This post was written by Sarah McKee.
Sarah McKee is mum to two gorgeous girls, Charlotte and Megan, and one beautiful beagle, Coco. They can be found on long beach walks at the weekend in their hometown of Brighton.
Autumn is nearly upon us, and as the nights grow shorter and we dig out the warmer duvets and wellies, the window for long evenings playing outside is quietly closed for another year. But with the change in the wind comes new opportunities for fun; bus rides in the rain, quiet, cosy museums and afternoons baking Hallow’een cookies over a hot oven. It’s also the time to plan a visit to one of the thousands of wonderful family attractions we’re so lucky to have available to us in the UK.
All hands on deck
The Portsmouth Historic Dockyard makes a joyous day out for little boys who just want to hoist the mainsail and run riot on a ship. Visit the hulking HMS Victory, a Georgian warship, preserved from the days of the Battle of Trafalgar. Immerse yourself in history on the HMS Alliance, the world’s best-preserved WW2 submarine, or learn about all things explosive in the Museum of Naval Firepower for an incendiary day out guaranteed to excite the imagination of your little midshipmen.
In London Town
Make like Dick Whittington and his cat and plan a day in London. It’s likely you’ve seen Buckingham Palace, the Tate Modern and the V&A before, so make yours an alternative. Give little aesthetes a whistle stop tour of truth and beauty in the National Gallery, where for free you can mooch away a few hours in front of works by da Vinci, Monet and Rembrandt. Then, hunch over some cosy street food, courtesy of the Rib Man, a stall near King’s Cross station, the perfect spot to fill up before your train home.
Simple pleasures in Blackpool
You might think of Blackpool as rather low on the list of educational activities, what with the rollercoasters, donkey rides and penny arcades, but there’s plenty to keep inquisitive minds excited up North. Head for the iconic tower and experience the rogues and rapscallions of the Carnivale exhibition in the Blackpool Dungeon, or visit the Blackpool Model Village to dwarf their kitsch reconstructions of famous buildings and landscapes.
It’s hard to mediate between the informative and the entertaining, but the key is to find what is inspiring the active imaginations of your little ones. Whether their latest obsession is medieval princesses or futuristic space stations, with a little research you’ll find a day out to fit the bill.
we love the dockyard! Just round the corner from us and fab for a day out rain or shine xx