Lifestyle & Design

Our Pick of the Top Activities to Do with Kids in Sussex

20 Mar 2023

If you are looking for a bit of inspiration to plan a great day out, full of family fun, then look no further! Enjoy our pick of the best activities and events for the kids (and adults alike) in and around Sussex that everyone will enjoy in equal measure...

Outdoor Activities For Children SussexOutdoor Activities For Children Sussex

Go Dragon Hunting in St. Leonard’s Forest

St. Leonard’s Forest, as local people will tell you, is home to the legend of St. Leonard the dragon slayer, who fought the last dragon living in England in these very woods around 770 AD. However, some say that there have been sightings of strange creatures since that day, with a specific mention of the year 1614, in which “a strange serpent (or dragon) was lately discovered”.

With cycle paths, riding tracks and many hiding places to discover woodland animals, what better way to spend the day than hunting for dragons?

For more information, visit: forestryengland.uk/st-leonards-forest

Great Days Out SussexGreat Days Out Sussex

Take a Ride on the Bluebell Railway

Every Thomas the Tank Engine fans dream, imagine travelling through 11 miles of glorious Sussex scenery on a real life steam engine! One of the first preserved heritage lines in the country, resulting in one of the finest collections of vintage steam locomotives and carriages, this is really a day out that the whole family will enjoy.

Running between Sheffield Park and East Grinstead, stopping at Horsted Keynes and Kingscote, during your visit, you will learn about the history and science of the industrial age, experience the thrill of getting up close to a working steam locomotive and luxuriate in the comfort and style of a bygone era.

Families can enjoy getting hands-on in our interactive exhibitions, and children can play in our play and picnic areas while parents relax with a cuppa after your trip. Plus time it with the Bluebell season for a spectacular vista from the window as you ‘cho-cho’ on by...

To plan a great day out, visit: bluebell-railway.com

 
Fun Activities For KidsFun Activities For Kids

Spend an Evening Star Gazing

Stargazing is a wonderful way to explore the beauty of our natural world with children and a powerful experience that the whole family can appreciate.

There are plenty of places in the south east which provide clear views of the night sky and avoid artificial light, such as Leith Hill, Slindon Estate, Black Down and many more. You can find a list on the National Trust website. All you need is a blanket, some snacks, and a little imagination.

Discovering shapes and objects in the sky can lead to inventing stories and myths, or if you want to explore the constellations, you can download an app like ‘Star Walk’ or ‘Google Sky’ to your mobile, which will tell you the stars above you at any location. The Lyrid meteor shower will be active from 16 April to 25 April, producing its peak rate of meteors around 22 April 2022 so why not plan a trip!

For more information and a list of locations take a look at our article on local stargazing spots here.

Holdiay Activites for KidsHoldiay Activites for Kids

Travel Back in Time at The Weald and Downland Open Air Museum

The Weald and Downland Living Museum is a beautiful forty-acre site exhibiting re-constructed traditional rural buildings built in Britain over the last 950 years. Each building has a story to tell about those who lived and worked in it, and there is an abundance of things to see and do.

There are a variety of domestic and traditional craft demonstrations on most days in the different buildings, as well as horses and oxon working in the fields, sheep, pigs and cows grazing and chickens and ducks to feed. The Weald and Downland is a museum like no other, and is guaranteed to be a fun day out for the children, who can see that life was still enjoyable before mobile phones and the internet!

Plan your visit online at: wealddown.co.uk

Things To Do With KidsThings To Do With Kids

Enjoy a Fun Filled Family Day Out at Blackberry Farm

A family run park set in the beautiful East Sussex countryside, Blackberry farm offers a huge selection of outdoor play, farm animals and exciting rides for the whole family to enjoy, come rain or shine!

Spending time in the Small Animal Barn or joining in with the daily Animal Handling sessions, children can get up close and personal with some of the smaller furry residents on the farm. Plus with a huge outdoor play area and lots of rides to choose from, this action-packed day out will help to burn off some of that excess holiday energy.

With new attractions being added every year and a seasonal events calendar packed full of fun activities that the whole family can take part in, you are guaranteed a warm welcome from this local East Sussex institution.

To discover events that are coming up, visit blackberry-farm.co.uk

 
Kid Friendly Beaches in SussexKid Friendly Beaches in Sussex

Hit the Beach and Paddle in Worthing

With a pier, a five-mile promenade ideal for scootering, the Splash Point indoor pool, plus mini-golf and beach volleyball on the green, there is so much on offer for kids to enjoy, along with the shallow sea and pebble beach.

A packed events calenadar unfolds around the town across the summer months, plus with lots of new eateries popping up and an exciting indepents shopping scene, you can make multiple trips and always have something new to see and do. 

To discover events and activites visit timeforworthing.uk

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Image Credits: all images are taken from the venues feautred

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