My brother and his family are staying with me 22 - 28 July. They have 2 girls (11 and 4) and a boy (5). Please, please help me out with ideas about what to do with them all! I don't have kids and I don't know many - where are the good places to take them and is there anything on those days?

I live near Endcliffe Park so we can spend a day pottering there but I'd be grateful for any other ideas....

Canon Hall Farm at Barnsley is great for a day out close to home. They have a farm, acres of grounds, a cafe and play area/picnic area. You can buy bags of food to feed the little goats too! Its a great place = my son ( 8 1/2) and my neice (4) love it.

Or Heeley City Farm, certainly closer.

Playing in the traffic is always good fun.

How about Magna?
Should be something to suit all ages there.
S

Originally posted by t020
Playing in the traffic is always good fun.


Keep these posts coming T020 - they are getting more hilarious by the day - "Halfway to where ho ho ho" was funny -
:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Alex

Originally posted by Spangle
How about Magna?
Should be something to suit all ages there.
S

magna is pricey but good. If the weather is fine the adventure playground (ticket holders only) is great for all ages up to about 12 -13

take a picnic - the magna cafe suck cheese big time.

yorkshire sculpture park - free, good picnicking

A walk, say around wyming brook - natural beauty, stream to throw stones in etc.

Endcliffe park Cafe and playground is good - nice food, reasonable prices, great people - new toilet block

The noisemaking exhibition at the Millenium Galleries. Again this is pricey, and I have my doubts as to how well the very rickety looking exhibits have stood up to the challenge of 1-200 schoolkids a day for the last fortnight. Underwhelming but fun for the younger kids.

Tram Rides - cheap and different.

Doncaster Earth centre - depends how worthy you are feeling. I think it is quite superb, but beset by expectations it did not build itself. Tickets cheapest if you do not arrive by car, arrival by boat is possible.

Yeah, but that's not even mildly amusing TO2O.

Erm, Heeley Farm is good, but it won't take you that long to go around. Nice cafe too though. In the afternoon you could head up to Graves Park on the 34 bus from Chesterfield Road, and go to the rare breeds centre, which has more animals than Heeley. Both good places. If the weathers nice you could go for a walk through Graves Park through the woods, and end up in Woodseats where there's a playground before you leave the park.

Other good options are:

Padley Gorge, always a favourite.

Magna

Chesterfield Park has a boating lake and a mini train thing that takes you through the park.

Try Hillsborough swimming baths, they have slides and stuff, and Ponds Forge.

If it's hot theres an outdoor swimming pool in Hathersage.

I'll post more when I think of em.

Pardon me for trying to lighten the tone.

Originally posted by beckb
Canon Hall Farm at Barnsley is great for a day out close to home. They have a farm, acres of grounds, a cafe and play area/picnic area. You can buy bags of food to feed the little goats too! Its a great place = my son ( 8 1/2) and my niece (4) love it.

We are probably taking a helicopter there at the end of the month (25th?)

10 Pin Bowling - At Firth Park they block the 'gutters' and have 'ramps' for the kids to roll the ball down.

A full tour on Supertram with a Big Mac treat at Meadowhall.

A car trip and walk around the Rivelin Valley and Loxley Valley Nature Trails and Bradfield Dams.

The Five Weirs Walk and muck about near the canal.

The Abbeydale Industrial Hamlet.

The Museum of Fire and Police.

A car trip to Castleton.

The Magna Science Adventure Centre.

Heeley City Farm.

Just For Kids.

Sheffield Bus Museum.

The Tropical Butterfly House

Chatsworth Adventure Playground and Farmyard.

Centertainment - cinema, bowling, kiddy restaurants
Meadowhall - so they can spend your money
Forge Dam - nice walk and a big slide that I used to enjoy as a kid

PS. With there being such a big age gap you might find it tricky - the 11 year old will probably want shops and films whereas the 4 and 5 year olds will want slides and swings. Keeping everyone happy all of the time will probably not be possible. Boredom will probably kick in, by which time you might seriously reconsider my playing in the traffic suggestion.

Originally posted by Yorkie

Chatsworth Adventure Playground and Farmyard.

THIS IS WHERE YOU SHOULD TAKE THEM. It's amazing!

Costs a bit, but great great fun! underground tunnels and huge big things and poles and t-bars and an archimedes screw and loads of big wooden climby things with fishermans net ladders and huge slides and - aaah, memories :DTHIS IS WHERE YOU SHOULD TAKE THEM. It's amazing!

http://www.butterflyhouse.co.uk/

You could always try the park at Millhouses as well.. Granted the Lido and the Paddling Pools are shut due to vandalism but there's still a decent sized adventure playground and a couple of other bits to play on.

defo take em to the butterfly park, there are two little monkeysd, the cutest things you ever saw, and they let you feed them mini marshmallows, sooooooo cute and great for all ages, adults included. they also get the snakes out and stuff so you can hold em if you wish, and there are little terrapins and stuff too. nice drive and will kepp you occupied for a couple of hours.


:)

mimi
x

Originally posted by Rich
the Lido and the Paddling Pools are shut due to vandalism

Vandalism by Sheffield City Council.

What about the new adventure playground at the Ski Village?

Graves Park is a good day out and its free!!!

Theres the farm so everyone can go ahh! at the fluffy animals and stroke them and stuff. Free parking!

Loads of walking to do with animals on the way, a kids playground including sandpit and a cafe with the necessary toilet facilities, and the lake.

I took my kids with a packed lunch and all I spent was ice cream money.
:D

Great posts, thanks (apart from the obvious). Keep them coming! I never knew there was so much out there - Magna, Butterflies, Canon Hall and Chatsworth look great bets.

Has anyone been to the kids museum in Halifax (Eureka?) - I know it's a bit of a drive but would it be worth it?

Eureka kicks ass! But bear in mind the age range - you're classed as an adult from age 12. This might not be so exciting for the 11 year old, but it is an AMAZING AMAZING place. The other kids will adore it. There or the Chatsworth place, and you'll be home and dry.