playground

WITH the UK’s weather’s getting wet and windy, I’ve found the perfect indoor attraction to go for all ages, right in the middle of the country. 

As your kids get older, the normal soft play options just don’t hit the spot anymore – but thankfully some have had a glow up especially for teens.

So we visited Flip Out Coventry, which opened last Christmas, to see if it would get the thumbs up from my teen, tween and tiny. 

Based in a former department store in a city centre shopping mall, you enter through a hall of mirrors and an arcade before exploring 13 attractions set over two floors of fun.

With a ninja warrior course, laser tag, bumper cars and drift trikes, I hardly saw the older two while we were there.

You know you’re onto a winner when the bank of PS5s loaded with games like Minecraft and Fifa don’t even get a look in, because your youngsters are too busy running from attraction to attraction.

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I think the dark space and graffiti vibe of the upper floor really appealed to my 11-year-old and 13-year-old, feeling a bit more grown-up than the bright lights and primary colours of soft plays aimed at younger children. 

But there was still lots to love for primary aged children here too.

My six-year-old enjoyed the inflatables, roller rink and football zone.

He was just tall enough to drive a dodgem by himself, so he spent a while whizzing around to his heart’s content.

The roller rink was a good chance for him to try out skating, with plenty of boots in all sizes.

And the drop slide to get from one storey to the other was a fun alternative to taking the stairs.

For little ones, there’s a dedicated toddler soft play next to the cafe area, so they can play in safety while tired parents have a rest nearby, hot drink in hand.

Family tickets for two hours are normally £65 for four people or £80 for five.

But we bagged an absolute bargain on a discount days out website, buying a half price family pass for £32 – £8 per person for two hours of unlimited activities.

My spectator ticket meant I couldn’t take part in the activities, but you can redeem your £3 entry back against refreshments from the on-site diner.

It’s handy if you’ve got kids who are old enough to play by themselves but you want to stay close by to supervise.

Looking at similar attractions elsewhere, you’d be paying around £8 to £10 per activity per person on a UK holiday park, so it’s great that you’ve got so much included in the price here and all under one roof.

If you’re not sure how your little ones will take to roller skating or if they will enjoy laser tag, you can let them have a quick go here and you won’t have wasted your money if it’s not their cup of tea, because they can move on to another activity.

The only downside to visiting the Coventry location is that it doesn’t have any trampolines, unlike a lot of its 35 sister sites across the UK.

A new Flip Out has only just opened in Leeds and there’s two more on the way in Wales and Scotland, so this could be a great indoor option, wherever you are in the country.

If you are heading to Coventry, Flip Out is just around the corner from The Wave, one of the UK’s largest indoor water parks.

While you’re in the area, I would recommend checking out Coventry’s Charterhouse, which was taken on by the National Trust earlier this year.

It’s a small but fascinating medieval monastic house, with a public playground just on the doorstep.

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Also on my Coventry to-do list is adventure playground Hermit’s Hollow at Coombe Abbey Park, which has just become free to enter. 

With family fun to be had at new attractions like Flip Out and Hermit’s Hollow, plus a refresh for established sites like Charterhouse and the Herbert, being sent to Coventry is a pleasure and not a punishment nowadays.

A MUSEUM based in south-east London that is loved by families will be getting even more attractions next year.

The Horniman Museum and Gardens in Forest Hill – named London‘s best family attraction in 2024 by Muddy Stilettos – will open a new play park next year.

Dubbed the ‘Nature + Love’ project, the park is one of several new experiences launching as part of the museum’s 125th anniversary celebrations.

The free-to-visit play area will have a nature theme and also feature a cafe.

Called the Kusuma Nature Play, it will include a number of different features designed to “encourage learning and wellbeing through nature and play”.

There will also be an augmented reality trail (AR) opening in the Gardens.

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It will be free to visitors and feature a cast of animated animals for visitors to meet and interact with.

The trail will also include a number of challenges and mini games for visitors to play.

In addition, The Horniman’s Nature Trail will offer step-free access for the first time.

The Gardens Nursery will be transformed as well and will include new glasshouses, a public boardwalk route and a workshop space – all free to visit as well.

Later in early 2027, the Horniman’s natural history gallery will reopen to the public having been fully refurbished.

Inside, visitors will be able to once again see many of the museum’s favourite items as well as new objects.

To mark its 125th birthday, the museum will also be hosting a number of events between June 27 and 29, 2026.

Michael Salter-Church MBE, Chair of the Horniman, said: “Opening in the Horniman’s 125th year, these new features in the Gardens will help visitors learn about the natural world and provide new welcoming spaces for everyone to enjoy for years to come.

“They embody the Horniman’s ethos and purpose and will help us celebrate our birthday!”

Gordon Seabright, chief executive at the Horniman, said: “We are delighted to reveal a first glimpse of what’s to come at the Horniman as part of our Nature + Love project.

“The Gardens are a beloved and integral part of the Horniman, and we hope the new attractions opening in 2026 will provide new and familiar visitors with fun and enriching encounters with the precious natural world we all share.”

Most of the Horniman is free to visit, including the library, animal walk, World Gallery and gardens.

And according to The Guardian, the destination “feels as if it was created for kids”.

There is also an aquarium that visitors can go to, though this is ticketed costing £6.50 per adult and £3.25 per child.

Inside, visitors can explore 15 exhibits showcasing different water environments from around the world, such as pond life and coral reefs.

There is also a butterfly house, which is also ticketed, costing £9.75 per adult and £6.50 per child.

The tropical indoor garden features free-flying butterflies of different colours and sizes.

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If you are looking for other things to do in the Big Smoke, these are the city’s best free indoor attractions for families.

Plus, a popular family attraction to return to UK capital – 8 years after it was scrapped.

A HUGE car race track, retro arcade games and private Singpods – it certainly doesn’t sound like your classic pub?

Calling itself the ‘modern playhouse for Battersea,’ it recently reopened after a £1million refurbishment and I was one of the first to go down.

Formerly known as the Four Thieves, the ‘adult playground’ now called The Thieves, sits between Battersea and Clapham Common.

You can do everything you can do at a usual pub, like grab a cocktail, beer or bite to eat from their menu – from brunch to a hearty Sunday roast.

But beyond the pretty bar and plush velvet seating is also a plethora of other activities.

Let’s face it, the main event is upstairs inside The Thieves Gambit.

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Heading inside the arcade, you’re immediately greeted by a buzzy atmosphere, laughter, and of course, plenty of competitive jibes.

It’s slightly overwhelming at first because of the sheer amount of games – and the sound effects that go with them.

There’s air hockey, golf putting, Mario Kart, pool tables, virtual darts, basketball, and classic games like Pacman, Space Invaders, Tetris and Mortal Kombat.

Crazy Light was another favourite, buttons light up and you have to press them – the faster the better, obviously.

The main event though is the TRBO Raceway, previously called Moonshine Raceway, where players sit in gaming chairs and literally race cars around the track.

It might remind some of old Scalextric games – there’s even an MC hyping up drivers and if it’s possible, making everyone even more competitive.

It’s not easy either as I found out when coming last.

To play the games you need to add credit to your TRBO card which starts at £10 for 500 coins and you can top up throughout the night.

Downstairs in the basement is where you can sing your heart out inside the karaoke room.

If you fancy, you can book out a Singpod to privately belt out some ballads with your mates.

Not being much of a singer myself, this is one that I decided not to take on.

When you’re done with the games, head back down to the bar area where there are a host of live performances.

It’s not just a guy singing with a guitar either, I’m talking mega party vibes.

There will ABBA parties, Taylor Swift socials, cabaret shows, and themed brunches all under spinning disco balls and and flashing lights.

Coming up on the calendar are 70s dance parties to ‘Twisted Time Machine’ with tunes from the party eras, comedy nights, quizzes.

For guaranteed entry, time at the arcades, or a table for eating – make sure to book before you go.

Otherwise, happy playing!

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For more fun, check out the new adult-only indoor playground with pub games and prosecco-flavoured candyfloss to open in the UK.

And for when the sun is shining, check out the best riverside pubs across the UK including a moored boat and one ‘that feels like the south of France’.

ONE London spot well-known for its historic dinosaur sculptures is set to get a new playpark entirely themed on the prehistoric beasts.

Crystal Palace is well known for many things including its football team and giant transmitting tower, but its much-loved park is set to get a new children’s play area.

The new playground will be inspired by the Crystal Palace Park’s famous dinosaur sculptures.

When the park first opened in 1856, they were the world’s first attempt to depict the prehistoric creatures based on fossils found by Victorian palaeontologists.

In the park, children will be able to find elements of dinosaurs everywhere to spark their imagination – think claw marks carved into the slides and a skeleton-like structure to venture through and climb on.

There will also be a play trail formed from a curving dinosaur’s tail and a sandpit in the giant footprint of a dinosaur.

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Other elements of the playpark include jumping discs, a log scramble and swings for younger children.

For spectating parents, there is a picnic area too.

A lot of the park will be accessible as well, with a wheelchair accessible roundabout, accessible swing and slide, tactile games and there will be accessible access to the sand pit as well.

Many of the features of the park have been shaped by ideas from children that live close to the park.

This included the Megalosaurus, Hylaeosaurus, and Iguanodon being found the most popular dinosaurs and as a result, there will be reference to them across the park.

And it will replace the old playground, which will remain open until the new one is finished.

It will be located near the main park toilets, the new visitor centre, the cafe and en route to the dinosaur sculptures.

A number of people have already expressed their excitement for the attraction, with one person commenting on Facebook: “Cannot wait to take my grandsons when it is ready.”

Another added: “The best news. Thanks to everyone who is involved in making this happen. Happy days!”

The new playpark forms part of the regeneration project of the park.

There are around 30 statues of dinosaurs at the park – but they are a little different to how we know dinosaurs to look today as the Victorians created them from the scientific information they had at the time.

It is completely free to see the sculptures, which are littered on islands in the park’s lakes.

The statues are all Grade I listed and currently undergoing restoration.

Another part of the project is the creation of a new visitor centre.

Inside, visitors will be able to discover the 170-year-old history of the park.

The new single-storey building will replace the existing information centre and provide space for an activity room, with displays, historic objects and information panels.

The Grand Centre Walk is being restored as well, with more space for events.

The path will become wider and there will be a new entrance at Penge Gate too.

And the park’s Italian terraces are being repaired, after being placed on Historic England‘s At Risk Register.

The parks entire makeover is costing around £52million.

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If you are looking for something to do with kids now, then you could head to a huge indoor playground that only opened in the UK last year – it has oak tree slides and castle play fort.

Plus, one of England’s most popular children’s playgrounds is about to get much better.

TUCKED away in 500 acres of woodland is an enormous climbing frame, that now doesn’t cost a penny to enter.

Called Hermit’s Hollow, it’s a play haven for kids with wooden bridges, walkways, treetop canopies and spiral slides.

Hermit’s Hollow is found at Coombe Abbey Park in Coventry and was built just two years ago in 2023.

Since its opening, families had been charged a £3.95 entry fee with visitors having to book tickets for a two hour slot online.

But the great news is that these fees have been scrapped from November 3, 2025 and entry is now completely free.

Hermit’s Hollow is an exciting place for kids to run about along the wooden walkways, tree towers, a tube slide and an accessible companion slide.

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There is also a small area for toddlers to explore.

The only bad news is that Hermit’s Cafe and on-site toilets which is located within the woodland playground will close.

It’s a popular spot for families, especially during the warmer weather with one mum writing on Tripadvisor that it’s the best place for a “perfect day out with the kids“.

Another said: “The walk is lovely not huge but the kids loved it, log walking, making dens, and they loved the woodland climbing.”

The climbing area is open between 10am until 4pm each day.

Aside from the climbing frame, there’s plenty to do in Coombe Abbey Park as it has plenty of woodland and lakeside walks as well as other activities, and even Go Ape.

The adventure chain is found within the grounds and there’s plenty to do from Treetop challenges, to axe throwing, archery, driving mini land rovers.

Or head closer to the huge Coombe Abbey Hotel where you can stroll around the pruned gardens and mazes.

Visitors can pop into Café in the Park at Coombe Abbey where they serve up breakfast offerings from the ‘Full Park Breakfast’.

There are as well as toasties, sandwiches, jacket potatoes, or main meals like fish and chips, chilli and there’s a dedicated kid’s menu.

Coventry itself has been labelled as an ‘underrated’ city in the UK, and it’s seeing an increase in the number of tourists.

Some of the biggest attractions there include The Wave in Coventry which is an enormous indoor waterpark with one of the biggest wave pools in the country.

It has six water slides, one being The Crestar, which has two giant spheres with lighting effects.

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The Cascade is another ride at the waterpark, as is The Torrent, which is a ride where the floor drops from beneath – and is arguably one of the scariest rides.

The Rapids, which has been described as the “Big Dipper on water”, is the park’s water coaster, where powerful jets hurl riders uphill before dropping them down through tight corners and tunnels.

One writer reveals what his stay at the Coombe Abbey Hotel was like…

Read on to hear what one writer made of this historic hotel…

Where is the Coombe Abbey Hotel?

On 500 acres of renowned beauty, this historic hotel is in Coventry situated in Coombe Abbey’s Country Park, just off the M6.

What is it like?

Next time somebody wants to send you to Coventry, stay at this complex, which dates back to 1150 and has links to royalty, the dissolution of the monasteries under Henry VIII and the Gunpowder plot. Enjoy a view of the moat, the lake and the courtyard to the Capability Brown designed gardens, depending on where you are in the hotel.

What is there to do at the hotel?

The corridors and communal rooms are packed with artefacts, art, history and heritage, that are well worth exploring as you wander from bar to room to

restaurant, while the scenic lake, gardens and grounds are perfect for a stroll. 

Enjoy one of the many choices of afternoon tea, from Abbot’s Afternoon Tea to Sparkling Afternoon Tea as a post-walk treat. For kids, you can discover Go Ape in the woodlands.

What is there to eat and drink?

Unless you want to drive, you’d better eat here as it’s about a ten-minute walk to the edge of the grounds and some way beyond that to any restaurants. That being said, you really do want to eat here. The ambience is classy, the food is great, and the breakfast really sets you up for the day.

The dinner menu features meaty dishes of beef shin with fondant potato and confit duck leg with spiced braised cabbage, as well as vegan, vegetarian and fish options.

What are the rooms like?

The minimum standard in basic rooms is real quality and comfort, while the decor and design in the feature heritage rooms are charming and characterful. Rooms start from £149 a night based on two sharing.