Rainy day activities in Derby

Abbey Pumping Station

Leicester

Industrial museum with beam engines and vintage vehicles - free entry, but only open on holiday Mondays and special event days.

ToiletsWheelchair accessibleOutdoor playPicnic area+3 more

Allestree Library

Derby · ages 0-3

Free rhymetimes and storytimes for babies and toddlers, plus sensory board books to borrow, in a library with short opening hours.

Alvaston Library and Learning Centre

Derby · ages 0-3

Free rhymetime and story sessions for babies and toddlers, plus a browse of the children's book shelves.

Toilets

BACKLIT

Nottingham

A free contemporary art gallery in Nottingham with step-free access, open Thursday to Sunday afternoons.

Step-free access

Berzerk Derby

Derby · ages 0-11

Active Play soft play in Derby (DE22) with under-5 and under-11 frames, cafe and free parking - from about £6.99 term time.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredCard onlyFree parking+8 more

Blagreaves Library

Derby

Free rhymetimes, storytimes and a book club in a small local library, with membership free from birth.

Hearing loopParkingToiletsWheelchair accessible+1 more

Bonkers Illumination Golf & Bar

Matlock Bath

Indoor illuminated 9-hole mini golf in Matlock Bath - kids from about £5, under-4s free, cocktail bar and arcade on site.

Food on siteBirthday partiesGroup bookingsParking+1 more

Brushed Earth Home

Derby

A private, seven-hour pottery workshop for two or three people, covering wheel throwing and hand-building, with lunch included.

Booking required

Cathedral Quarter Ice Rink

Derby

Skate a festive covered outdoor rink in Derby Market Place - seasonal sessions from late November to New Year.

Booking requiredWheelchair accessibleToilets

Century Theatre

Coalville

A proper theatre stage for pantomimes and family shows, set in Snibston Colliery Park with free parking outside the door.

Blue badge parkingCard onlyEV chargingFree parking

Chapel Street Arts Centre

Derby

A sales and information point at Chapel Street Arts Centre, useful for sorting out details or bookings rather than a visit in itself.

City of Caves

Nottingham

Sandstone tunnels under Nottingham with WW2 shelters and a medieval tannery, walked with an audio guide.

Booking requiredCard onlyGift shopGroup bookings

Conkers Discovery Centre

Moira · ages 3+

A big woodland day out with rope trails, a splash park, a barefoot walk and an indoor play house for the rainy bits.

Accessible toiletBaby changeBirthday partiesBooking required+15 more

Continue Arcades Derby

Derby

Pay once for unlimited retro and modern cabinets, pinball, racers, air hockey and pool - no coins once you are in.

Food on siteBirthday parties

Core VR

Derby · ages 10+

Free-roam VR shooters, zombie hunts and heist games for teens, run as multiplayer sessions with a haptics vest thrown in.

Birthday partiesIndoor playIndoor seatingParty rooms

CQB Arena Nerf Wars

Long Eaton · ages 6-12

Nerf Wars in Long Eaton - indoor foam-dart arena battles for ages 6-12 on booked sessions.

Birthday partiesGroup bookingsBooking required

Creswell Crags

Worksop

A limestone gorge, Ice Age caves and rock art to hunt out, with a museum and lakeside walk to fill the rest of the day.

Accessible toiletBaby changeBirthday partiesBlue badge parking+19 more

Cromford Mills

Cromford, Derbyshire

A free mill yard, shops and exhibition, with paid tours telling the story of the world's first water powered cotton mill.

CaféGift shopPicnic area

Cyril's Fun House

Long Eaton, Nottingham · ages 0-16

Soft play in Long Eaton with a football pitch, giant ball pool and a reptile centre thrown in for good measure.

Baby changeBirthday partiesCaféIndoor play+7 more

D.H. Lawrence Birthplace Museum

Eastwood

Explore Lawrence's childhood rooms on a self-guided visit - kids free, adults from £7.50.

Darwin Forest

Matlock

A lodge holiday base in the forest near Matlock, with a restaurant, café and indoor and outdoor play to fill the gaps between walks.

CaféIndoor playOutdoor playRestaurant+2 more

Derby Cathedral

Derby

Free to walk round, with a tower tour worth booking and monuments that'll keep older kids busy for a bit.

ToiletsCaféGift shop

Derby Computer Museum

Derby · ages 4+

Kids get their hands on actual 1970s to 90s computers, from a BBC Micro they can code to a Sinclair loading games off tape.

Birthday partiesBooking required

Derby Museum and Art Gallery

Derby · ages 0+

Free city museum on The Strand - Joseph Wright gallery, Royal Lancers displays and a Coffee House.

Bike parkingCaféGift shopFood on site+3 more

Derby QUAD

Derby

A city-centre cinema in Derby with a café bar, closed Monday to Wednesday and open 11am to 9pm the rest of the week.

Accessible toiletHearing loopParkingRestaurant+5 more

Derby Theatre

Derby · ages 0+

A city centre theatre with family shows for under 5s upwards, plus youth theatre groups and proper access support.

ToiletsWheelchair accessibleBooking requiredCafé

Derbyshire Toy Libraries

Belper · ages 0-5

Stay & Play sessions with soft mats, ride-ons and craft for under-fives, plus a toy library with over a thousand toys to borrow.

Birthday partiesGroup bookingsIndoor playIndoor seating+1 more

Diggerland Yorkshire

Castleford · ages 4-14

Kids get behind the controls of real diggers and dumpers, plus over 20 rides included in one ticket.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredGift shopGroup bookings+5 more

Flamsteed Observatory

Brailsford

Peer through the society telescopes on a public observing night - check the date before you set off.

Parking

Framework Knitters Museum

Ruddington · ages 0+

Real Victorian knitting frames still working, a go at a vintage knitting machine, and a free-to-enter café even on closed days.

Birthday partiesCaféGift shopGroup bookings+5 more

Freddy's Play Kingdom

Spondon, Derby · ages 0+

Toddlers explore the 0-3 zone while bigger kids climb the three-storey frame - Spondon soft play from £2, no booking needed.

Indoor playUnder-5s areaCaféFood on site+3 more

Glenfield Tunnel

Leicester

Seasonal guided walks into a historic 1829 railway tunnel near Leicester - free with donation, book via LIHS.

Booking required

Great Central Railway (Nottingham)

Nottingham

Free site entry, £3 parking and a flat, buggy-friendly 25-acre site with steam trains, old buses, mini railway rides and a dog-friendly café.

Baby changeBike parkingBlue badge parkingCafé+13 more

Green's Windmill & Science Centre

Nottingham · ages 0+

Free-entry restored windmill, science centre and garden in Nottingham, climb the mill (when not under repair), try science experiments, and let the kids run round the community garden.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredGift shopGroup bookings+6 more

Haddon Hall

Bakewell · ages 0-15

A medieval manor with terraced gardens to explore, kids get in free and there's archery some summer Tuesdays.

ToiletsCaféGift shopParking

Heights of Abraham

Matlock Bath · ages 4-15

A cable car ride over the valley, two cavern tours underground, then a hilltop park of play areas and views.

ToiletsCaféRestaurantGift shop+12 more

Hollywood Bowl Derby

Derby

Ten-pin bowling on 18 lanes at Derbion, with an American diner, arcade prizes and VIP lanes if you fancy a treat.

Birthday partiesGroup bookingsFood on siteToilets+2 more

Jangala Soft Play Hilton

Hilton, Derby · ages 0-10

A big multi-level play frame with slides and rope bridges, plus a separate baby space and toddler hut for the smaller ones.

Indoor playUnder-5s areaCaféFood on site+5 more

Jewry Wall Museum

Leicester

Roman bathhouse ruins and interactive museum on St Nicholas Circle - adults from £12.50, kids free through Oct 2026.

ToiletsWheelchair accessibleGift shopBooking required+3 more

King Richard III Visitor Centre

Leicester

Museum on the Greyfriars dig site telling Richard III's story - adults from £12.50, under-4s free.

CaféGift shopWheelchair accessibleToilets+1 more

Kingsway Softplay Derby

Derby · ages 0-11

Soft play at Clip n Climb Derby (DE22) with 0-4 and 5-11 zones plus cafe - from £2.50 off-peak, book timed sessions.

Birthday partiesCaféIndoor playParking+2 more

Lakeside Arts

Nottingham

Family theatre shows with puppetry, live music and storytelling at the University of Nottingham's arts centre by the lake.

Birthday partiesCaféFree parkingGift shop+11 more

Laser Quest Derby

Derby · ages 7+

Kit up and hunt opponents through a foggy laser maze of catwalks and mazes, in 20-minute games from age 7.

Birthday partiesParty roomsGroup bookingsSchool visits+1 more

Leicester Cathedral

Leicester

A free-to-enter cathedral with a Richard III history gallery, guided tours and quiet corners worth a wander with kids.

ToiletsCaféGift shop

Leicester Guildhall

Leicester

Free 600-year-old timber Guildhall with medieval galleries and a family quest - open daily near the Cathedral.

ToiletsWheelchair accessibleGift shop

Leicester Underwater Exploration Club (LUEC)

Leicester · ages 8-70

Pool-based scuba and snorkelling training for eight-year-olds upwards, run by volunteer instructors at Aylestone Leisure Centre.

Free parkingParkingWheelchair accessible

Lichfield Cathedral

Lichfield

Wander a genuinely huge medieval cathedral for free, spot the carved Lichfield Angel, and climb the library's spiral steps if legs allow.

Accessible toiletBaby changeBike parkingBlue badge parking+4 more

Loughborough Town Hall

Loughborough

A proper theatre panto with relaxed and signed performances, plus Christmas parties if you fancy a sit-down do.

Accessible toiletBlue badge parkingBooking requiredEV charging+1 more

Manor Farm Park & Woodlands

East Leake · ages 0-16

East Leake - Manor Farm Park and Woodlands animals and playbarn. Off-peak online from £8.95; book ahead for busy days.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredCaféFree parking+14 more

Mansfield Palace Theatre

Mansfield

Panto, kids' theatre shows and writing workshops for older children under one roof in Mansfield.

Accessible toiletDog friendlyWheelchair accessible

Megazone Derby

Derby · ages 6+

A 4,000 sq ft multi-level laser-tag arena in Derby with 20-minute games, from age 6.

Birthday partiesGroup bookingsBooking requiredParking

Melbourne Animal Farm

Derby

Handling rabbits, guinea pigs and ducklings, feeding the farm animals, and a bouncy castle if you want to pay extra for it.

Birthday partiesIndoor playFood on siteOutdoor play+2 more

Mighty Monsters

Stapleford

Indoor soft play in Stapleford (NG9) with baby and toddler ticket bands, cafe and party packages. Booking required.

Accessible toiletBaby changeBirthday partiesBooking required+5 more

Motorpoint Arena Nottingham

Nottingham · ages 0+

A big Nottingham arena that hosts touring family shows, ice hockey and concerts, right by the Lace Market tram stop.

Accessible toiletBooking requiredCaféGroup bookings+3 more

Museum of Making

Derby · ages 0+

Free entry to a museum built on Derby's 300 years of making, with workshops and maker spaces to poke around in.

Bike parkingBlue badge parkingCaféGift shop+3 more

National Fairground Museum Statfold

Tamworth

Vintage fairground rides, a heritage railway and a soft play barn on one site near Tamworth, plus mini golf outdoors.

Accessible toiletAllergy awareBaby changeBirthday parties+12 more

National Justice Museum

Nottingham

A Georgian gaol and Victorian courtroom where actors re-enact real trials and executions, daily.

Accessible toiletBirthday partiesBooking requiredCafé+6 more

National Space Centre

Leicester · ages 0+

A planetarium show, rockets to climb through and hands-on galleries about space, all under one roof in Leicester.

Booking requiredCaféGift shopParking+8 more

National Tramway Museum

Matlock

Ride vintage trams down a rebuilt period street, then loose the kids in a woodland sculpture trail while you eat into a free return visit.

Free parkingParkingGift shopFood on site+6 more

Naturescape Wildflower Farm

Langar, Nottingham

A free-to-visit wildflower garden with two ponds, a play area and a tearoom for cake afterwards.

CaféDog friendlyGift shopIndoor play+6 more

New Art Exchange

Nottingham

Free gallery visits and a Saturday art club with hands-on making, right opposite the Forest tram stop.

Allergy awareBlue badge parkingCaféGroup bookings+4 more

Newarke Houses Museum

Leicester

Free social-history museum with toys, a 1950s street and gardens - limited Saturday and holiday opening, so check dates.

School visitsGroup bookingsPicnic areaLockers

Nottingham Industrial Museum

Nottingham

Volunteer-run heritage museum in Wollaton Hall's stables, free entry for accompanied kids, five hands-on galleries, and monthly Steaming Days when the engines actually run.

CaféGift shopGroup bookingsFood on site+2 more

Nottingham Playhouse

Nottingham

Sit in on children's theatre and big seasonal shows in Nottingham - pick a title on what's on (show-led prices).

Gift shopBooking required

Nottingham Society Of Artists

Nottingham · adults only (18+)

A free city centre gallery showing work from Nottingham's artists, open to over-18s only.

Nottingham Winter Wonderland

Nottingham

Free entry to Old Market Square festive site - skate, Sky Skate, Observation Wheel and market stalls once you book the paid bits.

Food on sitePublic transport nearbyCard only

Old Queen's Head

Sheffield

A Grade II listed Tudor building in Sheffield with a courtyard to explore and pub food to fill you up after.

Food on siteRestaurant

Paint a Pot Derby

Derby

Paint a pot in Markeaton Park, Derby - figures from £9, no studio fee, open daily 10:00-17:00.

Booking requiredBirthday partiesGroup bookingsParking

Papplewick Pumping Station

Nottingham · ages 0+

Victorian beam engines and a wooded play area near Nottingham, with steam days when the engines actually run.

Booking requiredCaféCard onlyDog friendly+12 more

Paradise Island Adventure Golf Derby

Derby · ages 0+

Indoor adventure golf at Derbion, Derby - two 18-hole courses plus a 19th free-game hole, from about £6 under-5s.

ParkingBirthday partiesGroup bookingsBooking required+2 more

Peak Cavern

Castleton

Walk a guided showcave under the gorge with a rope-makers story - chilly low section, from £13.75 online for children.

Booking required

Peak District Mining Museum

Matlock · ages 4+

An underground guided tour through a real lead mine, plus a museum where kids climb mock tunnels and pan for minerals.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredGift shopGroup bookings+6 more

Peak Wildlife Park

Leek · ages 0+

Walk with lemurs and penguins, meet polar bears Nanook and Noori, then burn energy on outdoor play and indoor jungle soft play.

Free parkingParkingToiletsAccessible toilet+14 more

Peepul Centre/office

Leicester

A community theatre putting on shows like the Enchanted Diwali Tree, with local kids in the cast and free parking for 120 cars.

Free parkingRestaurantWheelchair accessible

Pet Station

Rotherham

A pet shop where kids can wander past guinea pigs, hamsters, fish tanks and even iguanas for free.

Free parking

Pickford's House

Derby · ages 0+

Free Georgian townhouse museum on Friar Gate - rooms, toys and a garden shop, Tue-Sat 10-5.

Bike parkingFree parkingGift shopParking+2 more

PoleKat Fitness Aerial Arts Academy

Nottingham · ages 4+

Pole fitness, aerial hoop and bungee fit classes for kids from 4 and adults, in a studio near Nottingham city centre.

Free parkingIndoor play

Pooley Country Park

Tamworth

Free woodland park with a balance trail, a clue-hunt walk and soft play upstairs in the café, for the cost of parking.

Birthday partiesCaféDog friendlyIndoor play+5 more

Retro Computer Museum

Leicester

A hands-on trip through gaming history where the kids actually play the old Spectrums, Commodores and arcade machines rather than just look at them.

Booking requiredFree parkingGift shopFood on site+2 more

SEA LIFE Birmingham

Birmingham · ages 0+

Sharks, otters and a walk-through ocean tunnel in the middle of Birmingham, all under one roof.

ToiletsAccessible toiletBaby changeWheelchair accessible+5 more

Sherwood Observatory

Sutton-in-Ashfield

A planetarium and observatory near Mansfield where kids get hands-on with telescopes at open events, arrive early to explore the exhibition and grab a bite at the volunteer-run café first.

Blue badge parkingBooking requiredCaféEV charging+6 more

Slick City Action Park Nottingham

Nottingham · ages 4+

Nottingham - Slick City indoor slide action park in Lenton, dry slides and Air Courts from £14.95.

CaféBirthday partiesBooking required

Snibston Colliery

Coalville

Former-miner surface tours plus the Into the Dark coalface simulation - no real underground, but a proper Leicestershire pit day out.

ParkingBlue badge parkingEV chargingCafé+7 more

Speedwell Cavern

Castleton · ages 5-15

A boat ride into a flooded lead mine to see the Bottomless Pit, down 106 steps in Castleton.

Booking requiredParking

Surface Gallery Limited

Nottingham

Free contemporary art shows in a small Nottingham gallery, open only when there's an exhibition on.

Table Top Events Ltd

Belper · ages 16+

A tabletop gaming venue in Belper for over-16s, with table bookings, terrain-heavy scenarios and themed events.

Tamworth Assembly Rooms

Tamworth · ages 0-16

A proper old theatre in the middle of Tamworth doing pantos, films, comedy and music for kids from babes in arms up to teens.

Accessible toiletBlue badge parkingCaféDog friendly+4 more

Tenpin Derby

Derby

Bowling in Derby - 26-lane Tenpin with karaoke, laser tag, escape rooms, arcade and free parking.

Birthday partiesFree parkingGroup bookingsFood on site+3 more

The Children's Country House at Sudbury

Sudbury · ages 0+

National Trust kids-first country house near Sudbury - Museum of Childhood, gardens and cafe from £11 child.

Accessible toiletBike parkingBirthday partiesBlue badge parking+12 more

The Escape Room Guys

Derby

Play private escape rooms in Derby city centre - A Rough Trade, Contagion and The Grand Heist from £20pp.

Booking requiredBirthday partiesGroup bookings

The Great Rutland Cavern

Matlock Bath · ages 4+

A cable car ride over the valley followed by two illuminated show caverns cut into the hillside.

CaféDog friendlyGift shopGroup bookings+7 more

The Mug Tug Ashore - Pottery Painting Studio

Burton-on-Trent · ages 0+

Pick a pottery shape off the shelf, paint it your way, and come back in a week for the finished piece.

Birthday partiesGroup bookingsIndoor seatingParty rooms+1 more

The Old Lock Up Gallery

Matlock

Free gallery shows and creative workshops in a converted lock-up, though the ten stone steps to the door rule out buggies and wheelchairs.

The Peacock Lounge

Derby

A café and bar for a sit-down family treat, built around afternoon tea and cake rather than kids' activities.

Birthday partiesCaféGroup bookingsIndoor seating

The Phillip Whitehead Memorial Library Chaddesden Park

Derby · ages 0-3

Free rhymetimes and storytimes for babies and toddlers, with library membership free from birth.

Toilets

The Play Village Ashbourne

Ashbourne · ages 1-11

Eight role-play pods, from a vet's surgery to a building site, where kids dress up and play pretend rather than bounce off walls.

Baby changeBirthday partiesBooking requiredBottle warming+3 more

The Rugeley Rose - Community Hall & Theatre

Rugeley

A local theatre and hall in Rugeley doing pantomime and family shows on one accessible level.

Blue badge parkingCaféFree parkingIndoor seating+4 more

The Staffordshire Regiment Museum

Lichfield

A regimental history museum in Lichfield with free parking and picnic space, open daily with last entry at 3pm.

Accessible toiletBaby changeDog friendlyFree parking+2 more

Treak Cliff Cavern

Castleton · ages 5-17

A 45-minute self-guided walk into a real cavern hung with Blue John stone, but it's steps and slopes, not a pram job.

ParkingToiletsCaféGift shop+1 more

Unescapable

Derby

Solve time-travel escape rooms on Derby's Wardwick - family rooms from £20pp, private groups only.

Booking requiredBirthday partiesGroup bookings

Watermead Country Park

Leicester

Free country park with a Jurassic play trail, a lake full of birds and meadows thick with dragonflies.

Accessible toiletBlue badge parkingDog friendlyOutdoor play+3 more

White Post Farm & Zoo

Farnsfield · ages 0+

Farm animals, keeper talks and tractor-trailer rides around the site, open daily from 10 to 5.

Birthday partiesCaféFree parkingIndoor play+6 more

Wicksteed Park

Kettering · ages 0-8

Over 25 rides, a duck-feeding lake and a miniature train, with a wristband that lets small legs go round again and again.

Birthday partiesBlue badge parkingCaféDog friendly+8 more

Wollaton Hall & Deer Park

Nottingham · ages 0-15

A dinosaur gallery inside a Grade I mansion, plus 500 acres of deer park to walk off the museum legs.

Baby changeBlue badge parkingBottle warmingBreastfeeding friendly+13 more