Days Out for Kids in Chester this Summer

As we head into the midst of summer, the novelty of having your children home may be wearing off. It’s only natural for your kids to become bored with so many days out of school and that can create friction in the household, as they get under foot more often. However, getting out of the house is a great way to break up the monotony and help everyone bond together as a family. If you want to get away from the home, but you’re not quite sure what to do, consider some of these fun adventures in and around the Chester area.

Days Out for Kids in Chester this Summer - Chester Taxi Services

Days Out with Kids in Chester this Summer

Here are 15 ideas for keeping the kids entertained this summer. However given the temperatures we are experiencing, a paddling pool might the only thing they want to do this summer.

Spend a Day at the Chester Zoo

Even one day may not be enough to see and experience everything the Chester Zoo has to offer. The 110-acre plot of land has been cultivated over the years and now features some of the most beautiful, award-winning gardens in the city. Making those gardens home are more than 7,000 species of animals with new attractions added on a regular basis. Recently, the zoo renovated the jaguar house and made modifications to the giant otter habitat, so underwater viewing can give guests a better look at the animals at play. Complimenting the animal attractions, Chester Zoo offers a range of play areas for children of every age.

Cheshire Ice Cream Farm Offers More Than Just Cool Treats

admission into this park is free, though you will have to pay for each attraction separately. For instance, there’s Crazy Daisy’s Play Barn, which costs £3 on the weekdays and increases to £3.50 for the weekends. A wrist band lets the children come and go as they please and a special soft play area is designated for toddlers. Additionally, there are free attractions for the family to enjoy, such as a small animal petting area and an outdoor playground. The park offers miniature golf for £1 per individual and an electric quad track for older children. The ice cream is just as exciting as the adventures with Cheshire Ice Cream Farm featuring 20 different flavours.

Delamere Forest Takes Your Family Away from the City

This forest is the biggest woodland area in the city, featuring more than 950 hectares of tree-covered land. The essential needs of the guests are covered with an information centre, public bathrooms, and cafes. Paths are clearly marked and a two-way route offers a cycling path and a multi-ability trail that features musical instruments for children to enjoy. Also found in the forest are picnic areas and simulated mountain climbing adventures on the Go-Ape at Delamere ropes. Forest rangers operate a small school for children aged 2 to 5 years, which introduces the children to a variety of entertaining activities. More information and maps of the forest can be found at the information centre.

Blakemere Craft Centre Offers Fun for the Whole Family

Shopping becomes a fun excursion for everyone in the family, when an outing includes time at Blakemere. The shops found in this centre offer jewellery, home décor, and toys. There are also gift shops, selling a collection of novelty items and souvenirs. When browsing shops starts to get a little tedious for the children, you can take a break at one of the many play areas. In addition to both indoor and outdoor playgrounds, Blakemere also offers family fun in the form of the Aquatic and Falconry Centre. You can also take the kids for some golfing at Supagolf. When the family starts to get hungry, a pub and cafe offer a range of refreshments, meals, and munchies.

Cool Off in the Water at Manley Mere

The lake at Manley Mere offers plenty of summer fun, whether you want to soak up the sun, take the kids for a swim, or indulge in one of the many water sports offered in the area. In addition to equipment rentals, families can also hire instructors to give them lessons in using the equipment, or the children can take swimming lessons. The park also offers an adventure trail, but don’t assume you won’t get wet, once you leave the lake. As well as featuring a giant hamster wheel, a dunking chair can also be found along the way. Later in the evening, Chameleon Bar & Restaurant offers an opportunity to relax and enjoy a good meal.

Centrally Located Grosvenor Park is Ideal for Family Fun

If you don’t want to go too far from home, but do want to get out of the house for awhile, try taking the kids to Grosvenor Park. The park is located close to the main shopping centre of Chester, so it’s close and in a convenient area. Trees, manicured shrubs and lawns, and statues give the park a welcoming atmosphere and there are often events, shows, or competitions taking place at the horseshoe-shaped outdoor theatre. Children under the age of five are admitted free to the events. The park offers a Miniature Railway, which circles the lake and is driven by a steam and diesel engine. Children 10 and under can take the wheel on their own on the ‘Trevor The Tram’ track.

Enjoy More Animal Interactions at Stockley Farm

If your family enjoyed the zoo and want to get up close with more animals, a trip to Stockley Farm might be in order. This is a fully functioning organic farm, located on 750 acres of land. Guests take a tractor trailer ride to the farm in the morning, allowing guests to arrive in time for the morning feeding. This is a great opportunity for the children, because they can help out by bottle feeding the baby goats and baby lambs. There’s also a small petting area and Stockley Farm staff members help the children hold the smaller animals. Later, your family can also watch as 200 dairy cows are milked. By the afternoon, the children may be ready to burn off some energy. There are outdoor and indoor play areas for that, or the entire family can get some exercise by taking a hike on the woodland nature trail. The farm also hosts a tearoom, which offers refreshments and snacks.

Learn About History at the Hawk Green Secret Nuclear Bunker

This underground bunker remained unexplored for more than six decades, but it’s now an educational and entertaining attraction. The facility contains 35,000 square feet of space, which was utilized as a strategic planning center for British troops. When it was still in use, this bunker was capable of managing fighter aircrafts and possessed an array of search lights. Your family can now tour this facility and learn what it was like to live in this structure, which was one of just 21 fixed radar stations throughout England.

Tatton Park Offers Something for Every Taste

This park offers much more than outdoor play areas, though it does have those attractions for energetic children. Additionally, Old Hall is a monument to history, having served as the state’s manor house until the late 17th century. Today, it plays host to a library that contains some of the National Trust’s finest collections. Leaving the library, you and your family can tour 50 acres of gardens that have been maintained for more than 250 years. Among the wondrous sites in the gardens are glass houses, Japanese gardens, and kitchen gardens. Another 1,000 acres of the park has been devoted to caring for animals with which your children can interact. Horses and donkeys, cattle, goats, pigs, sheep, and chicken all make their homes in the park. Parking is just £5 per vehicle.

Blue Planet Aquarium Takes Your Family Beneath the Surface

Go underwater to witness sea life in its natural environment at Blue Planet Aquarium. Coral Cave is the aquarium’s newest attraction, which is now home to hundreds of vibrantly colored tropical fish. Your family will also get to watch puffer fish and rays make their way along the enormous rocky cavern. Guests aged 8 and older can go on a shark dive as one of many indoor activities for the family. Rock pools let guests of all ages get a closer look at sea creatures, while Tarantula Tower offers a look at 50 giant spiders. A pirate playground gives your kids a chance to burn off their energy and creates new photo-worthy moments.

Kids Can Blow Off Steam at Jump Nation Trampoline Park

A ride out to Runcorn might be worth it, especially if your children are starting to get a case of cabin fever. This indoor park features 139 trampolines that are connected to allow jumping from one arena to the next. They can also take a dive into foam pits or use their momentum to make slam dunks on the basketball hoops. There’s also a 3D dodgeball court, where your kids can leap over inbound shots. Physical fitness classes are fun for all ages, including special classes for toddlers and adults. Jump Nation Trampoline Park also has special party rooms, which can be reserved for birthdays and other special occasions.

Jungle Parc is Perfect for the Climbers in Your Family

After spending months in a classroom setting, your children likely have plenty of pent-up energy and what better way to burn that energy than by climbing? Jungle Parc features a forest with two different courses for adventurous families. The courses consist of 45 activities that allow your children to swing, climb, and balance themselves. The Adventure Course has been designed to offer safe activities for children as young as four years old and features a rocket launch, rope bridges, and swings with cargo nets. Meanwhile the X-plorer Course is intended for older children of at least 10 and offers larger and more challenging versions of the Adventure Course activities. It also features an aerial snowboard and a giant spider’s web. Later, the family can relax in a picnic area, which also welcomes friendly dogs.

Greenacres Animal Park Offers Ride and More

Another great way to spend a midsummer afternoon is at the Greenacres Animal Park, which brings all of the elements of a good fair together. The park is home to wide range of animals, including emus, reptiles, wallabies, lemurs, and monkeys. A petting area lets your children interact more closely with some of the parks more docile residents. When the kids get tired of interacting with the animals, take them to the fairgrounds, where they can ride the mini jets, ferris wheel, mini octopus, and mini roundabout. Greenacres Animal Park offers fun for toddlers and children of all ages, featuring separate play areas and a soft play area especially designed for toddlers.

For Indoor Fun, Make a Stop at Tenpin

Whether it’s raining or you’ve had your fill of amusement parks and zoos, a stop at Tenpin can keep you indoors for the afternoon. Computerized lanes make bowling a breeze for the family, or you can just spend your time playing pool and arcade games. The Beach Road Cafe offers guests a chance to relax and enjoy refreshments and snacks. Tenpin is ideal for children aged 3 and up.

TeamSport Indoor Karting Lets Older Kids Get in on the Action

Perfect for kids over six years of age and adults, TeamSport Indoor Karting lets families race karts around an indoor track for freestyle fun. Children receive safety training and racing trips to ensure they get the most enjoyment out of their time on the track. The facility can also host birthdays and special events, while a restaurant and bar offers a nice place to unwind and grab a light meal.

Summer is the best time to catch up with your children and create memories that will last a lifetime, but there’s no need to travel far to create those special moments. There are plenty of activities in your own backyard, if you know where to look. Taking your family out to any one of these attractions will help them release their energy and give everyone a chance to experience something different. A little family recreation may be just the thing everyone in your home needs to beat those summertime blues.

Keep Calm and Call a Taxi

With our current heatwave this summer, keep calm and call a taxi. The are plenty of taxis in Chester and they can either be booked in advance or grab one at a selection of taxis ranks that dot Chester. If you can be bothered driving and finding parking in this heat, we are only a phone call away.

Happy Summer!

Things to Do in Chester