Children's Attractions
One of the reasons many people, such as myself, decide to move out to the countryside is to provide a better environment for bringing up children. There is certainly no shortage of things to do once you move to the country. Aside from the fact that typically one has a bigger garden in which the children can run around, look for bugs, climb trees etc, there are lovely country walks and cycle routes on your doorstep.
There are various options for the weekend of 6-8 August. The Gloucestershire Steam and Vintage Extravaganza takes place at Kemble Airfield. There will be a steam and vintage rally, country show and air display.
The Festival of British Eventing takes place the same weekend at Gatcombe Park, Minchinhampton. Telephone: 0871 789 1423.
A busy and enjoyable week can be had at Sports Galore at Beaudesert Park School, Minchinhampton. GL6. You can book a day or a full week during 9-13th August. Sports and activities include football, swimming, cricket, gymnastics, volleyball, badminton, team races, fencing and aerobics. There is the option of evening activities and flexi boarding for 7-14 year olds. For more information visit www.sportsgalore.co.uk or telephone 01285 760995.
The National Arboretum at Westonbirt, near Tetbury, is always a good place to wile away a few hours. During August children can go for free. 23-30 August is the Festival of the Tree week with a host of special events including a Woodcraft exhibition, guided walks, specialist talks and workshops. Admission for adults is £8.For more details visit www.forestry.gov.uk/westonbirt. Telephone: 01666 880220.
If the weather is fine a day out at the polo is fun for all the family. Beaufort Polo Club is based at Down farm, Westonbirt, near Tetbury. GL8 8QW. Throughout the season, May to September, matches are played every Saturday and Sunday and some weekdays. There is a mix of cup tournaments and charity polo days. For more details telephone: 01666 880510 or email: enquiries@beaufortpoloclub.co.uk or visit www.beaufortpoloclub.co.uk.
The polo season at Cirencester Park, GL7 6LU, is well underway with matches held in the park every Sunday, beginning at 3pm. The gates open at 12.30pm to give plenty of time for a picnic. On 8 August is the Warwickshire and Gloucestershire Cup polo finals. Telephone: 01285 653225 or visit www.cirencesterpolo.co.uk
9-12 September, blenheim International Horse Trials in the grounds of Blenheim Palace at Woodstock. telephone: 01993 813335 or visit www.blenheim-horse.co.uk.
24 September-3 October, Bath Festival of Children's Literature. Telephone 01225 463362 or visit www.bathkidslitfest.co.uk
The Cotswold Wildlife Park in Burford has a varied collection of animals from all over the world in 120 acres of landscaped parkland and gardens.Many of the animals are threatened or endangered species in the wild. The Park offers scope for a full day out. In addition to the animals and gardens there is a café, adventure playground and narrow gauge railway.
Cirencester's Corinium Museum is a good spot for a rainy day with a range of new areas specifically designed for visitors under five. The museum displays its exhibts well and the museum is not too large. The Museum shop has a good display of books and interesting toys associated with the exhibits. The Tourist Information Centre is also located in the Museum and is a good place to find out what else is on offer in the region.
The adventure playground at Bowood will appeal to aspiring pirates with its full size galleon complete with rigging and crow’s nest. There are also several very large slides as well as high level walkways accessed by a huge scramble net. More traditionally there are swings, a sand pit, trampolines and a ball pool. The playground is for children of 12 and under. There is also an excellent indoor soft play area featuring spinning discs, rope walks and a very popular air blower which lifts balls into the air. The extensive parkland setting of Bowood House and gardens provides ample scope for making dens amongst the large trees and picnicking if you do not wish to use the on site café .
Younger children will enjoy the 2.30pm Penguin feeding time at Birdland Park & Gardens in Bourton-on-the-Water. Birdland is home to the UK’s only colony of King Penguins. In addition, the Park is home to over 500 birds including flamingos, pelicans, parrots and ibis. The more delicate species live in the Tropical, Toucan and Desert Houses. Birds of Prey Encounter Days are held during the summer and there is a bird adoption scheme in operation. There are many picnic areas and a playground for children under ten. All areas are accessible with a pushchair except the Penguin café. Children under four get free entry. Two hours will allow plenty of time to see everything and have lunch.There are many attractions based on farms. The Cotswold Farm Park near Guiting Power specialises in rare breeds of animals. Seasonal demonstrations include lambing, shearing and milking. In addition there is a pet’s corner, adventure playground, farm trail, gift shop and cafe.
Butts Farm near South Cerney is a working farm and farm shop and a great low key place to take the kids on a Saturday afternoon. Rides in the tractor’s trailer around the farm are always popular. At times you can also feed the lambs, stroke the rabbits and ride the ponies. There are pigs, lots of variety of hen, ducks and some donkeys. There is a play area with a pirate ship and static tractor.
Slimbridge Wetlands Centre off the M5 between Bristol and Gloucester is an internationally important reserve and home to the world’s largest collection of rare and exotic water-birds. On Easter Monday between 10am and 4pm an interactive animal workshop takes place which is suitable for all ages. Cockroaches, snails, snakes and toads are some of the animals particpating in "Animal Antics".
In addition there are signposted walks of varying lengths, the Discovery Centre with hands-on displays and a nice café. It is worth getting a family membership which gives free access to all nine Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust centres in the UK.
Award-winning Gloucester Waterways Museum tells the interesting story of Britain’s canals. Ii is very child friendly offering quiz sheets, a range of computer-based activities and a family activity room with brass rubbings, colouring sheets and play areas. A visit here can be combined with a boat trip on the adjacent Gloucester& Sharpness Canal.
Budding archaeologists can join one of the organised fossil hunts in one of the quarries in the Cotswolds Water Park or visit Chedworth Roman Villa for mosaic making.Steam, the Museum of the Great Western Railway, is a good place to go on a rainy day. Exhibits include a full size GWR locomotive, train driving simulator and model railway. It has the added bonus of being located opposite the Swindon Designer Outlet Centre.
MagicLand in Cirencester provides a 13,000 sq ft indoor soft play area with wave, spiral and astra slides, ball pits and a football pitch. There is a separate play area for children under four years and a cafe. It is a popular venue for children’s parties although the noise levels can be deafening. Other similar indoor playcentres include Go Bananas in Stroud, Ballyhoo in Cheltenham and the Fundays Playbarn in Bourton-on-the-Water.
Paint-a-Pot, in Cirencester lets young and old create their own designs on a plate, bowl, mug, various animals and money boxes, with everything you need provided, including the ceramics, cards and paint sponges. It is a lovely light-filled studio with toys and magazines also provided for non-participants. A similar business exists in Nailsworth, near Stroud.
Further afield it is worth going to @Bristol, Bristol Zoo Gardens and Longleat safari park. @Bristol, located on Harbourside, is actually three attractions. These are the Explore science centre, Wildwalk with its live animals and plants plus interactive exhibits and the IMAX theatre. Bristol Zoo Gardens is dedicated to conservation and is involved in international breeding programmes. It has over 400 exotic and endangered species and beautiful gardens.
There are lots of things to do at Longleat, the UK’s first safari park. It is worth buying a passport ticket which allows you to return at any time before the end of the season to see those attractions previously missed. In addition to the safari park, children will enjoy a boat trip to see the gorillas and a ride on the Longleat railway. However be prepared for long queues at the latter two attractions during school holidays.