Things to do in Durham for kids | DAYoutWITHtheKIDS.co.uk | Places to go with children

If you know of any other great things to do in Durham for kids which aren't listed on DAYoutWITHtheKIDS, please get in contact with us, so we can add them to the website and share the fun places to go with other children - thanks a lot

Things for Active Kids to do near Durham

Family Days Out near to Durham

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Prince Bishop River Cruiser (< 1 mile)

Durham City

Prince Bishop River Cruiser The Prince Bishop River Cruiser is a one hour cruise that takes in many of the city's sights from the unique perspective of the River Wear. On the trip to the Cathedral you will take in some spectacular views of the cities bridges, the castle and many of the Durham University buildings.

City of Durham Treasure Trail (< 1 mile)

Durham

City of Durham Treasure Trail These self-guided treasure hunts challenge you to explore and solve intriguing mysteries. Search for clues and find treasure or crack the code to save the world on a spy mission. You’ll find out fascinating facts, see special places and enjoy a family walk; all in the fresh air.

Top Gear Karting (< 1 mile)

Durham

Top Gear Karting They give you karting in a disco atmosphere with ultra violet tubes, strobe and spotlights with music and smoke machines, but most importantly safety This is karting and entertainment in one!

Houghall Gardens World of Trees (< 1 mile)

Houghall

Houghall Gardens World of Trees Over 500 species of trees can be seen and you can go on a 2.5 mile discovery trail of the surrounding countryside. Kids always love the water garden.

Durham Botanic Garden (1 miles)

Durham City

Durham Botanic Garden Plant collections from around the world, a tropical rainforest and tropical bugs, scorpions and tarantulas. A peaceful yet enthralling afternoon's worth.

Adventure Valley (2 miles)

Durham

Adventure Valley - comprising seven action packed play zones (with 3 undercover), you'll discover the very best in family adventure, farm fun and indoor play. Brand new for 2012 – Adventure Valley Golf! An 18-hole adventure golf course; it’s putting edge!

Boyne Play Pit and Cafe (3 miles)

Langley Moor

Boyne Play Pit and Cafe 4 level multi activity adventure play frame to exhaust and entertain the kids in a clean, safe environment. The play equipment is designed for 3-11 year olds, who also measure up to 4’9’’ in height.

Play 'n' Krazy (3 miles)

Bowburn

Play 'n' Krazy ball pools, play frame, slides, football and basket ball areas, and tiny tots explore too, in their own safe space

Riverside Park (5 miles)

Chester le Street

Riverside Park Includes artist-designed ornamental gardens, an events arena, 5,000 sq m play area and paddling pool, plus water play area with artificial beach and water cannon.

Cubbies Adventure Play (5 miles)

Chester le Street

Cubbies Adventure Play For up to 11 year olds, this is a nice little adventure play frame, clean and colourful, attached to a leisure centre with swimming pool.

Mini and Maxi Moos Adventure Land (6 miles)

Edmondsley

Mini and Maxi Moos Adventure Land With over 50,000 square feet of indoor space, and almost 100 acres of farm and park land, there's room for the whole family, and a range of activities to suit everyone from miniature animals to go karts and almost everything in between.

Spennymoor Leisure Centre (6 miles)

Spennymoor

Spennymoor Leisure Centre has a free - form Leisure Pool with a large shallow water area and a maximum depth of 1.8 metres. A water slide and wave machine are also available, but these only operate during evening, weekend and school holiday sessions. The pool is approximately 18 metres wide and 30 metres long.

Climb North East (6 miles)

Ferryhill

Climb North East Send the kids along to one of their weekend sessions. They will be running sessions for 3 different age groups starting at just 3 years old!

Durham Climbing Centre (6 miles)

Durham

Durham Climbing Centre Indoor rock climbing in Durham City for ages 2+. Suitable for beginner and advanced junior & adult climbers. An activity for the whole family! Book one of our Rock Stars Children's Sessions in advance (see website for timetable) or drop into the centre and supervise children yourself!

Newton Aycliffe Leisure Centre (6 miles)

Newton Aycliffe

Newton Aycliffe Leisure Centre Climbing is very good for developing balance, co-ordination, strength and confidence, whilst giving the child a great learning experience.

Herrington Country Park (6 miles)

Sunderland

Herrington Country Park Offers scenic walks, bike trails and a contemporary children's play park, designed around a well-known local myth, the story of the Lambton Worm!

Down at the Farm (7 miles)

Houghton Le Spring

Down at the Farm You can see a wide range of farm animals including goats, sheep, pigs, donkeys, ponies and chickens, plus a few unusual ones. There is plenty of hands-on fun including reptile handling, sheep/pig racing and washing the sheep. Kids can also climb their way round the adventure trail, pedal round the tiny tots tractor course, dig their way out of the giant sandpit or go mad on the jumping pillow + tractor rides.

Karting North East (7 miles)

Sunderland

Karting North East Has its own junior paddock circuit designed specifically for 8 to 11 years olds. It's the perfect introduction for children into karting and superb in terms of building confidence and safety awareness.

Laser Battlefield (7 miles)

Newcastle Upon Tyne

Laser Battlefield Bruise free combat games for over 6s. One of many fun family places to visit if you're looking for things to do in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne with kids.

South Causey Inn Equestrian Centre (8 miles)

Stanley

South Causey Inn Equestrian Centre BHS approved facility offering lessons from 4 years, with on site hacking and riding opportunities.

Beamish Open Air Museum (8 miles)

Beamish

Beamish Open Air Museum - makes the past comes to life. Beamish is unique. This is no ordinary museum but a living, working experience of life as it was in the Great North in the early 1800s and 1900s set in over 300 acres of beautiful countryside. A great family day out.

Pockerley Riding School (8 miles)

Stanley

Pockerley Riding School BHS approved facility offering lessons, off road hacking, woodland trails and Pony Club.

AMF Washington (8 miles)

Washington

AMF Washington Kids love bowling, and if they are under 6 they can use a ramp and gutter guards. This AMF has 26 lanes!

Beamish Wild High Ropes (9 miles)

Stanley

Beamish Wild High Ropes Experience the ultimate adrenaline rush! High in the treetops, tackle Burma Bridge, jump the leap of faith and whizz down zip wires. With over 25 daredevil elements, it’s a must for families, schools, groups, team building and any other thrill seekers.

Beamish Wild Adventure Park (9 miles)

Stanley

Beamish Wild Adventure Park Zoom on zip wires, build dens, scale the tree creeper and become a modern day Robin Hood archer. And if that wasn't enough, upgrade to the High Ropes Course for the ultimate adrenaline rush. Go,Go, Go for super-family day out adventure!

Funshack (9 miles)

Seaham

Funshack Maybe largest indoor playground in the north of England. Here you will find a wide range of fun activities in a safe and secure surrounding. New indoor go kart track and bowling alley 2012!

Krazy Kingdom (9 miles)

Annfield Plain

Krazy Kingdom 17,500 sq ft of non stop fun and it's all under one roof to keep kids up to 12 thrilled and entertained. Whopping four storey mainframe, trampolines and a small bowling alley too!

WWT Washington Wetland Centre (9 miles)

Washington

WWT Washington Wetland Centre Introducing children and adults alike to the wonders of wetlands, with stunning scenery and nose-to-beak encounters with some of the world's rarest waterbirds. Unforgettable wildlife spectacles and special events. Indoor discovery centre, early-years play area, cafe, picnic areas and gift shop.

Hardwick Park (10 miles)

Sedgefield

Hardwick Park Ideal for family games, picnicking and wild flower spotting, they also have a new visitor centre with excellent facilities including an interactive exhibition space.

Horden Welfare Park (10 miles)

Horden

Horden Welfare Park The park features a toddler and junior play area, a sculpture, football field, rugby field, cricket field, bowling greens, bandstand, multi-sports pitch, cafe and heritage centre.

Hall Hill Playbarn (10 miles)

Lanchester

Hall Hill Playbarn There is a large playframe for over 3's and a smaller area for Toddlers. There is also a pedal tractor area for the under 8's. Set in a children's farm.

Bowes Railway (10 miles)

Gateshead

Bowes Railway Bowes Railway was originally a colliery railway built to carry coal mainly from pits in north west Durham to the Tyne at Jarrow. The earliest section was designed by George Stephenson and opened on 17 January 1826, making it one of the world's first modern railways.

Castledown Fun Factory (10 miles)

Sunderland

Castledown Fun Factory Bright and colourful indoor play facility attached to a family friendly pub with a healthy kids' menu. Classic fun features include slide and ball pit.

Tanfield Railway (10 miles)

Gateshead

Tanfield Railway With an unparalleled history dating back to 1725, spectacular scenery and a truly unique atmosphere, it is no wonder that the Tanfield Railway is the North East's biggest and most popular steam railway.

Field House Equestrian Centre (10 miles)

Crook

Field House Equestrian Centre BHS approved facility offering lessons and hacks after assessment, plus recognised Pony Club with events like pony week.

Bamboozles Adventure World Ltd (10 miles)

Bishop Auckland

Bamboozles Adventure World Ltd Fully equipped activity frame, pedal carts, toddler area and themed parties. Plus its very own 6 metre high junior climbing wall!

Wacky Warehouse - Sandcastle (11 miles)

Sunderland

Wacky Warehouse - Sandcastle Wacky Warehouse - Harbour Lights - i would imagine it is the usual wacky warehouse scenario - sit down and have a rest while the small run themselves ragged in the playcentre - job done!!!

Sunderland Wall (11 miles)

Sunderland

Sunderland Wall Great family friendly climbing wall with kids club covering ages ranged from 3 onwards. Kids will learn the necessary rope work and skills to climb safely in a fully supervised environment.

The Giants Den (11 miles)

Gateshead

The Giants Den The Giants Den is a massive 15,000sq ft of non-stop fun for children up to 12 years of age. Maybe you'll see the giant himself!

Rosebud Ceramics (11 miles)

Sunderland

Rosebud Ceramics is a pottery painting studio based in Sunderland city centre, offering a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere great fun for all of the family. A lovely place to meet and spend quality time with the children whilst creating a perfect keepsake. Great value and a large selection of pottery.

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Thanks for all the great things to do in Durham with kids you keep sending in.
Now we have the easter and summer holidays fast approaching, we're trying to find the best days out and as many fun 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 playcentres and softplay for toddlers, petting farms, wildlife parks and zoos, aquariums, horse riding, castles, steam railways, pottery making and ceramic cafes, roller and ice skating rinks, karting tracks, snowdomes, dry and indoor ski slopes, climbing walls, activity centres, outdoor play at the best local parks, ten pin bowling alleys and all the other best family tourist attractions, that you can visit at the weekend.

Also teachers may find the site useful for ideas for the best places to take their classes on school journeys with many historical and educational atractions listed

So, if you've been for great days out with the kids, or a school trip, which isn't shown above, just send in an email and we'll add it on so people visiting on holidays and all the other children in Durham can enjoy the great day out as well.