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 points of interest to tempt year-round, together with the Birmingham Christmas market in winter. So for those who’re contemplating a straightforward brief break, that is all of the motivation it’s essential to e book a visit – from museums and penguins to chocolate and Lego!
As a result of because the previous few years have reminded us, you don’t want a long-haul flight to find someplace fully new, with a lot journey inspiration nearer to residence too… beginning with my decide 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 might be on our island – however a go to to this implausible aquarium is not any sorry second greatest and one among 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.
Pirates are coming to SeaLife Birmingham this summer time, with a particular Pirate treasure hunt from July 9 to September 4. Tackle the problem to assist Captain Careless, accumulate buying and selling playing cards, meet the crew and win a prize on the finish. For a problem on sea AND land, purchase a joint ticket to search out extra pirates at Birmingham Legoland Discovery Centre on the identical dates
Take a look at 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 the direction of The Dice and the Mailbox together with a number of the many family-friendly lodges in Birmingham.
For one more trendy place to remain in Birmingham that’s additionally good for households, take a look at my evaluation of the Birmingham Radisson Blu resort
Legoland Discovery Centre, Birmingham
Lego plus Lego-inspired enjoyable makes this the most effective locations within the UK for those who love getting fingers on with the bricks. There are three rides as nicely, plus a 4D cinema, however the huge spotlight for most children (of all ages) is attending to create within the 10 Lego construct and play zones.
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.
Pirates are coming to Birmingham Legoland Discovery Centre this summer time, with a particular Pirate treasure hunt from July 9 to September 4. Tackle the problem to assist Captain Careless, accumulate buying and selling playing cards, meet the crew and win a prize on the finish. For a problem on sea AND land, purchase a joint ticket to search out extra pirates at Birmingham SeaLife Centre on the identical dates
Or benefit from the Miniland metropolis, made out of 1.5 million bricks, in addition to grasp builder workshops.
You should purchase mixture tickets for the Legoland Discovery Centre and Sealife Centre reverse, saving as much as 40% on the on-the-door worth – click on right here to e book
Thinktank
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, interactive We Made 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 (just like youngsters’s museum Eureka) with completely different play zones together with a development web site, retailers and park, in addition to sensory areas for infants.
Contained in the museum on the Millennium Level constructing, you can even uncover speaking robots, a chocolate wrapping machine and loads of different shows centered round science, expertise and the pure world.
Birmingham Museum and Artwork Gallery
Superb for those who’re on the lookout for free issues to do in Birmingham with children, the Birmingham Museum and Artwork Gallery (aka BMAG) is nicely value a go to, even when there had been an entrance charge!
The spotlight with children is the Staffordshire Hoard – a number of the Saxon items found in a area in Staffordshire and break up between the museum right here and one other in Stoke-on-Trent.
In addition to the reproduction 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 probabilities to get fingers on, dressing up, feeling the load of various swords and enjoying 9 males’s morris, in addition to marvelling on the intricate golden ornament and cloisonne jewelry.
You’ll additionally discover galleries on the Historic 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 college holidays.
The littlest guests will love the Mini Museum, with shows on animals, extra dressing up and even some comfortable play.
Plus there’s artwork each trendy and basic, a superb assortment of Pre-Raphaelite artwork, and different galleries on Birmingham itself. Throw within the spectacular Edwardian tea room and a few reasonably helpful lockers for luggage (deliver a pound coin) and it’s simple to remain for much longer than you meant.
BBC Birmingham’s Public Area at The Mailbox
An surprising should – children (and grown-ups) can have their photograph taken with the Physician Who Tardis or step behind the Strictly Come Dancing desk to check out their most chopping criticisms amongst different alternatives to strive being on TV.
There are additionally outfits and memorabilia to see at BBC Customer Centre at The Mailbox together with BBC Kids’s Apps for youthful guests to check out – briefly closed.
Sadly the behind-the-scenes excursions – which shared how a programme will get from script to display – are now not operating.
Birmingham Wildlife Conservation Park
Simply south of the town centre, you’ll find crimson pandas, lemurs and monkeys, to not point out iguanas, snakes and lynx, on the Birmingham Wildlife Conservation Park (beforehand referred to as the Nature Centre).
With info on their conservation work, it’s nice for older children to study a bit extra concerning the world in addition to some animal recognizing plus there’s additionally a play space on the location. A number of buses run from the town centre and tickets ought to be prebooked.
Scroll down for extra concepts of issues to do close by at Cannon Hill Park
Cadbury World
Is it potential to say a metropolis break to Birmingham with children and never recommend a go to to Cadbury World? Simply one of many prime issues children wish to do for those who’re in Birmingham, it’s most likely on various grownup wishlists too.
Only a bit additional south of the town than the Wildlife Conservation Park, you’ll be able to watch chocolatiers at work, chase a large Crème egg, journey a Crunchie rollercoaster on a 4D expertise, design your personal packaging, and study a bit extra as you hint chocolate’s historical past and arrival to Europe.
Plus there’s the world’s largest Cadbury’s store to complete, plus 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 houses, 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 observe, 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
Often known as Courtroom 15, the Again to Backs are 4 conserved homes masking life from the 1840s by means of to the Seventies, set round at nineteenth century courtyard.
As soon as frequent throughout the town, it’s now Birmingham’s final surviving court docket of again to backs – homes constructed again to again round their communal courtyard.
Designed as they might have been once they have been inhabited, proper right down to fires within the grates and a few sounds and smells of the previous, it’s a captivating have a look at what life was as soon as like for a lot of households.
At current, you’ll be able to solely go to with prebooked tickets for a guided tour, so it’s higher for older children than preschoolers – the teams are a most of six, and take round an hour (permit as much as 90 minutes for the entire go to).
Cannon Hill Park
Should you’re on the lookout 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 house is the most well-liked 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 big boating lake on a swan pedal boat, take a journey across the massive scenic park on the land practice, or get pleasure from a recreation of mini-golf at Golden Putter. There’s even a small fairground with just a few enjoyable rides and video games for toddlers to 10-year-olds.
Birmingham Botanical Gardens
Outdoorsy households shouldn’t miss a go to to the Birmingham Botanical Gardens. Not solely will you get to discover the attractive 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.
You’ll be able to rent a household exercise backpack, which is bursting with artistic actions and sources to assist children benefit from the gardens. Relying on the theme you decide, the backpacks include exercise sheets, colouring pens, magnifying glasses, binoculars, bug pots and extra.
There are a number of enjoyable and academic trails for kids to observe. Don’t miss the Magical Crops path the place you’ll be able to uncover the actual magical vegetation that impressed JK Rowling’s Harry Potter.
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 big dinosaurs roaming the gardens, whereas there’s typically out of doors theatre for teenagers throughout the summer time.
The Bear Grylls Journey
Launched a few years in the past, The Bear Grylls Journey is among the latest and coolest journey actions in Birmingham for teenagers 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 capturing, archery, escape rooms, excessive ropes, climbing partitions, indoor skydiving, shark diving, and a Royal Marines-inspired assault course.
You’ll be able to e book 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 capturing and diving are each 10+.
Get Your Information and tiqets each typically have reductions for actions in addition to free cancellation choices.
Birmingham Treasure Hunt Path
Should you’re trying to discover the town, swap an ordinary guided tour for a treasure hunt by means of Birmingham with children.
There’s an important 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 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 concerning the metropolis.
At simply over a mile, the Purple Rag to a Bull path, is a straightforward one with youthful children – you go at your personal tempo, however permit round an hour.
For extra suggestions, Go to Birmingham has some nice recommendations
*First revealed 2014, final up to date 2022*
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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
