52 Days Out for Little Ones across North East England

If you're looking for a day out idea with little ones (in North East England). This post includes 52 ideas to get you started. 

52 Days Out for Little Ones across North East England

 A day out for every weekend of the year

1 - FREE Sensory Play Area at Theatre Hullabaloo
2 - FREE Circus Play Area at Laing Art Gallery
3 - FREE Newcastle/ Transport Play Area at Discovery Museum
4 - FREE Play & Learn Activities at BALTIC (every Wednesday)

5 - FREE VIsit the Mouse House & Dinosaur at Great North Museum
6 - Spend the Day at your local Farm Park (Whitehouse Farm is our fave)
7 - FREE Find the Gruffalo in Hamsterley Forest

8 - FREE Visit the Dinosaurs in Sunderland Winter Gardens (and Mowbray Park is next door)
9 - Meet the Birds & Enjoy the Mud Kitchen at WWT Washington
10 - FREE Thornley Woodland Centre Animal Sculpture Trail

11 - FREE Visit Ouseburn Farm & Seven Stories
12 - FREE Visit Pet’s Corner in Jesmond Dene (there’s a playground too)
13 - FREE Visit as Splash Pad in the Summer (Blyth / Chester le Street are fab)
14 - Explore Jarrow Hall & Meet the Animals
15 - FREE Spend the Day at Plessey Woods (Woodland Walks & Playground)

16 - Visit Tynemouth Aquarium
17 - Pre-School Days at Centre for Life
18 - Exhibition Park Playgrounds, Water Play, Cafe & Mini Train (selected dates)
19 - Take a Ride on Tanfield Railway

20 - Ride the Trams & Meet the Farm Animals at Beamish Museum
21 - FREE Enjoy Morpeth Outdoor Paddling Pool (summer)
22 - Join National Trust and enjoy endless walks & playgrounds

23 - Toddler Clip n Climb Sessions
24 - FREE Visit Stephenson Railway Museum, Locomotion Shildon and/or Hopetown Darlington
25 - Visit Butterfly World (reopens spring)

26 - Enjoy Breakfast in an Airfield Cafe (Eshott or Flight Ranch)
27 - Spend the Day in South Shields -Beach, Fairground, The Word, South Shields Museum, Playgrounds & Train Rides


28 - Spend the Day at Adventure Valley or Holmside Park
29 - Climb to the top of Northumberlandia (supervised), enjoy the trail through the woods and stop for milkshake or fresh milk at the milkshake vending machine.

30 - Visit Lanchester Garden Centre & Potters World
31 - Try Little Tykes at Air Trail
32 - Visit an Ice Cream Parlour - we like Spurelli / Morwick in Amble
33 - Have Fun at Tynemouth Park - Jungle Wipeout, Playground, Model Boat Lake, Maze & more….

34 - Strawberry Picking at Brocksbushes (summer)
35 - Go Wild at Diggerland
36 - Bird Spotting & Play Area at RSPB Saltholme
37 - All Aboard Train Themed Play at Preston Park Museum

38 - Dress Up at Bailiffgate Museum & Pre-Loved Book Shopping at Barter Books
39 - Explore Woodhorn Museum - Crawl through the Tunnels, Check out the Museum Trolley Activities for Under 5s and Playground
40 - Newbiggin-by-the Sea Beach, Playgrounds, Lifeboat Station & Maritime Museum
41 - North East Land, Sea & Air Museum

42 - Spend the Day at Kirkleatham - visit the Museum, Zog Trail, Birds of Prey & Walled Garden
43 - Heatherslaw Light Railway and Hay Farm Heavy Horse Visit
44 - Teesaurus Dinosaur Park
45 - Visit the Model Railways at Ormesby Hall
46 - Alnwick Garden

47 - Kirkharle - Playground, Running Fox Kids Afternoon Tea, Wildlife Walk around the Ponds & Milkshake Vending Machine
48 - Shields Ferry Boat Trip

49 - Plotters’ Forest & Raby Castle Deer Park

50 - FREE Danby Lodge National Park Centre with Dragon Sculpture, Playground, Mud Kitchen and Mini Indoor Climbing Wall / Building Bricks & Nature Area
51 - Walk around Bolam Lake (around a mile)
52 - FREE Explore The Story & Oriental Museum Durham - both have hands on activities for little ones

I have not included soft plays / play cafes / beaches / swimming pools / most playgrounds & classes in this post as it’s usually best to stick with and support your local ones which you should know about already / I already have posts dedicated to these options. Check opening hours direct before heading out.

Read more: 

A Guide to North East Soft Plays 

A Guide to Visiting the Northumberland Coast with Little Ones 

The Best Swimming Pools in North East England 

The Best Playgrounds in North East England