I grew up an hour from Birmingham. However whereas I couldn’t wait to discover the world, it wasn’t till I had my very own daughter that I correctly paid consideration to what was on my doorstep and began exploring all of the issues to do in Birmingham with children.
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A terrific spot for a metropolis break, there are a string of family-friendly sights to tempt year-round, together with the Birmingham Christmas market in winter. So in the event you’re contemplating a simple quick break, that is all of the motivation it’s good to ebook a visit – from museums and penguins to chocolate and Lego!
Since you don’t want a long-haul flight to find someplace utterly new, with a lot journey inspiration nearer to house too… beginning with my choose of one of the best issues to do in Birmingham with children.
Nationwide SeaLife Centre Birmingham
Rising up within the Midlands, you’re just about as removed from the ocean as you will be on our island – however a go to to this unbelievable aquarium is not any sorry second greatest and one in all my favorite issues to do in Birmingham with children.
Frankly, the Birmingham SeaLife centre at Brindleyplace beats various windswept seashores, particularly in winter, as you’ll be able to contact starfish in an interactive rockpool, see sharks and rays, a large turtle in a 360 diploma ocean tunnel and spy seahorses.
Discover Peppa Pig at Sea Life Birmingham till June 2, with a enjoyable path, crafts and an opportunity to fulfill Peppa herself, together with recognizing the wonderful creatures which reside on the aquarium, from penguins to sharks and the UK’s solely sea otters – prebook tickets right here
Try my evaluation of our go to to the Nationwide Sea Life Centre Birmingham – the revamped penguin space has additionally now reopened.
The revitalised previous canals are simply on the doorstep too, with a string of family-friendly eating places round Brindleyplace and in direction of The Dice and the Mailbox together with a number of the many family-friendly lodges in Birmingham.
For one more fashionable place to remain in Birmingham that’s additionally good for households, take a look at my evaluation of the Birmingham Radisson Blu lodge
Legoland Discovery Centre, Birmingham
Lego plus Lego-inspired enjoyable makes this probably the greatest locations within the UK in the event you love getting palms on with the bricks. There are three rides as effectively, plus a 4D cinema, however the massive spotlight for most youngsters (of all ages) is attending to create within the 10 Lego construct and play zones.
Be part of the LEGO Metropolis Minifigure group at LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Birmingham, with some epic LEGO Metropolis Missions to finish as a part of Metropolis of Champions – plus workshops and particular constructing actions. Runs to July 9, included in entry – prebook tickets right here
Geared toward youngsters aged three to 12, the Legoland Discovery Centre additionally has particular actions for under-fives (and people aged underneath three are free) plus a Duplo Farm.
Or benefit from the Miniland metropolis, made out of 1.5 million bricks, in addition to grasp builder workshops. There’s even the Lego Metropolis smooth play space for little ones.
You should purchase mixture tickets for the Legoland Discovery Centre and Sealife Centre reverse, saving as much as 40% on the on-the-door value – click on right here to ebook
Thinktank Birmingham Science Museum
Science museums have modified dramatically since I used to be younger – award-winning Thinktank has greater than 200 hands-on shows, a 4k Planetarium, out of doors Science Backyard, transport within the Transfer It gallery and Our Altering Planet for older children.
For youthful children, there’s additionally MiniBrum, an interactive gallery that’s a miniature model of the on a regular basis world, aimed on the underneath eights. This mini metropolis places children in cost (much like youngsters’s museum Eureka) with completely different play zones together with a building web site, retailers and park, in addition to sensory areas for infants.
Contained in the museum on the Millennium Level constructing, you too can uncover speaking robots, a chocolate wrapping machine and loads of different shows targeted round science, expertise and the pure world.
Birmingham Museum and Artwork Gallery
Excellent in the event you’re searching for free issues to do in Birmingham with children, the Birmingham Museum and Artwork Gallery (aka BMAG) is effectively price a go to, even when there had been an entrance payment!
EDIT: The museum is closed for renovations and anticipated to reopen in 2024 – date tbc
The spotlight with children is the Staffordshire Hoard – a number of the Saxon items found in a discipline in Staffordshire and break up between the museum right here and one other in Stoke-on-Trent.
In addition to the duplicate golden helmet, there’s fascinating background on how archaeologists restored the traditional items (utilizing thorns to get the caked on mud off, for instance) and possibilities to get palms on, dressing up, feeling the load of various swords and taking part in 9 males’s morris, in addition to marvelling on the intricate golden ornament and cloisonne jewelry.
You’ll additionally discover galleries on the Historical Egyptians, Greek and Romans – together with a newbie’s information to Egyptian gods – in addition to completely different religions and beliefs, plus actions and crafts throughout faculty holidays.
The littlest guests will love the Mini Museum, with shows on animals, extra dressing up and even some smooth play.
Plus there’s artwork each fashionable and traditional, a wonderful assortment of Pre-Raphaelite artwork, and different galleries on Birmingham itself. Throw within the spectacular Edwardian tea room and a few slightly helpful lockers for luggage (deliver a pound coin) and it’s straightforward to remain for much longer than you supposed.
GoBoat boat rental
Uncover town from a unique viewpoint and get behind the wheel of a ship with GoBoat – Birmingham is presently the one UK metropolis outdoors London the place you’ll be able to rent the electrical boats.
With area for as much as eight in every electrical boat, it’s child-friendly – there’s even room for a buggy on board! – and canine pleasant as effectively.
You don’t must have expertise earlier than you set off, with coaching given on arrival, together with a route map, plus you’ll get life jackets for infants and buoyancy aids for youngsters too. The captain have to be over 18.
Carry a picnic – you’ll be able to rent the boats for as much as three hours and there’s a desk to take a seat round – though in the event you’re having just a few drinks on board, the captain has to avoid any alcohol.
The boats depart from the canalside not removed from the Nationwide SeaLife Centre Birmingham, and alongside the best way you’ll be able to spot The Mailbox and The Dice, in addition to Edgbaston Tunnel, Birmingham College, The Roundhouse and Gasoline Avenue Basin as you sail alongside.
In case you’re planning to mix your jaunt alongside the canals with a go to to BBC Birmingham at The Mailbox, sadly all public excursions have been cancelled, together with the possibility to pose with the TARDIS or step behind the Strictly Come Dancing desk, in addition to the behind-the-scenes excursions.
The Bear Grylls Journey
Enterprise over in direction of the NEC and The Bear Grylls Journey is without doubt one of the latest and coolest journey actions in Birmingham for youths and adults alike. So long as you’re an adrenaline-junkie!
Opened by the adventurer himself, the distinctive exercise centre has many daring actions to select from, together with taking pictures, archery, escape rooms, excessive ropes, climbing partitions, indoor skydiving, shark diving, and a Royal Marines-inspired assault course.
You possibly can ebook particular person actions individually from round £20, or splash out for a multi-pass and spend the entire day participating in a number of completely different challenges. The minimal age for many actions is 8+, whereas taking pictures and diving are each 10+.
Birmingham Wildlife Conservation Park
Simply south of town centre, you’ll find pink pandas, lemurs and monkeys, to not point out iguanas, snakes and lynx, on the Birmingham Wildlife Conservation Park (beforehand generally known as the Nature Centre).
With data on their conservation work, it’s nice for older children to be taught a bit extra in regards to the world in addition to some animal recognizing plus there’s additionally a play space on the location.
A number of buses run from town centre and prebooking tickets is beneficial.
Scroll down for extra concepts of issues to do close by at Cannon Hill Park
Cadbury World
Is it attainable to say a metropolis break to Birmingham with children and never counsel a go to to Cadbury World? Simply one of many prime issues children wish to do in the event you’re in Birmingham, it’s most likely on various grownup wishlists too.
Only a bit additional south of town than the Wildlife Conservation Park, you’ll be able to watch chocolatiers at work, chase a large Crème egg, experience a Crunchie rollercoaster on a 4D expertise, design your personal packaging, and be taught a bit extra as you hint chocolate’s historical past and arrival to Europe.
Plus there’s the world’s greatest Cadbury’s store to complete, in addition to different chocolate experiences to strive.
Selly Manor Museum
Step again in time and expertise what Tudor life in Birmingham was as soon as like on the Selly Manor Museum. The museum is situated in Bournville, close to Cadbury World, and has shut hyperlinks to the Bournville Household themselves.
Set inside two lovely Tudor properties, children can get pleasure from dressing up in conventional costumes, attempting on actual armour, and dealing with historic objects. The family-friendly museum additionally has quite a lot of enjoyable trails you’ll be able to comply with, in addition to printable exercise sheets and themed phrase video games.
Plus, keep watch over their calendar for particular occasions all year long, from half-term Halloween enjoyable to Christmas crafts and extra.
Birmingham Again to Backs
Also referred to as Court docket 15, the Again to Backs are 4 conserved homes masking life from the 1840s by to the Nineteen Seventies, set round at nineteenth century courtyard.
As soon as frequent throughout town, it’s now Birmingham’s final surviving courtroom of again to backs – homes constructed again to again round their communal courtyard.
Designed as they might have been after they had been inhabited, proper right down to fires within the grates and a few sounds and smells of the previous, it’s an enchanting take a look at what life was as soon as like for a lot of households.
You possibly can solely go to with prebooked tickets for a guided tour, so it’s higher in the event you’re searching for uncommon days out with older children than preschoolers – excursions take round 90 minutes.
Cannon Hill Park
In case you’re searching for a peaceable spot to flee the bustling metropolis centre on a sunny day, head south to sprawling Cannon Hill Park.
The 250-acre inexperienced area is the preferred park in Birmingham and has loads of issues to see and do to maintain the little ones occupied for just a few hours, fairly other than the Birmingham Wildlife Conservation Park (above) which can also be primarily based right here.
Head out onto the massive boating lake on a swan pedal boat, take a experience across the massive scenic park on the land practice, or get pleasure from a sport of mini-golf at Golden Putter. Among the many play areas, there’s even a small fairground with just a few enjoyable rides and video games for toddlers to 10-year-olds.
Birmingham Botanical Gardens
In addition to town’s parks, outdoorsy households shouldn’t miss a go to to the Birmingham Botanical Gardens. Not solely will you get to discover the gorgeous gardens and buildings, lots of which date again to the early 1800s, however there are additionally loads of enjoyable family-friendly actions to get pleasure from.
In addition to occasions throughout faculty holidays, there are a string of enjoyable and academic trails for youngsters to comply with. Don’t miss the Magical Crops path the place you’ll be able to uncover the actual magical crops that impressed JK Rowling’s Harry Potter.
There are additionally orienteering trails and exercise sheets for extra methods to maintain children entertained (though the household exercise backpacks will not be presently obtainable).
The Botanical Gardens additionally placed on a great deal of family-friendly occasions and exhibitions all year long – beforehand the Jurassic Encounters occasion even noticed enormous dinosaurs roaming the gardens, whereas there’s usually out of doors theatre for youths throughout the summer time.
Birmingham Treasure Hunt Path
In case you’re trying to discover town, swap a regular guided tour for a treasure hunt by Birmingham with children.
There’s an ideal self-guided sightseeing treasure hunt designed to work in your telephone, with a pirate captain setting challenges and clues to unravel alongside the best way.
Or in the event you’re visiting with teenagers, the Haunted Metropolis Outside Escape Recreation shares a few of Birmingham’s spookiest tales, in an exercise that’s half treasure hunt, half tour and half escape room-style sport.
Or take a look at the themed Treasure Trails of Birmingham, with a number of completely different choices together with the possibility to discover the canals with the entire household working collectively to search out clues situated on buildings and monuments round Birmingham, in addition to studying some fascinating info in regards to the metropolis.
Following a two-mile loop, the Venice of the North path is a simple one with youthful children – you go at your personal tempo, however permit a few hours.
For extra tips about enjoyable household days out, Go to Birmingham has some nice options, or in the event you’re searching for the closest theme park to Birmingham, Drayton Manor theme park is round a 30-minute drive away
*First revealed 2014, final up to date 2023*
PIN FOR LATER: THINGS TO DO IN BIRMINGHAM WITH KIDS
ThinkTank picture courtesy of Advertising Birmingham, Botanical Gardens/Again to Backs courtesy Make it West Midlands, chocolate picture courtesy of Adobe Inventory, all others copyright MummyTravels