This is an advert for May 2025. Any edits / shares beyond this date have not been asked or paid for.
Discovery Museum in Newcastle is conveniently located just a short walk from Newcastle Central Station and is an ideal day out by train or Metro. It's a brilliant museum for all ages and one of my favourites but this article is specifically going to focus on why I think it's fantastic for pre-schoolers.
Discovery Museum is open daily from 10am on weekdays and 11am on weekends (closed bank holidays). It's a free entry museum (donations are always welcome).
Check opening hours and get directions here: https://discoverymuseum.org.uk/
5 Reasons to Visit Discovery Museum with Pre-Schoolers
1 - FREE Tiny Tyneside Indoor Play Area
Tiny Tyneside is a brand new indoor play space inside Discovery Museum. It's transport / North East themed and suitable for pre-schoolers.
FREE to visit, simply drop in during opening hours (sometimes they do need to close for maintenance so check the museum's social media before heading out. The next maintenance closure is Fri 9 May).
FREE to visit, simply drop in during opening hours (sometimes they do need to close for maintenance so check the museum's social media before heading out. The next maintenance closure is Fri 9 May).
This play space is fantastic with ride-on transport, a train table, a mini Tyne Bridge (and you can make your own), local wildlife sound buttons to press, fidget walls, a shadow wall, mini Turbina and crane which can move foam bricks and more.
We love this space and think it's a brilliant addition to the museum. You can watch our full video walk through of Tiny Tyneside here: Tiny Tyneside Play Area Video
But that's not all! You'll also find a mini under 5s play area in the Science Maze and there's a play corner with a ply kitchen for little ones in the museum cafe too.
2 - Fantastic Child Friendly Cafe & Facilities
The Discovery Museum's Turbina Cafe serves a range of hot and cold drinks, snacks, sandwiches, toasties, jacket potatoes and kids options (inlcuding kids lunch boxes). The cafe includes a lovely play corner with play kitchen for little ones to enjoy.
Find out more and check opening hours: https://discoverymuseum.org.uk/visit-us/turbinia-cafe
Museum facilities for families visiting with little ones include multiple baby changing areas across multiple levels, lift access, space to move around with pushchairs (or a buggy store if you prefer).
Find out more and check opening hours: https://discoverymuseum.org.uk/visit-us/turbinia-cafe
Museum facilities for families visiting with little ones include multiple baby changing areas across multiple levels, lift access, space to move around with pushchairs (or a buggy store if you prefer).
3 - Tiny Sparks for 3-5 year olds
Tiny Sparks sessions have been designed for 3-5 year olds and their guardians as an age-appropriate introduction to science and STEM. These 1 hour sessions will spark your child's imagination as they explore science, history and the museum through craft, play, activities songs and stories.
There's a different theme each week and unlike most pre-school activities you do not need to commit to every session and can just book on an ad-hoc basis. It's just £3.50 per child with accompanying adults and babies going free.
You can watch our video review of a previous Tiny Sparks session here: Tiny Sparks Video Review
Topics could include light and shadow, building and construction, things that fly, wonderful water and more. They usually take place on a Friday inside the Play+Invent area of the museum.
Look out for Tiny Sparks sessions and book here: https://discoverymuseum.org.uk/whats-on/discovery-museum-tiny-sparks
Tiny Sparks take over the museum on an ad-hoc basis with their Tiny Tots Toddler Takeovers too. Do look out for these dedicated days which are packed with lots to do for toddlers.
There's a different theme each week and unlike most pre-school activities you do not need to commit to every session and can just book on an ad-hoc basis. It's just £3.50 per child with accompanying adults and babies going free.
You can watch our video review of a previous Tiny Sparks session here: Tiny Sparks Video Review
Topics could include light and shadow, building and construction, things that fly, wonderful water and more. They usually take place on a Friday inside the Play+Invent area of the museum.
Look out for Tiny Sparks sessions and book here: https://discoverymuseum.org.uk/whats-on/discovery-museum-tiny-sparks
Tiny Sparks take over the museum on an ad-hoc basis with their Tiny Tots Toddler Takeovers too. Do look out for these dedicated days which are packed with lots to do for toddlers.
4 - Discover a Story for 3-5 year olds
Discover a Story sessions are part of the museum's Tiny Sparks programme and take place during school holidays - ideal for pre-schoolers whose regular activities are term time only and pause for school holidays.
The sessions are themed around a story (eg The Three Little Pigs) and led by early-years experts. Expect interactive storytime followed by age appropriate crafts themed around the story.
Booking is essential and tickets are £3.50 for 3-5 year olds with accompanying babies and adults going free.
Look out for the next Discover a Story session and book here: https://discoverymuseum.org.uk/whats-on/discover-a-story
The sessions are themed around a story (eg The Three Little Pigs) and led by early-years experts. Expect interactive storytime followed by age appropriate crafts themed around the story.
Booking is essential and tickets are £3.50 for 3-5 year olds with accompanying babies and adults going free.
Look out for the next Discover a Story session and book here: https://discoverymuseum.org.uk/whats-on/discover-a-story
5 - FREE Transport Themed Fun
Discovery Museum is brilliant for transport themed fun, as well as the transport fun in Tiny Tyneside, little ones can fly their own planes using solar energy in the museum's Steam to Green exhibition (this is pretty fun for grown ups too and you can race each other!), admire a Nissan Leaf in the foyer and check out the majestic boat Turbina.
The museum is just a short walk from Newcastle Central Station too making this an ideal day out by train or Metro.
The next time you're looking for a day out with pre-schoolers, do check Discovery Museum out x
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