Brilliant day trips before your baby's first birthday
Zoe Craig
Associate Editor (Local)We've picked the best places to go around the UK for a fun day out with your baby before they turn one.
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1 Chester Zoo, Cheshire
When: Daily, 10am-5pm
Where: Chester Zoo, Chester, Cheshire, CH2 1EU
One of the UK’s finest zoos, Chester Zoo is perfect for a little one just starting to recognise animals and enjoy making animal noises!
Under 2s go free; you can even hire a buggy from the zoo.
2 Deen City Farm, London
When: Tuesdays to Sundays, 10am-4.30pm all year round
Where: Deen City Farm, 39 Windsor Avenue, London, SW19 2RR
Deen City Farm in Merton Abbey, London is a great place to start teaching your little ones about animals.
The farm has sheep, goats, cows, pigs and lots of small animals that your baby can see for the first time.
3 Little Potters Pottery Painting Cafe, Sittingbourne
When: Tuesdays to Saturdays all year round
Where: Little Potters, Central Park Stadium, Church Road, Murston, Sittingbourne ME10 3SB
Price: Entry is free and painting starts at £5 per item
Why not take your baby to Little Potters in Sittingbourne, Medway to get their hand or foot prints painted onto an ornament or plate?
Your little one can also try their hand at painting or play in the soft play area.
4 Beechenhurst Lodge in Forest of Dean, Coleford, North Gloucestershire
When: All year round
Where: Beechenhurst Lodge, Forest of Dean, Speech House Road, Coleford, Gloucestershire, GL16 7EJ
Price: Free entry but car park charges do apply
Let your baby get closer to nature at the Beechenhurst Lodge in Forest of Dean, Coleford, North Gloucestershire.
There are buggy-friendly walking routes as well as a gorgeous sculpture trail for you to stroll along and discover nature with your baby, as well as an onsite cafe that serves delicious food and drinks.
5 Ruislip Lido Railway, Hillingdon, London
When: Select dates all year round
Where: Ruislip Railway, Reservoir Road, Northwood, Ruislip HA4 7TY
Your baby will love a fun train ride on a miniature steam trail at Ruislip Lido Railway in Hillingdon, London.
The train and its carriages run from the Waters Edge pub in Ruislip to the play area and back. The journey is about 11 minutes each way so is suitable for even the youngest train enthusiasts.
If you're heading out for the day, make sure you have the right kit to take with you!
This backpack-style changing bag is much easier to carry, has loads of pockets, plus a mat included. Have a closer look here at Amazon.
Fancy a picnic? This waterproof picnic rug from Amazon will keep bottoms dry on damp grass and can be folded up easily for carrying about. See more details here.
A food flask is a must for keeping food warm or chilled. We like this one that's available at Amazon for around £20.
6 100 Aker Wood, Aldenham Country Park, Hertfordshire
When: Daily, 8.30am-9pm
Where: Aldenham Country Park, Aldenham Road, Elstree, Hertfordshire, WD6 3BA
Visit Pooh and his friends at 100 Aker Wood, enjoy a trip to the farm and play at the wonderful adventure playground at Aldenham Country Park, a fabulous rural retreat in Hertfordshire.
Under 2s go free. Love it here? You can extend your stay as there are camping and glamping facilities here too.
7 Beetle Bank Farm and Wildlife Sanctuary, Yorkshire
When: All year round except Tuesdays
Where: Beetle Bank Farm and Wildlife Sanctuary, Moor Lane, Murton, York, YO19 5XD
Price: £6 per person. Children under two go free
Take your baby to Beetle Bank Open Farm in York to meet all the farmyard animals.
The farm is big enough that you can push your little one in their pram or buggy and they'll love seeing all the little animals including bunnies and guinea pigs.
8 Bach to Baby Concerts, London and South East
When: various dates, check the website
Where: Various venues, London and South East
With wonderful music and bubbles, plus a completely baby-friendly atmosphere, Bach to Baby concerts are an excellent treat to enjoy before your baby turns one.
You get your hit of classical music culture; they have their senses stimulated. It’s a win-win.
9 Trentham Monkey Forest, Staffordshire
When: Daily, Mar-Nov
Where: Trentham Estate, Stone Rd, Tittensor, Stoke-on-Trent, ST12 9HR
Price: Adults £9.50; kids aged 3-14, £7.50. Children under 3: free
Visit the amazing Trentham Monkey Forest in Birmingham - an exciting walk among 140 free-roaming Barbary macaques, sure to catch the attention of your little one.
Take your baby's favourite book about monkeys along with you and read to them while they meet the animals face-to-face.
10 Music for Miniatures, Somerset & Wiltshire
When: various dates, check the website
Where: various venues, Somerset and Wiltshire
The short, live Music for Miniatures concerts designed especially for parents, carers and babies under 4 make a perfect trip out with tiny babies.
Choose from classical, folk, world and jazz, and let the music transport you and your little one.
Northern Ireland
11 Belfast Zoo
When: 10-4pm
Where: Belfast Zoo, Antrim Road, Belfast, Newtownabbey, BT36 7PN
Explore the wonderful Belfast Zoo, a uniquely tranquil city zoo that's built into the Belfast hills. Your little one will love meeting the elephants, lions, zebras, monkeys and meerkats on display at this fantastic zoo.
Wales
12 Parc Play, Cardiff
When: Mon, Thurs, Fri, 10am-6pm; Sat-Sun, 10am-5pm
Where: Parc Play, Unit 5, Curran Embankment, Grangetown, Cardiff, CF10 5DX
Have fun whatever the weather at Parc Play, an indoor and outdoor play centre in Cardiff. It’s the perfect place for tiny people just starting to learn how to move and explore.
13 Anglesey Sea Zoo
When: Daily, 10am-5pm
Where: Anglesey Sea Zoo and Marine Resource Centre, Brynsiencyn, Isle of Anglesey, LL61 6TQ
Aquariums are perfect for babies - there's something about the combination of water and fish that just captivates little brains.
Take a trip to the Anglesey Sea Zoo and introduce your little one to sharks, rays, starfish, seahorses and the mesmerising moon jellyfish.
Scotland
14 Dundee Science Centre
When: Daily, 10am-5pm
Where: Dundee Science Centre (DSC), 14 Greenmarket, Dundee, DD1 4QB
Babies are natural-born scientists, using their bodies and brains to solve all sorts of problems each and every minute: indulge your little Einstein with a day trip to the Dundee Science Centre.
Play with the interactive exhibits and make whale song; mess around in the construction zone; hear a story brought to life from a the story sack; or take a sensory pack and engage all five of your baby's senses.
15 Deep Sea World, Fife
When: Mon-Fri, 10am-4pm; Sat-Sun, 10am-5pm
Where: Deep Sea World, Battery Quarry, Forthside Terrace, North Queensferry, Fife, KY11 1JR
Bring your baby through the longest underwater tunnel in the UK, and watch their face as they experience the thrill of seeing sharks, rays, lionfish and more swimming above them!
Under 3s go free; and there's a buggy-friendly route around the site, so it's a perfect day out for babies.
Want more info and tips to make your day out even more special? Visit Tripadvisor to explore more about your chosen attraction.
