Things to do in N.E with a 5 year old and a 4 year old



I went to the Baltic when I was 29 and I was bored shitless - I dread to think how a 4 year old would react.

Aye, it's usually underwhelming whenever I've been. Good views though.
Alnwick Castle & Gardens, they'll doubtless recognise it from Harry Potter and they'll like the poison section of the garden.
 
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The play area at Gibside is class. It's a canny place for exploring too. Weather dependent of course.

The Baltic has the viewing platforms, kids love owt like that. Tie it in with the Millennium Bridge tilting to blow their minds.
You sure you’re on about Gibside? It’s got the tiniest, shittest play area going.

Like the place but not for its play area.
Roker Pier and tunnel tour if you can get it booked.

Kids won’t be tall enough.
 
We’ve booked 2 nights away during our school October hols, staying at the Holiday Inn beside the Metro Centre.

We thought we had it all planned out - Tuesday slow drive down, stop on Edinburgh and a wander around the Metrocentre/Ikea; Wednesday Beamish and show the kids where their grandparents grew up and where their great-grandparents used to live; Thursday SOL Stadium tour.

However, we’ve discovered that the SOL tours only run Friday-Sunday so we now have a day free. Any suggestions what we can do?

We were thinking the Discovery Museum but we’d probably want to combine it with something else in central Newcastle to make a proper day of it. Or is there anything spectacular that we don’t know about?
Just back up after a trip down before the kids went back to school and found the Centre for Life on the rainier of our two days excellent. There is an old school gaming section there at the minute so, something for everybody.

On the nicer of our two days we went to the Wildfowl park ate washington. The kids are daft about animals so it was canny for them and there were a few activities on as it’s the hols.
 
Durham based, look after a 3yo girl for half the week. Stuff that works for us:
- Gibside, as mentioned. Lots of space to run around and explore, a good play area (not the one next to the café, follow the path behind the back of the temple and there's a much bigger one called something like Strawberry Castle). Handy if you're staying near the Metro Centre, crap if it rains;
- Most of the other National Trust sites in the area are OK - we've had good trips to Cragside, Wallington (check out the doll's houses), Ormesby Hall (almost persuaded me that Middlesbrough isn't hell on earth and has model railways)
- Baltic: never had any luck with exhibitions there, but the café is OK, the viewing gallery was a hit and the sensory room / play area on level two isn't bad. 4-5yo might be a bit old for that, though.
- The Sage: next door, so could combine in one trip if you fancy one of their morning kids music sessions. They are good, but best for pre-school. The 5yo might feel it's a bit young.
- Ouseburn: Newcastle City farm is canny (and free), Seven Stories might be OK if there's an exhibition about an author who interests your kids but I've found it more entertaining for me than the littl'un. Was surprised that she liked the Biscuit Factory, if only to look around and point to pics of things she recognises.
- Either of Hall Hill Farm (near Lanchester) or Tweddles Farm (near Blackhall), but check opening times outside of the summer hols - might be weekend only.
- Durham Botanic Gardens - my regular Wednesday lunchtime haunt, after the little Dragons craft session at the Oriental Museum. Café is OK (gets crowded, though), space to run around / explore /climb on stuff, greenhouse with fish pond and creepy crawlies, plus greenhouse with rain forest and a button that makes it rain.
- Discovery Museum is OK (and free). The 'Play Tyne' water play area went down well (costs about £1.50 per kid, take a change of clothes and / or waterproofs). You might look at the Life Centre as well (almost next door, between Discovery and the station). Not cheap, but some good interactive stuff and the planetarium was a hit with mine. They're just getting to the end of a gaming exhibition, not sure what's replacing that. Never quite got away with the Hancock, for some reason.
- If they like trains Locomotion in Shildon is decent (and free). Weak café, unfortunately. We've also done the Tanfield Railway and I've heard good things about the Stephenson Railway Museum in Wallsend but haven't been.
- Boat trip on the Tyne? Not sure if they run outside the summer hols, but it's something we're looking at. There's an hour-long cruise under the bridges which includes the Millennium Bridge opening up and that's something I fancy.

Definite avoid - the aquarium at Cullercoats. Overpriced, not very good and full of little brats.
Just back up after a trip down before the kids went back to school and found the Centre for Life on the rainier of our two days excellent. There is an old school gaming section there at the minute so, something for everybody.

On the nicer of our two days we went to the Wildfowl park ate washington. The kids are daft about animals so it was canny for them and there were a few activities on as it’s the hols.

Forgot to mention the Wildfowl Park. Also Rainton Meadows and Low Barnes (Witton-le-Wear) can work well (and cost less) on a nice day. Was also impressed with Saltholme (RSPB near Hartlepool) the other week.
 
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Durham based, look after a 3yo girl for half the week. Stuff that works for us:
- Gibside, as mentioned. Lots of space to run around and explore, a good play area (not the one next to the café, follow the path behind the back of the temple and there's a much bigger one called something like Strawberry Castle). Handy if you're staying near the Metro Centre, crap if it rains;
- Most of the other National Trust sites in the area are OK - we've had good trips to Cragside, Wallington (check out the doll's houses), Ormesby Hall (almost persuaded me that Middlesbrough isn't hell on earth and has model railways)
- Baltic: never had any luck with exhibitions there, but the café is OK, the viewing gallery was a hit and the sensory room / play area on level two isn't bad. 4-5yo might be a bit old for that, though.
- The Sage: next door, so could combine in one trip if you fancy one of their morning kids music sessions. They are good, but best for pre-school. The 5yo might feel it's a bit young.
- Ouseburn: Newcastle City farm is canny (and free), Seven Stories might be OK if there's an exhibition about an author who interests your kids but I've found it more entertaining for me than the littl'un. Was surprised that she liked the Biscuit Factory, if only to look around and point to pics of things she recognises.
- Either of Hall Hill Farm (near Lanchester) or Tweddles Farm (near Blackhall), but check opening times outside of the summer hols - might be weekend only.
- Durham Botanic Gardens - my regular Wednesday lunchtime haunt, after the little Dragons craft session at the Oriental Museum. Café is OK (gets crowded, though), space to run around / explore /climb on stuff, greenhouse with fish pond and creepy crawlies, plus greenhouse with rain forest and a button that makes it rain.
- Discovery Museum is OK (and free). The 'Play Tyne' water play area went down well (costs about £1.50 per kid, take a change of clothes and / or waterproofs). You might look at the Life Centre as well (almost next door, between Discovery and the station). Not cheap, but some good interactive stuff and the planetarium was a hit with mine. They're just getting to the end of a gaming exhibition, not sure what's replacing that. Never quite got away with the Hancock, for some reason.
- If they like trains Locomotion in Shildon is decent (and free). Weak café, unfortunately. We've also done the Tanfield Railway and I've heard good things about the Stephenson Railway Museum in Wallsend but haven't been.
- Boat trip on the Tyne? Not sure if they run outside the summer hols, but it's something we're looking at. There's an hour-long cruise under the bridges which includes the Millennium Bridge opening up and that's something I fancy.

Definite avoid - the aquarium at Cullercoats. Overpriced, not very good and full of little brats.


Forgot to mention the Wildfowl Park. Also Rainton Meadows and Low Barnes (Witton-le-Wear) can work well (and cost less) on a nice day. Was also impressed with Saltholme (RSPB near Hartlepool) the other week.
I’m a NT member and been to Gibside loads and never been round the back of the temple, never knew there was a big play park. What a tit.

Soz to whoever I called out above.

If they like books try Seven Stories.
 

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