Rainy day activities in Nottingham

7th City Collectables

Nottingham

A shop to duck into for board games and collectables, open evenings on weekdays and from morning at weekends.

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

Acorn Theatre, Worksop

Worksop

A proper theatre in Worksop doing pantomime and family shows, with a bar and kiosk to keep everyone going.

Accessible toiletCaféParkingRestaurant

Arc Cinema Beeston

Beeston

Watch Kids Club films from £2.95 - weekends and school holidays, plus Parent & Baby screenings.

Booking required

Arc Cinema Hucknall

Hucknall

Catch Kids Club on the recliners in Hucknall from £3.50 - The Byron High Street screens with paid nearby parking.

Booking required

Arnold Leisure Centre

Arnold

A 25 metre main pool and a 12 metre learner pool, with lessons running from babies right up to adults.

ToiletsParkingWi-FiLockers+6 more

Baby Sparks Sensory

Nottingham · ages 0-5

Baby massage, music and gentle sensory classes for newborns up to five year olds, plus private birthday parties.

BACKLIT

Nottingham

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

Step-free access

Beeston Library

Beeston

Free weekly sessions for babies and toddlers, plus Lego and Chess clubs for the school-age crowd.

ToiletsWheelchair accessibleWi-FiParking+3 more

Boatyard Boulders

Nottingham · ages 4+

Outdoor bouldering in Nottingham with a sheltered kids' wall under the bridge, booked in two-hour slots.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredFree parkingGroup bookings+2 more

Break Escape Market Street

Nottingham

Family escape rooms on Market Street - adult 3+ off-peak from GBP24; stairs only.

Booking requiredToiletsLockersBirthday parties+1 more

Break Escape Upper Parliament Street

Nottingham

Escape rooms on Upper Parliament Street - adult 3+ off-peak from GBP24; separate from Market Street.

Booking requiredBirthday partiesGroup bookings

Broadway Cinema

Nottingham

A Pay What You Feel Family Film Club from £2, plus low-light Parent & Baby and Relaxed screenings for those who need them.

CaféBooking requiredHearing loopMembership scheme+3 more

Bromley House Library

Nottingham

A members' library in an old Nottingham townhouse, with a children's library and tours that let non-members peek inside.

Booking requiredMembership schemePublic transport nearbyWi-Fi

Calverton Leisure Centre

Calverton

An 18 metre pool with an inflatable obstacle course, plus a sports hall and outdoor pitch for the non-swimmers in the group.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredToiletsParking+1 more

Carlton Forum Leisure Centre

Carlton

A 25 metre pool and a smaller learner pool for family swims, plus soft play style parties in the sports hall.

ToiletsParkingFree parkingWi-Fi+11 more

Cave Escape Nottingham

Nottingham · ages 8+

Sandstone cave escape rooms on Mansfield Road - off-peak from GBP23 pp; not for kids parties.

Booking requiredToiletsLockers

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

Claw Kingdom Nottingham

Nottingham

Coming soon Oct 2026 - Human Claw arena and claw machines at Marco Island on Huntingdon Street.

Birthday parties

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

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.

Depot Climbing Nottingham

Nottingham · ages 1+

Bouldering walls up to 4 metres for kids from age 1 upwards, with instructor-led holiday sessions for the over-7s.

CaféGift shopCard only

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 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

Dice Cup Cafe

Nottingham

A board game library of over 1,000 titles to play through, with under 13s getting in free.

CaféDog friendlyGift shopIndoor play+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

Discobowl Nottingham

Nottingham

Bowling, Scrapyard Golf and an arcade floor under one roof, with karaoke boxes for the ones who'd rather sing than bowl.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredFood on siteParty rooms+3 more

Ed & Molly's Playbarn

East Bridgford · ages 0-12

Timed soft play sessions in Nottingham with slides, a climbing frame and a separate zone for babies under one.

Accessible toiletBaby changeBirthday partiesBreastfeeding friendly+6 more

Escapologic Nottingham

Nottingham · ages 12+

Eleven themed escape rooms in Nottingham with a one hour time limit, built for teens and adults rather than young kids.

Booking requiredToiletsBirthday partiesGroup bookings

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

Freestyle Trampoline Park Kirkby

Kirkby In Ashfield · ages 1+

Over 90 interconnected trampolines, a 40ft airbag and ten climbing walls under one roof in Kirkby.

Allergy awareBirthday partiesBlue badge parkingBooking required+4 more

Fun Valley Nottingham

Nottingham · ages 0-12

Indoor soft play with a ninja course, climbing wall and VR for the bigger kids, plus a separate toddler frame for the little ones.

Baby changeBirthday partiesCaféFree parking+7 more

Funky Pots

West Bridgford

A paint-your-own pottery studio where kids pick a piece, slap on the colours, and you collect it once it's fired.

Free parkingBaby changeToilets

Funstation Nottingham

Nottingham

Funcard arcade games, Prize Station, Highway 66 mini bowling and VR at the Cornerhouse - free entry, pay for play.

Birthday parties

Gameshow All-Stars Nottingham

Nottingham · ages 12+

Seven high-tech game show challenges booked as a private room for your group, with pizza and a bar on hand, best for 12s and up.

Booking requiredIndoor seatingFood on site

Glenfield Tunnel

Leicester

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

Booking required

Golf Fang Nottingham

Nottingham · adults only (18+)

A strictly over-18s night out in Nottingham: themed crazy golf, karaoke rooms and a shot bar mid-course, not a venue for kids.

Accessible toiletBirthday partiesBooking requiredGroup bookings+5 more

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

Harvey Hadden Sports Village

Bilborough · ages 0+

Swim Family Zone and lanes, plus Swim School from 6 months - junior swim from £5.90.

Baby changeBooking required

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

Hocus Pocus Soft Play

Beeston · ages 0+

Wizard-themed soft play in Beeston (NG9) with a toddler area, cafe and birthday parties, from £6.95 for over-1s in term time.

Birthday partiesCaféIndoor playParty rooms

i FUN Mansfield

Mansfield

Mansfield trampoline park with 50+ interconnected courts, a four-tier play frame, ninja zone and birthday parties. Book online.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredIndoor playFood on site

Jangos Indoor Play Centre

Mansfield · ages 0-12

Timed soft play sessions in Mansfield with separate areas for under-1s, under-5s and over-5s.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredIndoor playFood on site+2 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

Kidz Kaboom Play Centre and Nursery

Nottingham · ages 0-6

Soft play, a sensory room and messy play for babies and under sixes, with an outdoor area for poking about in the mud.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredIndoor playParty rooms+1 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

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 Days

Arnold · ages 4+

Laser tag in Arnold - outdoor woodland 2-hour missions from age 4

Birthday partiesBooking requiredFree parkingWi-Fi

Laser Tag Nottingham

Nottingham · ages 7+

Multi-level laser combat with touch-screen guns and smoke effects, run in sharp 20-minute games for over-7s.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredGroup bookingsMembership scheme

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 Museum & Art Gallery

Leicester

Free museum on New Walk with dinosaurs, Ancient Egypt and Leicester Stories - some galleries shut for redevelopment.

Blue badge parkingGroup bookingsLockersPicnic area+4 more

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

Level Up Entertainment

Nottingham

Kids get the floor on timed Pay to Play or party hire - VR racers, cabinets, pinball, pool and free-roam VR shootouts in Beechdale.

Booking requiredBirthday partiesFree parkingGroup bookings+3 more

Lincoln Cathedral

Lincoln · ages 0-16

Explore a huge medieval cathedral with a free floor tour, an exhibition gallery and hands on craft activities for kids.

ToiletsCaféGift shopWheelchair accessible

Little Glow Rushcliffe

Nottingham · ages 0+

An hour in a gentle multi-sensory room with lights, sounds and textures for babies to explore.

Booking requiredSensory room

Little Jack's Farm

Bottesford · ages 0+

Bottesford children's farm - feed goats, ponies and rescue hens plus outdoor play. From £4.95 after school; under-2s free.

ToiletsAccessible toiletBaby changeFree parking+10 more

Little Treasure Soft Play

Clifton · ages 0-10

Under-the-sea themed soft play with an octopus lair and a crawl-through walk of fear, for ages 0 to 10.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredIndoor playParty rooms+1 more

Logiclock Nottingham

Nottingham · ages 8+

Themed puzzle rooms in Nottingham, from pirates to spies, with an hour on the clock to escape.

Birthday partiesGroup bookings

Lost City Adventure Golf Nottingham

Nottingham · ages 3+

Two indoor 18-hole courses round rockfaces and ruins, plus interactive darts if the putting doesn't fill the visit.

ToiletsBaby changeFood on siteBirthday parties+3 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

Mansfield Superbowl

Mansfield

Glow-in-the-dark bowling in Mansfield, priced by the game or by the lane for a whole session.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredFood on site

Meadows Library

Nottingham

Free drop-in sessions for kids, from Lego building to storytime, in a small Nottingham library with no booking needed.

Accessible toiletToiletsWheelchair accessibleWi-Fi

MeetspaceVR Nottingham

Nottingham · ages 10-99

Free-roam VR battles and escape rooms in Nottingham's old YMCA gym, built for over-tens and teens rather than young kids.

Booking requiredBirthday partiesGroup bookingsLockers+3 more

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 Gas Museum

Leicester

Free gas-history museum with 500+ exhibits - temporarily closed until 13 October 2026 for maintenance works.

ToiletsFree parkingBike parking

National Ice Centre

Nottingham · ages 2+

Public skating sessions with a proper Tots Zone for under-5s, penguin skate aids and all, right in the middle of Nottingham.

CaféBooking required

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

Newark Air Museum

Newark · ages 5+

76 real aircraft to walk round and sometimes climb into, on the old Winthorpe airfield outside Newark.

Accessible toiletBaby changeCaféDog friendly+12 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 Climbing Centre Lenton

Nottingham

Bouldering, top rope and lead climbing with auto belays under one roof, plus a training room for the ones hooked on it.

CaféWi-FiGift shop

Nottingham Climbing Centre New Basford

Nottingham · ages 5+

Climbing in New Basford with ropes, auto-belays and bouldering, plus a dedicated kids' party room.

Birthday partiesCaféParty roomsWi-Fi+1 more

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

NQ64 Nottingham

Nottingham · adults only (18+)

An 18+ arcade bar with two-player cabinets and free-to-play consoles, except Sunday mornings when kids are let in.

Group bookingsBirthday parties

Oceans of Fun

Hucknall · up to age 11

Underwater soft play in Hucknall (NG15) for kids up to 11, with toddler zone, cafe and parties.

Birthday partiesCaféFree parkingIndoor play+5 more

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

Oxygen Activeplay Nottingham (RedKangaroo)

Nottingham · ages 4+

Indoor trampoline and active play in Nottingham (NG6) for ages 4+, with soft play, a ninja course and free parking. Open Play from £14.95.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredCaféFree parking+1 more

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

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

Penny Lane Arcade Bar

Nottingham

Lace Market arcade bar with token skee-ball, pushers and air hockey - free entry, pay for play; family daytime window.

Wheelchair accessibleFood on site

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

Pirates Play

Nottingham · ages 0-11

Indoor soft play in Sherwood (NG5) with baby, toddler and junior areas, multi-storey frame and cafe. Ages 0-11, from £1.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredCaféIndoor play+2 more

Planet Bounce Nottingham

Nottingham

City-centre trampoline and inflatable park with Jump from £18, Planet Tots from £8, café and parties. Book ahead.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredIndoor playLockers+4 more

Playmania Mansfield

Mansfield · ages 0-12

Indoor soft play in Mansfield (NG19) with a 3-storey frame, under-5s area and party rooms. Book ahead online.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredIndoor playFood on site+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

Pot N Kettle

Beeston

Beeston paint-a-pot studio since 2007 - pottery from £2, book a table, parties from age 7.

Baby changeBooking requiredPicnics allowed

Razzle Dazzle Pots

Mapperley

Mapperley paint-your-own pottery studio - family sessions, coffee on site, book ahead for weekends and school holidays.

CaféBooking requiredGroup bookings

Redhill Leisure Centre

Arnold · ages 5-16

A leisure centre sports hall that turns into an inflatable and soft play zone for birthday parties, plus courts, gym and fitness studios.

Free parkingToiletsBaby changeWheelchair accessible+2 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

Robin Hood Entertainment & Soft Play

Newark · ages 0+

Soft play at Malt Park, Newark (NG24), with sensory under-1s sessions, cafe and parties, from £5.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredCaféIndoor play+3 more

Roxy Lanes Nottingham Bottle Lane

Nottingham

Book ten-pin first, then mix batting cage, shuffleboard, pool, curling or tech darts before the evening 18+ cutoff.

Booking requiredBirthday partiesGroup bookingsFood on site+3 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

Soft Play at Lammas Leisure Centre

Sutton-in-Ashfield · ages 0-12

Indoor soft play at Lammas Leisure Centre in Sutton-in-Ashfield (NG17) for kids up to 12, with toddler and junior zones.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredCaféHigh chairs+5 more

Squiggles Playden

Hucknall, Nottingham · ages 0-12

Indoor soft play in Hucknall for ages 0-12, with a 0-4s area, three-storey frame, on-site food and parking, from £2.50.

Birthday partiesIndoor playFood on siteParking+2 more

St Mary Magdalene Church Newark

Newark

Pick up a free kids history trail and hunt characters from Lady Godiva to Joan Howson inside Newark's Grade I parish church - no entrance fee.

ToiletsBaby changeWheelchair accessibleCafé+2 more

Starnhill Pottery Studio

Bingham

Paint pottery on a Bingham farm - studio fee £5, ornaments from £4, free parking and outdoor pods when dry.

Free parkingToiletsBaby changeWheelchair accessible+2 more

Surface Gallery Limited

Nottingham

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

TeamSport Go Karting Nottingham

Netherfield · ages 8+

Indoor electric karting on a multi-level circuit, with a Mini Racers option for younger kids who aren't tall enough for the real thing yet.

Free parkingWi-FiFood on siteBirthday parties+3 more

Teamworks East Midlands

Huthwaite · ages 6+

Indoor karting and laser tag in Huthwaite - weekday Karting 30 from GBP38, laser from age 6.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredCaféParking+1 more

Tenpin Nottingham

Nottingham · ages 4+

Bumper lanes, laser tag and karaoke under one roof, with a party package that comes with pizza and a goody bag.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredFree parkingGroup bookings+3 more

The Beehive Ollerton

New Ollerton

Timed soft-play sessions with a clean between slots - indoor play in New Ollerton, pre-book advised.

Indoor playCaféFood on siteBirthday parties+1 more

The Cornerhouse

Nottingham

A city-centre complex with a cinema, bowling and dancing under one roof, open from 9am into the evening.

CaféEV chargingPublic transport nearbyRestaurant+1 more

The Glazey Place

Mansfield

Mansfield town-centre paint-your-own pottery - drinks and cakes while you paint; call Tue-Sat to book.

CaféBaby change

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

Thoresby Park

Newark

Newark - Thoresby Park estate with play park, courtyard cafe, woodland walks and a free military museum.

Booking requiredCaféGift shopIndoor play+6 more

Tilly Pots

Ravenshead

Ravenshead pottery and multi-craft studio - crafts from £4, book a table online, pottery parties published.

ToiletsFood on siteCafé

Tumble Town Play Centre

Nottingham · ages 0-8

Session soft play and role play in Arnold (NG5) for ages 0-8, with cafe, under-5s area and booking recommended.

Baby changeBirthday partiesBooking requiredCafé+8 more

Water Meadows Leisure Complex

Mansfield

Mansfield Pirate Pool with flumes, lazy river and under-5 Clock Fun - weekends and Notts school holidays.

CaféWi-FiFree parkingBirthday parties+5 more

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

West Bridgford Library

West Bridgford

Share songs at Rattle Rhyme and Roll, then pick picture books and holiday crafts.

ToiletsWheelchair accessibleWi-FiPublic transport nearby

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

Woolsthorpe Manor

Grantham · ages 5-17

The actual house where Newton watched an apple fall and split light with a prism, plus a hands-on science centre in the grounds.

ToiletsCaféGift shopParking

YMCA Climbing Centre Newark

Newark · ages 4+

Climbing in Newark with Clip n Climb, an IFSC speed wall and a 15m main wall, plus party packages.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredCaféFree parking+3 more