Adventures with a kid

Whilst it feels like it’s been summer for months already, school is starting to finish, and the school holidays are upon us. Families are preparing for the delightful weeks ahead, filled with adventures and quality time together.

I’ve pulled together a list of my favourite activities in Kent and Surrey (and occasionally Sussex or London too!) to help give you inspiration for your summer holidays and long weekends. From picturesque nature trails to delightful seaside visits, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.

Explore the stunning landscapes of the Kent Downs or take a leisurely stroll along the banks of the River Thames.

If you’re looking for something more exhilarating, consider visiting one of the many adventure parks or alternatively, you could spend a day at the beach in Sussex, indulging in ice cream and soaking up the sun!

Whatever you choose, I hope this list sparks some creativity and excitement for your family’s summer plans!

Free days out

Free days out are the best. Why?

1. They’re free
2. If you’re not sure your toddler’s got a full day trip, but you just need to get out of the house!

So here’s a list of activities you can do!

• Forest and woods: Places like Limpsfield Chart, Outwood, Staffhurst Woods, and Ashdown Forest are great for taking a picnic or an afternoon stroll to keep out of the heat. We love the Ashdown Forest to tie into stories of Winnie the Pooh!
• Local parks: fancy a change from your local park, look further afield! You have small neighbourhood parks dotted around EVERYWHERE, then you have fantastic activity parks like Swanley Park just a short drive away. We love exploring parts of our local neighbourhood and trying to find secret playgrounds.
• River and Stream exploration: do you have a local shallow stream? Can you go and explore it – are there frogs, fish, dragonflies? What can you see?
• Treasure hunts: making something of your own, or using this from Twinkl, take a walk around your local area, seeing what you can spot! Can you spot a robin? A red car? Or a ginger cat? This helps with your kid’s observation skills, and gives you a bit of a purpose to being out of the house.
• Supermarket trips: Dread those supermarket shops? Delegate it to your toddler! Find a local supermaket that has mini-trolleys (Morrisons), or pull along basket, make a list together at home (using pictures if you child can’t read yet), and go and have a trip to the supermarket where your child gets to lead. They can then come home and help you make whatever it is you’ve bought, maybe a cake, or dinner!

---

Mid-priced days out!

Some of these require membership, like English Heritage (currently 25% off for the summer) or National Trust, but the days out listed are under £20pp, not including lunch!

• Seaside day out: we like Whitsable, Rye, Brighton (obvs) and is fairly easy on public transport, Dymchurch, Camber Sands, Hastings and Eastbourne are all within 90minutes of East Surrey.
• Local animal experiences: Experience the thrill of an owl flying over your head, or meeting some ferrets at Willow’s Bird of Prey Centre (£8.99 for an adult); Reuthes Alpaca Treks (£49 for 4 people) ; Becketts Farm near Dorking is amazing, Eagle Heights, or a day trip to Godstone Farm (£17.95 for ages 2+). Hobbledown Heath / Epsom are also not too far away, and have great adventure playgrounds for the kids!
• National Trust: We’re so lucky to have a lots of National Trust properties near us, places like Chartwell, Emmetts Garden, Standen House, Igtham Mote are all within an hour’s drive from East Kent – and all have activities on this summer! We love having our pass, and recommend asking for them for birthdays and christmas when the house is already looking full of toys!
• Historical exploration: Hever Castle, Eltham Palace, Darwins House, Lullingstone Roman Villa.

Special days out

These are the days that aren’t for every week, but from theme parks, to adventures, these are either full day trips, or days out where the price per person is more than £10.

• Merlin attractions, including Thorpe Park, Chessingtons, Legoland, and sea life centres – you could even tie in a visit to Shrek’s. If you want to visit further afield, places like Warwick Castle or Brighton Sealife centres are also included. To make it a bit cheaper, you could splash out on an annual pass –Merlin annual pass
• Paddington’s Adventures, London Southbank – this is a great immersive experience, it’s almost like an escape room for kids – and the theming is superb!
• Natural History Museum, Science Museum, and the V&A, followed by a run around Hyde Park makes for a cracking day out. Pre-book tickets in advance to make sure you’re not queuing for ages.
• A day to France! If you’re far enough south, treat yourself to a day to northern France. Dunkirk, Amiens, Le Touquet, Lille, are all close enough to drive (although it will be a long day!).
• A one or two day trip – try using skyscanner (‘everywhere’ to see if you can get any cheap flights and go somewhere you’ve never thought before! Looking today, an adult and a child could go to Ireland for £105 total for Weds 6th to Thurs 7th August, or Barcelona for £150, not including hotels. But what an adventure that could be!

Summary

The summer is long, but hopefully this has given you a few ideas for activities with your kids this summer!

Let me know below what you’re planning on doing this year!