Dorset is a great place to have a day out with the kids. Below we've tried to list as many attractions as we can to make it easy for you to find fun places to visit - we hope you find our website useful - and easy to use. Do you know of any other great
places to go that we may have missed? If so, it would be really nice if you could you get in touch, so that other kids can enjoy the day out as well - thanks a lot - have fun!
Family Days Out in Dorset
Adventure Wonderland
Christchurch
Adventure Wonderland So if you're a would-be Pirate, an intrepid Explorer, a Mad Hatter or just a plain old fashioned Fun Lover, then you and your family have got a real treat in store!
Monkey World
Wareham
Monkey World Monkey World Ape Rescue Centre is a 65-acre woodland park which is home to over 160 rescued and endangered apes and monkeys.
Oceanarium
Bournemouth
Oceanarium The Oceanarium Bournemouth brings you face to face with marine life from the furthest reaches of the globe including clownfish, sea turtles, sharks and stingrays.
Putlake Adventure Farm
Swanage
Putlake Adventure Farm 30 acres of fun, lots of farm animals, indoor play centre and stuff to play on.
Abbotsbury Childrens Farm
Abbotsbury
Abbotsbury Childrens Farm The ancient Tithe Barn site is home to a host of friendly farm animals. Many can be stroked and fed at regular times throughout the day. This is a wonderful place for the under 11's. Bottle feeding of the goats takes place twice a day. Toy tractor racing all day and pony ride sessions twice a day (for which a small extra charge is made). New for 2006 - Goat racing twice daily.
The Blue Pool
Wareham
The Blue Pool retains miniscule, light diffracting particles of clay in the water, causing a spectrum of colour variations, sometimes from minute to minute. Now deep turquoise, now emerald green, the Pool is a constantly changing delight to the eye. Has tea rooms and museum - quite fascinating.
Weymouth Sea Life Park
Weymouth
Weymouth Sea Life Park The Park's unique mix of indoor and outdoor attractions make this a great family day out. Enrol in the amazing Shark Academy for the day, enjoy close encounters at the touchpool and learn about the success of the renowned seahorse breeding programme currently underway.
Abbotsbury Swannery
Weymouth
Abbotsbury Swannery Abbotsbury Swannery is unique. This is the only place in the world where you are able to walk through the heart of a colony of nesting Mute Swans.
Dorset Heavy Horse Farm Rescue Centre
Verwood
Dorset Heavy Horse Farm Rescue Centre As well as the rescued wildlife enjoy an under cover Go-Kart Arena, Mini Pedal Tractors and Trailers, Straw Fun Barn, Wooden Play Area, Sand Pit, Children's Fair Ground Ride, and Toddlers Toy Area.
The Tank Museum
Bovington
The Tank Museum The Tank Museum in Bovington Dorset houses
the world's largest and finest collection of Armoured Fighting Vehicles from unique World War 1 tanks to the latest main battle tank of the British Army - Challenger. The Museum has a collection of almost 300 vehicles from over 26 countries.
Bournemouth Aviation Museum
Christchurch
Bournemouth Aviation Museum What kid wouldn't want to sit at the controls of a real aircraft - well here we have a fab lot of military and civilian planes. Loads of other flying exhibits including a collection of model aircraft and an area for picnics close to the main runway at the airport in Bournemouth.
Blandford Leisure Centre
Blandford
Blandford Leisure Centre Fantastic fun for all the family. Water cannons, bubble bath, and the waterslide are just some of the exciting water features in the swimming pools during our Water Wonderland Sessions. See inside for times and website.
The Dolphin Swimming Pool
Poole
The Dolphin Swimming Pool - swimming facilities and diving pool with 1m and 3m springboards and a 5m platform.
Coolplay Indoor Soft Play Centre
Sturminster Newton
Coolplay Indoor Soft Play Centre The best place in North Dorset for kids to find new friends, meet their mates from school, burn off that pent up energy, get rid of the boredom blues and play with fun stuff in a safe environment.
Ollie's Playland
Poole
Ollie's Playland Kids indoor play area in Poole. Two level play area for kids aged 3 and under, another for kids aged 4 to 11. Great venue for parties. Parents / carers can enjoy a meal from our café and keep an eye on the kids enjoying themselves.
Monkey Bizness
Poole
Monkey Bizness - the premier family entertainment centre, where kids can be kidz. With separate play areas for 0-2, 2-5 and 5-12 year olds.
Corfe Castle
Wareham
Corfe Castle One of the most evocative ruined castles in England with over 1,000 years of turbulent history. Castle View visitor centre explores the lives (and deaths) of past residents - the Swanage Railway operates a steam train service to Corfe Castle
Corfe Castle Model Village
Corfe Castle
Corfe Castle Model Village Opened in 1966 to the public, the Model Village depicts the Castle and village as it was in 1646. You can compare the real castle with the Model castle from our garden, this gives a fantastic idea of how it used to look when it was home to Lady Banks
Brewers Quay and Timewalk Journey
Weymouth
Brewers Quay and Timewalk Journey An extraordinary journey that tells the story of Weymouth's turbulent past and strong maritime connections as seen through the eyes of Miss Paws, the brewery cat and her 8 feline ancestors. The journey takes you back in time to the 14th century & recreates the sights, sounds and smells of 6 hundred years of maritime history.
Portland Castle
Portland
Portland Castle The history of this fortress, which overlooks Portland harbour, is diverse and fascinating.
Pirate Adventure Golf
Weymouth
Pirate Adventure Golf Climb aboad for 18 holes of swash-buckling fun!! Great crazy golf with a pirate theme
Swanage Railway
Swanage
Swanage Railway The award-winning Swanage Railway currently operates on the six miles of track between Swanage and Norden, through the beautiful Isle of Purbeck, passing the magnificent ruins of Corfe Castle.
Brownsea Island
Poole Harbour
Brownsea Island A peaceful island of woodland, wetland and heath with a rich diversity of wildlife for you to visit.
All Fired Up Ceramics Cafe
Bournemouth
All Fired Up Ceramics Cafe All Fired Up Ceramics Café is the coolest place in Bournemouth to have fun and be creative! Visit the ceramics café in the town centre, choose the ceramics and pick the paints - pencils, stamps and brushes are provided.
Poole Pottery and Factory Outlet
Poole
Poole Pottery and Factory Outlet Have a go children's area and potters wheel section in the Factory Outlet on the Quay.
Coffee Pots Ceramic Cafe
Wimborne
Coffee Pots Ceramic Cafe is an exciting new venue in Wimborne, offering quality 'Fair Trade' coffee in our ground floor cafe. Why not take it easy with a cappuccino and newspaper, or a light lunch and a glass of Sauvignon Blanc, while the children paint a mug for Grandma in our ceramics studio.
The Clay Studio
Christchurch
The Clay Studio We are a contemporary pottery painting studio offering inspiration fun for all the family. We help to bring out the artist in you through help and encouragement.
Great Dorset Maize Maze and Farm Park
Weymouth
Great Dorset Maize Maze and Farm Park Maize Maze attraction designed by the World's leading Maze designer, Adrian Fisher. Unique designs every year, giant turf labyrinth, family, all day attraction including outdoor activities with food, farm park and adventures
Tower Park
Poole
Tower Park With a 10 screen multiplex cinema to bingo, bowling and a water park with 12 of the UK's most exciting indoor and outdoor rides, Tower Park is a fun day out for all.
Model Town at Wimbourne Minster
Wimborne Minster
Model Town at Wimbourne Minster Built well over 50 years ago, the superb 1/10th scale models continue to surprise and amaze visitors from all over the world with their superb quality and realism.
Moors Valley Country Park
Ringwood
Moors Valley Country Park Adventure play, narrow-gauge steam railway, play trails - in fact there is loads to do - check webslink inside.
Bournemouth Bus Mystery Treasure Trail
Bournemouth
Bournemouth Bus Mystery Treasure Trail Looking for a fun and interesting way to explore Bournemouth? Don't just wander around aimlessly, do a Treasure Trail! These fun treasure hunts will teach you fascinating facts about the area and show you some beautiful scenery. Enjoy a fun family walk in the fresh air and solve an intriguing mystery at the same time.
Thanks for all the great places to go when visiting Dorset you keep sending in.
Now the summer holidays are upon us, we're trying to find as many things to do with kids as possible, especially cheap and free family friendly places to visit this year - theme parks, waterparks and swimming pools, museums, indoor soft playcentres, petting farms, wildlife parks and zoos, castles, railways, pottery making and ceramic cafes, roller and ice skating rinks, dry and indoor ski slopes, climbing walls, ten pin bowling alleys, steam railways and other tourist attractions.
Also teachers may find the site useful for ideas for the best places to take their classes on school journeys.
So, if you've been for great days out with the kids, or a school trip, which isn't listed above, just send in an email and we'll add it on so people on holidays and all the other children in Dorset can enjoy the great day out as well.
If you're looking for fun places for kids when visiting america on vacation, go to our new site familydaysoutusa.com
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