes for young kids, and pop-up entertaiment for the whole family – these are days out toddlers will LOVE.

Some of the best toddler attractions UK has to offer can be found in your own village, town or city, so it’s important to keep an eye on what’s going on around you so you don’t miss anything.

There might be similar events happening every year, and you could even be close to one of these 7 weird events in England that take place most years – if you want to really wow your toddler, taking them to see a bunch of people roll wheels of cheese down a large hill is sure to bring on some smiles!

7. Grab the armbands and go swimming with your toddler

There’s nothing quite like swimming and splashing around to bring out the squealing glee from a happy toddler. Whether it’s a crazy, colourful splash park with jets and flumes and lots going on, or just a simple lane pool, many toddlers love being submerged in water and learning to swim.

All toddlers can benefit from some pool time, whether you’re looking for days out for 18 month old babies or days out for 3 year olds who love a bit of adventure, swimming is the perfect activity.

If your toddler is somewhat of a daredevil and enjoys gliding down colourful water slides, here are the 10 biggest and best water parks in England to get silly and splashy with your toddler.

8. Let your toddler’s arty spirit loose in the art galleries

You may not think of an art gallery as one of the best places to go with a 1 year old or older, but it might just be!

Toddlers love art because it is one of the best ways to express themselves freely. Art helps your toddler develop creative skills that will be useful later on. Now we’re not talking the National Portrait Gallery here, or anything as high brow as that. For a toddler to enjoy an art gallery in England, it needs to be somewhere super special.

Here’s where you can enjoy some great arty days out with your toddler this year:

Roald Dahl Children’s Gallery in Buckinghamshire features numerous exhibits and displays mostly inspired by Roald Dahl’s stories. There’s so much to see, touch, and play with, and your toddler can even crawl through the Mr Fox tunnel and enjoy the low-level displays. The county museum is another part of the gallery that has a lot of exciting exhibits and events that you and your toddler will enjoy.

You can take your toddler to a place that infuses science and arts, and We The Curious in Bristol is an amazing art attraction. It has over 300 exhibits that aim to stir up curiosity in both adults and young ones. Your little one will love the giant bubble, cosmic rays, and special activities geared towards all ages. This one makes for a great day out in Bristol.

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9. Get enchanted by the castles and magical attractions

England has children-friendly castles that you can visit and explore, and some of them are even free. Castles are great days out for toddlers as there’s usually quite a bit of extra space to run around in too.

Warwick Castle will feed your toddler’s love for fairytales. If you’ve got a toddler that squeals with excitement at the mention of princes, princesses, knights, and other classic fairytale characters, then this place is just right. They also do lots of special events through the year so keep an eye on the event listings.

Windsor Castle is another enchanting palace with unique features, like the largest dolls’ house in the world; Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House.

Plus lots of castles in England have exciting mazes which could be a fun activity for youngsters, as long as you don’t lose them in there! Here are 13 of the best mazes in England.

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10. Take your toddler sightseeing in London

London has several attractions that are perfect for sightseeing – don’t rule the Big Smoke out for a day out with little ones. Days out for toddlers in London can actually be pretty fun.

Toddlers love buses, so take you toddler on a ride on the bus or underground. While it may seem mundane to an adult, every experience is an adventure for them!

The Natural History Museum makes for a great (free) day out for toddlers. There’s so much to see there, you’re guaranteed to find something to capture their curiosity. Or, you could try going on the London Eye – always good to get the little ones used to new experiences early.

If you’re going with the whole family, there’s some great ideas for how to cope with taking babies to London here.

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11. Meet the animals at a petting farm

No one wants a day out with toddler tantrums and sad faces, and if that happens (it definitely happens sometimes!) you’re almost guaranteed to turn their frown upside down with a visit to a petting zoo.

It’s one of the best days out for 2 year olds and other ages too because they can meet the animals, learn about their life on the farm, see where they live and how they spend their days, and even pet or feed them (depending on which farm you visit).

A petting zoo / city farm is a great day out idea that you’ll love, as well as your toddler, so here are the 7 best farms in London for a countryside vibe.

12. Learn about literary classics

The best way to give your toddler a background in amazing classic children’s books is to take them to places inspired by them.

Take peaceful walks down Ashdown Forest in East Sussex, where the writer of the classic Winnie the Pooh book (A.A Milne) used to play with his toys. Most of the locations in the Winnie the Pooh book can be found in the Hundred Acre Wood.

Or you could take your toddler to see the magnificent Peter Pan statue in Kensington Gardens. You and your toddler will have a good time learning more about the classic book Peter Pan, which was written by J.M. Barrie as a tribute to his brother who died before his 14th birthday.

There are lots more classic novels and even children’s books that were set right here in England. Here are 11 amazing days out for book worms (and toddlers who love learning to read!).

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13. Make their day by taking your toddler to a play cafe or village

The joy on the face of a toddler who is let loose inside a play village or play cafe is one of the most magical sights to see, so make their day by taking them to one.

This is one of the best days out with a 2 year old or older because there are tons of options, some of which mean you can be hands on with them and go around the play village together, and others where you can watch them play safely while you sip a coffee or sneak a bit of cake.

Whether it’s jumping around in a soft play, or a themed park with lots of activities to get involed in, your toddler will love it. If their eyes light up around dinosaurs, here are 8 thrilling dinosaur days out in England that may be of interest. Or, if your toddler absolutley loves the Gruffalo stories before bed, here are the 9 best Gruffalo trails in England.

Go on… make their day!

14. Wow them with a beach walk

A beach walk is fun for the whole family, and it just happens to be one of the best places to take a 1 year old and beyond if they like having wide open spaces to run around in.

There’s so much to do and see at the beach; make sandcastles, dig out trenches to fill with water, bury another family member’s feet in the sand (Grandad is always up for this one!), jump over the lapping waves, go in search of shells, or just walk from one end of the beach to the other.

Your toddler will adore a trip to the beach, and the memories you’ll be left with are priceless. There’s also usually lots of fun to be had on the pier if there’s one nearby, so check out the 10 best piers in England.

15. Stuff yourselves with tasty treats and desserts

While exploring all the fantastic sights England has to offer, it’s only right that you and your toddler have your fill of the delicious dishes and treats available. Eating is also a great rainy days activity for toddlers, and parents!

Try out the chocolate at the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Afternoon Tea at One Aldwych in London, and have your fill of cupcakes, brownies, and macaroons at any of the cake shops around.

If you’re looking for more savoury food, try out the fish, chips and burgers at the Rainforest Café; an outstanding café that mimics the atmosphere of a typical rainforest jungle. Your toddler will enjoy eating while being surrounded by make-believe butterflies and orangutans.

READ MORE: 7 Best Alpaca Walks in England

Days out with toddlers

These are some of the best things to do in England with toddlers, and we hope a few of these fun days out with toddlers will inspire you, and maybe a few will shock you – it all depends on your toddler, and how they’ll cope with all these new environments and experiences. If your little one is younger than a toddler, check out our post on the best days out for babies too.

Days out for toddlers can be stressful when you try to pack too much in, but it’s good to get them out once in a while. Maybe start with a nature day out with your toddler and take it from there.

England is a fascinating place that offers plenty of options for you and your toddler to explore. We hope this post has given you a few ideas, and that next time you need to plan to spend a day out in England with your toddler, you know just what to do!

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Quicklist of the best days out for toddlers

• 1. Play around in theme parks with your toddler
• 2. Connect your toddler to nature in a beautiful garden
• 3. Take your toddler on a train ride
• 4. Teach them some history and culture early at a museum
• 5. Play and learn about several species of animals
• 6. Check out what’s on in your local area
• 7. Grab the armbands and go swimming with your toddler
• 8. Let your toddler’s arty spirit loose in the art galleries
• 9. Get enchanted by the castles and magical attractions
• 10. Take your toddler sightseeing in London
• 11. Meet the animals at a petting farm
• 12. Learn about literary classics
• 13. Make their day by taking your toddler to a play cafe or village
• 14. Wow them with a beach walk
• 15. Stuff yourselves with tasty treats and desserts