Places to Go with Young Children in Derbyshire and Staffordshire

Places to go with Young Children in Derbyshire and Staffordshire

Play Areas | Animals | Parks and Playgrounds | Theme Parks | Other

"Parking at Chucklebutties is difficult because so many other places share the car park (companies etc) that only a few places exist for mums to park. 4x4's have little to no chance as its such a squeeze! So park out of the centre on the street or nearby. But it's good. The food is good quality and there are sofa's tub seats for the adults and benches with tables at the edge of the room. It's very spacious. There is a tots bit in the middle of the floor for under 2's and big slides etc for the older ones. I was impressed and my two said it was better then Planet Happy in Heage! A compliment indeed."
Deborah

The Little Rascals Club

St John's Community Centre
behind St John's Church
off King Street
Ashbourne
DE6 1EA
Tel: 01335 346735
E-mail: thelittlerascalsclub@hotmail.co.uk
Contact Sally Smalley.
Open Monday to Friday, 10.30 am to 4 pm. £3.00 per session, under-ones free. Bouncy castle, climb and slide, tents and tunnels, cars and bikes, trampolines, dressing up, baby toys.
See map...

Busy Bees Indoor Play Area

Unit 1
Tongue Lane Industrial Estate
Dew Pond Lane
Buxton
Derbyshire
SK17 7LF
Tel: 01298 24648
Children's indoor play area: ball pools, slides and bouncy castles.
See map...

"Better than the softplay and ball pit at Leek!" Rowen

Kiddies Kingdom Indoor Play Area

Cross St. Mill
Cross Street
Leek
Staffordshire
ST13 6BL
Tel/Fax: 01538 382333
Ball pools, rope frames, bridges, etc.
Open 10am-7pm (last entry 5.30pm) 7 days a week. Closed Christmas day, boxing day and New Years day.
See map...

"I have visited lots of Play Areas in the area but always return to Kiddies Kingdom as I find it extremely clean. The staff are very friendly. The food is excellent and reasonably priced." Lewis

The Big Top

Dovefields Leisure Park
Off Town Meadows Way
Uttoxeter
Staffordshire
Tel: 07804 851604
Circus themed play barn. Separate play areas for babies and toddlers with equipment designed to develop climbing and balancing skills.
See map...

Funsters

Funsters
Federation Road
Burslem
Stoke on Trent
Tel: 01782 811661
A smaller soft play centre to its sister centres in Stoke and Crewe. 10 am daily.

Pirates Cove Adventure Play Area

Meadowside Leisure Centre
Burton upon Trent
Staffordshire
DE14 1TL
Tel: 01283 508865
E-mail: meadowside.leisurecentre@eaststaffsbc.gov.uk

For children from 0 to 12 years. Ball pools, rope bridges, giant spiders, web obstacles and slides. Tuesday 11-1, Wednesday 12.30-2, Thursday 12.30-3, Friaday 10.30-1.30, Saturday and Sunday 10-12.
See map...

Smilee Faces

Hawkins Lane
Burton-on-Trent
Staffordshire
DE14 1PT
Tel: 01283 563999
E-Mail: info@smileefaces.co.uk
Features both a baby and a fours and under area.
See map...

Pirates Cove Adventure Play Area

Bumpi's BIG Adventure

Ascot Drive
Derby
DE24 8GW
Tel: 01332 204292
E-mail: enquiries@bumpi.co.uk
Large Indoor Adventure Play area with coffee bar. Loads of seating and parking. Air conditioned. Parties.
Open 7 days 10am - 6:30pm. Five minutes from Pride Park.
Every Tuesday and Thursday term time between 10.30-11.30 there are free activities for little ones (only entry to Bumpi's is payable Ł3.50 which includes unlimited play as well as the activity). On Monday's, term time, TrueColours Art run arts and craft sessions for the under-fives. Again activity is free, only entrance fee needs to be paid. Holiday events scheduled throughout school holidays to keep children amused. To receive a copy e-mail enquiries@bumpi.co.uk.
See map...

Planet Happy

Heage Road Industrial Estate
Heage Road
Ripley
DE5 3GH
Tel: 01773 748600
See map...

"Excellent children's indoor play centre and cafe. Also caters for children's parties." Lesley Hutchinson

Cyril's Nut Hut

Cyril's Nut Hut
Unit 3, Acton Road
Long Eaton
NG10 1FR
Tel. 0115 973 6532
E-Mail: enquiries@cyrilsnuthut.co.uk
Children's indoor play area: ball pools, slides and bouncy castles.
See map...

"This is a superb indoor soft play center " Lisa

Freddys Play Kingdom

50 Nottingham Road
Derby
Tel: 01332 662322

"Really nice soft play area. Staff very welcoming. Parties are very good too. " Sarah Barker

"A wonderful place to go with a big area for little ones (under 4's) as well as a larger area for older ones. I have to agree about the welcoming staff - never had any complaints, and they also do a 'reward card', geting you a free visit periodically and other special offers throughout the year. Just undergoing refitting now, so will be even better soon I guess! Highly recommended." Catherine Donald

Crazy Crocodiles Indoor Play Party Centre

Abbey Street
Ilkeston
Derbyshire
DE75 7RL
Tel: 0115 9441555
See map...

Toddler Time Monday - Friday during term time. Baby Session every Monday during term time. Also caters for Parties including themed and private hire Open 7 Days throughout the year except at Christmas.

Mr Clown's Fun Zone

Unit 16C Etherow Industrial Estate
Woolley Bridge Road
Hadfield
Glossop
SK13 2NS
Tel: 01457 865650
See map...
Large indoor fun center for children 0-12. Separate area for babies and tots, a sports court with football nets and netball posts, 4 party rooms, the Big Top Cafe and the Large Fun Zone for the older children with a four lane slide, spiral slide and lots more.

Chuckles Indoor Play Centre

Bridge Street
Clay Cross
Derbyshire
S45 9PD
Tel 01246 860049
See map...

Blackbrook Zoological Park

Winkhill
near Leek
Staffordshire
Tel: 01538 308293
Evening: 01538 387159
Open daily apart from Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. Birds, donkeys, llamas, rabbits, lemurs, etc.

Highfields Happy Hens

Highfields Farm
Heage Lane
Etwall
DE65 6LS
Tel: 01283 732083
Egg train rides, egg collecting, bouncy castle, children's parties.
See map...

Matlock Farm Park

Matlock Farm Park
Jaggers Lane
Nr Two Dales
Matlock
DE4 5LH Tel: 01246 590200
Fax: 01226 350055
A varied selection of animals to see including llamas, goats, peacocks, red deer, rabbits and an opportunity to help feed the young lambs (seasonable). Specially designed playgrounds.
See map...

Chatsworth Working Farmyard

Chatsworth
Bakewell
Derbyshire
DE45 1PP
Tel: 01246 583139
E-mail: farmyard@chatsworth.org
Features cows, pigs, goats, sheep, horses, chickens and fish. There are usually young animals to see throughout the year. There is a milking demonstration at 3.30 every afternoon, daily animal handling sessions at 11.30am, 2pm and 4.10pm and goat milking demonstrations twice daily at 11.30am and 1.pm subject to kidding. Also playground with sand and water play areas. Open 10.30 am - 5.30 pm, last admission 4.30 pm. £4 admission charge, under-threes free.
See map...
Read review of Chatsworth farmyard and adventure playground...

Byrkley Park Garden Centre

Rangemore
Burton-on-Trent
Staffordshire
Tel: 01283 716467
Farm animals, tropical and coldwater fish and a small playground. Open everyday from 9am (Sundays 10.30 am).

Amerton Farm

Stowe-by Chartley
Stafford
ST18 0LA
Tel: 01889 270294
Small farm, bouncy castles, indoor adventure playground.
See map...

Carsington Water

Carsington
Ashbourne
Derbyshire
DE6 1ST
Tel: 01629 540696
Admission free. Duck feeding, playground, walks and play centre.
See map...

Markeaton Park

Ashbourne Road
Derby
Tel: 01332 384494
West of Derby, Markeaton park features a miniature railway, children's play centre, paddling pool and other attractions

Belper River Gardens

Matlock Road
Belper
Derbyshire
01773 841 488
"Gardens created by the Strutt family for public enjoyment." Playground, rowing boats and duck feeding.

Darly Abbey Park

Derby
Derbyshire
Butterfly garden, playground, duck feeding, picnicing.

Conkers

Rawdon Road (B586)
Moira
Nr Ashby-de-la-Zouch
Derbyshire
DE12 6GA
Tel: 01283 216633
Fax: 01283 210321
Email: info@visitconkers.com.
Adventure playground, steam train, indoor play centre and woodland trails.
See map...

Ashbourne Playground and Duck Pond

Park Road
Ashbourne
Derbyshire

Trentham Gardens

Trentham
Stoke-on-Trent
Staffordshire
ST4 8AX
Adventure playground inside the Italian garden. Woodland walk, rowing boats and mini steam railway. New Monkey Forest lets you get close to monkeys. Woodland walk free, Italian garden Ł5.50 for adults, Monkey forest Ł5 for adults, over 4's Ł3.50, under 4's free. Open 10 am until 6 pm.
See map...

"It is brilliant here, but I think it could be cheaper to go into the gardens! " Kieran Portman

Central Forest Park

Chell Street
Hanley
Stoke-on-Trent
Staffordshire
ST4 8AX
environment.team@stoke.gov.uk
Lake, junior and toddler play facilities, health and nature trail. The lake provides a home for a range of water birds including great crested grebes and coots. The grassland provides a home for insects. Some unusual plants, such as wild carrot, can be found due to lime in the soil. The mounds are made up of spoil from the coal mine. Carboniferous plant and fish fossils can still be found in some of the loose shale.

Gullivers Kingdom

Pleasure Park
Temple Walk
Matlock
Derbyshire
DE4 3PG
Tel: 01629 580540
Theme park for young children.
See map...

Waterworld

Festival Park
Etruria
Hanley
Stoke-on-Trent
Staffs
ST1 5PU
Tel: 01782 205747
E-mail: info@waterworld.co.uk
See map...

Aquatots at Cariba Creek Splashlandings

Alton Towers Cariba Creek
Alton
Staffordshire
ST10 4DB
Tel: 0870 460 6548
Wednesday and Friday free waterpark sessions with floats and toys for the under-fives (£4.50 for adults). Call for opening times - Tel: 0870 460 6545.
Open the rest of the week for all ages.
See map...

"Brilliant for children all ages. i took my daughter for santa sleepover and would recommend highly. " Vicki

Dimensions Fantasy Pool

Scotia Road
Burslem
Stoke-on-Trent
ST6 4ET
Tel: (01782) 233500
Fax: (01782) 233100
Dragon slide, bubble pools, fountain and river rapids. Aqua tots sessions. Good value for money.
See map...

Alton Towers

Alton Towers
Alton
Staffordshire
ST10 4DB
Tel: 0990 204060
See map...

Manifold Trail: Cycling and Pushchair Walk

The Manifold Trail runs from Waterhouses to Hulme End, with cycle hire available at the old station in Waterhouses (01538 308609) - where you park the car - and at Brown End Farm (Tel: 01538 308313). Children's bikes, children's seats and buggies to pull children along in are all available. If you don't fancy a bike ride then being tarmaced this trail is also suitable for pushing prams.

Tissington Trail: Easy Cycling

The Tissington Trail starts just north of Ashbourne. It is a former railway track so is easy to cycle with a child's seat on the back.Cycle hire is available to the former stations at Parsley Hay (opposite the junction of the Youlgreave road with the A515), Tissington, Ashbourne (01335 343156) and Thorpe village.

Matlock Bath Aquarium

110-114 North Parade
Matlock Bath
Derbyshire
DE4 3NS
Tel: 01629 583624
See map...

Rudyard Lake Steam Railway

Rudyard Station
Rudyard
Nr. Leek
Staffordshire
ST13 8PG
Tel: 01995 672280
info@rlsr.org
Offers 3 mile return scenic steam train trip along the side of Rudyard Lake. Many special event days for kids such as Easter egg specials, Lollipop specials, Halloween and Santa Specials.
See map...

Churnet Valley Railway

Cheddleton Station
Station Road
Cheddleton
Nr. Leek
Staffordshire Moorlands
ST13 7EE
Tel: 01538 360522
enquiries@churnetvalleyrailway.co.uk
The railway runs along the valley of the river Churnet, a return journey of 10.5 miles. Steam trains every Sunday, March to mid-October and all bank holiday Mondyas 10 am to 5 pm. Plus every Saturday and Wednesday in June, July and August. Special events and trains at Christmas.
See map...

Foxfield Railway

Caverswall Road Station
Blythe Bridge
Stoke-on-Trent
ST4 8YT
Tel: 01782 396210
enquiries@foxfieldrailway.co.uk
Steam train on a 5 mile round journey through the Staffordshire countryside between Caverwall Road Station and Dilhorne Park. Baby changing facilities at the station. Open Wednesdays and weekends. Steam trains operate on Sundays and Bank Holiday Mondays, 11.30 am to 5 pm from April to the end of October. Santa specials in December.
See map...

Toys of Yesteryear

Museum and collectors shop at the Peak Village Outlet.
28 Peak Village
Chatsworth Road
Rowsley
Derbyshire
DE4 2NP
Tel: 01629 732111
steve@toysofyesteryear.co.uk
See map...

The Heights of Abraham

Matlock Bath
E-mail: enquiries@h-of-a.co.uk
Open daily from April 'til October. Includes cable car ride and guided tours of caverns. Under 5s free.

Poole's Cavern

Green Lane
Buxton
Derbyshire
SK17 9DH
Tel: 01298 26978
Fax: 01298 73563
Email: info@poolescavern.co.uk
Open daily from March 'til October. Under 5s free.
See map...

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Under-FivesThings to do with Young Children in Derbyshire and Staffordshire